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Friday, April 24
Sore Losers Going Insane
Thursday, April 23
Saturday, April 11
Fulfilling a call to service
So, I've fulfilled about two months of my twelve-month Americorps service contract at the Portland division of YouthBuild USA. Two months that have just flown by! The first few weeks were just a complete blur because I came in at a really busy time (during a 3-week program when they test out new student recruits that want to join the program) and while that was happening I had to learn what my duties are and get used to the processes, procedures, rules, etc. Unfortunately, there wasn't much time put aside for training, so I had to kind of figure things out on my own. Funnily enough, working at AIB actually gave me some good preparation for taking on this job because it is almost as chaotic.
My work schedule is pretty good. We have the students on site Tuesday through Friday, so Monday is a day when we can plan, have a staff meeting, and complete some pressing tasks. Plus, I don't have to be at work until 9:30. However, the rest of the week we start at 7:30, which means I get up at 6:00. Something I still haven't quite gotten used to. Consequently, by the end of the week, I'm pretty tired. The good thing is I usually leave around between 3:30 and 4:30, so Kristen and I have nice, long evenings at our disposal.
What do I do? Well, it's sort of hard to explain, but my title is "Service Learning Coordinator" and that kind of fits the bill. I assist the Computer Technology Trainer and the Multimedia Trainer by being a facilitator, tracking attendance, and helping to shepherd the students. I also teach the Internet Core Computing Certification classes, which is quite challenging because there is A LOT of stuff they have to learn to be able to pass the exams and they really hate part of the training -- the part that requires them to sit in front of the computer taking quizzes and watching Flash presentations on computer hardware, software, and pretty much everything related. It is a major challenge and I am trying to come up with novel, more engaging ways of teaching the material, but that is something that takes time. And so I can have a bit more credibility, I am working on getting the certification myself (I have taken 2 of the 3 exams, so far).
There's also a fair amount of administrative and non-student-oriented tasks I am responsible for such as dealing with computer donations and other things that crop up from sitting in what is basically the reception area. When a company donates computers to us, I have to go pick them up, usually with some student helpers. And after we refurbish the computers and they are sold (for the meager sum of $75) to customers, I do a bit of customer service. I also do a fair amount of troubleshooting and administration of on-site IT. There's a WIFI and a hardwire network that sometimes has problems, plus the semi-regular occurance of computers breaking down with either hardware faults or software conflicts. The students are not gentle with this stuff!
This school also teaches construction. That's the only thing it taught when it first started out. We have two campuses: the main campus and the computer technology "work site". The main campus is used for the academic portion of the program as well as the construction program. The majority of staff also have their offices there. I'm at the computer technology site, which is about 15 minutes away from the main campus and much closer to downtown Portland. There are only three (sometimes four) staff members there, including me. The students are divided into two "crews" on a 2-week rotation. Each crew has two weeks on a worksite (either computer tech or construction, depending on which program they are enrolled) and two weeks at the school doing normal high school academics. They are working towards getting a GED or a high school degree. While they are doing that, they get work experience and get a small stipend -- they are also Americorps members like me, but on a different contract. It's a really great opportunity for them because, if they make it onto the program and can manage to stay engaged, they get paid to finish high school and at the same time get work experience. And after they graduate, they still get a lot of support from us, including help to get into college and some job placements.
It is really rewarding to work with these students. They have been through a lot of crap. A lot have been cast aside or spit out of the school system because of drug or alcohol problems, bad family situations, learning disabilities, or have gotten in trouble with "the law". Some of them come out of rehab or a stint in jail and get on this program. They are given a second chance to get their life back on track. When you see them succeed, it is just so heart-warming and gives you a really nice feeling that you have been a part of that. It actually makes me think I wouldn't want to teach "normal" high school kids; the ones that have had a relatively easy life and are pretty much spoiled little brats because of it. The other day when there was yet another school shooting somewhere, I thought about my students and how I could not see them doing something like that. They are beyond it somehow. I certainly don't fear for my safety there! Many of the students are just from low income families, but there are others that have come out of horrible home lives with parents that basically don't give a shit about them. I mean this is a place that some students get disappointed when it is spring break or summer break because that means they have to go home! It's sad, but true. Sure, we have a few trouble-makers and a few that are having trouble staying on the straight and narrow, but for the most part, they are all working really hard to make something of themselves.
