Aracely is affectionate, sweet and a hard worker. When she wants to be. The other half of the time, she's whiny, demanding, and pouty. She's one of the kids I feel I can have the most impact on, but I'm still learning what the best strategy is.
Aracely- age 7
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I walk down the slope leading to the school and Aracely comes running to me, arms outstretched. "¡¡¡PROFE!!!" she shrieks and throws herself at me, climbing my legs like a little monkey. I kiss her on the cheek and try to take a step forward, Aracely hanging from one of my arms. As I peel her off one arm, she latches onto the other. I give up and walk to greet the other kids, dragging the dead-weight of her little body clinging to my leg.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Aracely is bent over her homework, pencil gripped tightly in her hand. Her neat letters fill up the page, and she's almost done when something snaps. "I can't do this!" she cries, throwing her pencil on the ground and kicking her feet. Aracely's voice raises to a wail, and she throws a tantrum like a toddler. I guide her pencil over the page, helping her to write the cursive 'f' that was so frustrating. Her anger deflates until I tell her she needs to finish the page before recess, and she fills up with anger again. "¡Bruja!" she yells at me, "Witch!" As I walk away, she keeps yelling at my back. "Bruja!" "Bruja!" "Bruja!"
--------------------------------------------------------------
After recess, Aracely is thoughtful, gentle and polite. Instead of yelling and demanding, she slips her hand into mine and quietly asks to borrow my eraser. When she's finished using it, she presses it back in my hand, thanking me. She hums and she works, grinning at me when I check on her work. We pack up our bags and get ready to go home. Aracely heads for the door, and then turns in the doorway. "Thank you for teaching me today, Profe," she says and smiles.
No comments:
Post a Comment