Orlando Day Nursery

I will be volunteering my time at Orlando Day Nursery (ODN) over the next few weeks. ODN is located near the Amway Arena, servicing families from the Parramore and West Orlando neighborhoods. ODN offers a developmentally appropriate childcare program and preschool at reduced rates to families living in or near poverty.

I phoned the executive director to set up my volunteer hours, explaining who I was and why I would like to volunteer. After speaking with her and setting up my hours, I proceeded to peruse ODN’s website. I found ODN welcomes volunteers in many different areas: child mentor, facility, teacher support, music, membership, program, event, service, photographer, catering, lunch assistant, parent helper, and board member volunteers.

ODR’s tuition fees are based on the poverty guidelines as set annually by the federal government's Department of Health and Human Services. Poverty guidelines are based on all income received by everyone living in the household and adjusted by the number of people in the household. Deep discounts are given for families with limited incomes. (http://www.orlandodaynursery.org/programs/fee_schedule.php)

I am looking forward to the weeks to come.

Trust

As I was out in the field this week and last, I thought of trust. Why should a child trust you? I teach from the books and understand how to create a classroom community, but sometimes wonder - could I? I watched as a pre-service student welcomed a new student into the classroom. He has had four first grade teachers this year and his father was just murdered. Why trust a teacher who will be leaving soon (graduating)? There is so much to this young child. I wish him the most of success in life!

A second conversation I had with a student just today is, "the students are bored". The curriculum says what to teach and the school wants all to be on the same page. How do you differentiate and meet the needs of the students in your classroom? This in an ESOL setting.

Star Teachers

I had a conversation with a star teacher this week. The conversation saddened me, as I have admired this teacher for years and her view on teaching in an urban setting has changed. The star teacher taught in an urban setting for almost 20 years. She was the teacher who took the classrooms no others wanted. The star teacher stood for the students, earning their trust, understanding each child's need and most of all educating the students within her classroom. The sorrowful part of the conversation was when the star teacher put down the students and race she once taught. I was astounded and called her on this. The conversation which followed was sad, but true. In the last couple of years of the star teacher's career, she was beaten by a student, robbed, and disrespected. She lost faith in the students she once loved. I look to the article by Haberman and wonder, could this star teacher have lost her way due to the lack of support in the school community. There was no sharing of ideas or collaboration. The star teachers voice was lost in the mayhem of the school. I believe in order to create a strong learning community you need not only the star teachers, but administrators as well.