I've got 10 more months here and I'm really looking forward to seeing these students succeed. And hopefully, I can finagle a more permanent position here.
My work schedule is pretty good. We have the students on site Tuesday through Friday, so Monday is a day when we can plan, have a staff meeting, and complete some pressing tasks. Plus, I don't have to be at work until 9:30. However, the rest of the week we start at 7:30, which means I get up at 6:00. Something I still haven't quite gotten used to. Consequently, by the end of the week, I'm pretty tired. The good thing is I usually leave around between 3:30 and 4:30, so Kristen and I have nice, long evenings at our disposal.
What do I do? Well, it's sort of hard to explain, but my title is "Service Learning Coordinator" and that kind of fits the bill. I assist the Computer Technology Trainer and the Multimedia Trainer by being a facilitator, tracking attendance, and helping to shepherd the students. I also teach the Internet Core Computing Certification classes, which is quite challenging because there is A LOT of stuff they have to learn to be able to pass the exams and they really hate part of the training -- the part that requires them to sit in front of the computer taking quizzes and watching Flash presentations on computer hardware, software, and pretty much everything related. It is a major challenge and I am trying to come up with novel, more engaging ways of teaching the material, but that is something that takes time. And so I can have a bit more credibility, I am working on getting the certification myself (I have taken 2 of the 3 exams, so far).
There's also a fair amount of administrative and non-student-oriented tasks I am responsible for such as dealing with computer donations and other things that crop up from sitting in what is basically the reception area. When a company donates computers to us, I have to go pick them up, usually with some student helpers. And after we refurbish the computers and they are sold (for the meager sum of $75) to customers, I do a bit of customer service. I also do a fair amount of troubleshooting and administration of on-site IT. There's a WIFI and a hardwire network that sometimes has problems, plus the semi-regular occurance of computers breaking down with either hardware faults or software conflicts. The students are not gentle with this stuff!
This school also teaches construction. That's the only thing it taught when it first started out. We have two campuses: the main campus and the computer technology "work site". The main campus is used for the academic portion of the program as well as the construction program. The majority of staff also have their offices there. I'm at the computer technology site, which is about 15 minutes away from the main campus and much closer to downtown Portland. There are only three (sometimes four) staff members there, including me. The students are divided into two "crews" on a 2-week rotation. Each crew has two weeks on a worksite (either computer tech or construction, depending on which program they are enrolled) and two weeks at the school doing normal high school academics. They are working towards getting a GED or a high school degree. While they are doing that, they get work experience and get a small stipend -- they are also Americorps members like me, but on a different contract. It's a really great opportunity for them because, if they make it onto the program and can manage to stay engaged, they get paid to finish high school and at the same time get work experience. And after they graduate, they still get a lot of support from us, including help to get into college and some job placements.
It is really rewarding to work with these students. They have been through a lot of crap. A lot have been cast aside or spit out of the school system because of drug or alcohol problems, bad family situations, learning disabilities, or have gotten in trouble with "the law". Some of them come out of rehab or a stint in jail and get on this program. They are given a second chance to get their life back on track. When you see them succeed, it is just so heart-warming and gives you a really nice feeling that you have been a part of that. It actually makes me think I wouldn't want to teach "normal" high school kids; the ones that have had a relatively easy life and are pretty much spoiled little brats because of it. The other day when there was yet another school shooting somewhere, I thought about my students and how I could not see them doing something like that. They are beyond it somehow. I certainly don't fear for my safety there! Many of the students are just from low income families, but there are others that have come out of horrible home lives with parents that basically don't give a shit about them. I mean this is a place that some students get disappointed when it is spring break or summer break because that means they have to go home! It's sad, but true. Sure, we have a few trouble-makers and a few that are having trouble staying on the straight and narrow, but for the most part, they are all working really hard to make something of themselves.
I've got 10 more months here and I'm really looking forward to seeing these students succeed. And hopefully, I can finagle a more permanent position here.
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