Home Visit #1
It has become a priority to me to visit the homes of each child in my class. I have learned in the past that I actually take a glimpse into the life of a child more clearly then I ever could in the school setting. I will be posting about some of them as I continue through the year. My first, however, was this week! What an experience.
Emotionless is the name I give this child. After having him 2 years as a student I've maybe seen him show any kind emotion a total of about 12 times. Wednesday I learned why.
Emotionless is one of 5 children. He is Hispanic and sometimes doesn't understand his mother because his English is better than his Spanish, and sometimes doesn't understand school because he still isn't fluent in English. So identity even through language has been lost. This boy lost his daddy when he was 2 to what I'm thinking was gang activity. His only dream for when he grows up is to not be a gangster. When he was younger he would say "I want to be a fireman" but now that is too unrealistic and babyish for a 9 year old like him. This baby boy (a man in his eyes) and his mother are actually stuck in depression. At home, Emotionless actually talks about killing himself and to the school, mother has talked about killing herself.
Now tell me politicians and law makers how this sweet, depressed, lifeless child is supposed to make AYP. How is he to perform like many other kids in the US who have a cultural identity, who have their daddy, and who aren't fighting the urge to just die. Please, come sit in his living room with me and tell me how this is to happen.
Emotionless is the name I give this child. After having him 2 years as a student I've maybe seen him show any kind emotion a total of about 12 times. Wednesday I learned why.
Emotionless is one of 5 children. He is Hispanic and sometimes doesn't understand his mother because his English is better than his Spanish, and sometimes doesn't understand school because he still isn't fluent in English. So identity even through language has been lost. This boy lost his daddy when he was 2 to what I'm thinking was gang activity. His only dream for when he grows up is to not be a gangster. When he was younger he would say "I want to be a fireman" but now that is too unrealistic and babyish for a 9 year old like him. This baby boy (a man in his eyes) and his mother are actually stuck in depression. At home, Emotionless actually talks about killing himself and to the school, mother has talked about killing herself.
Now tell me politicians and law makers how this sweet, depressed, lifeless child is supposed to make AYP. How is he to perform like many other kids in the US who have a cultural identity, who have their daddy, and who aren't fighting the urge to just die. Please, come sit in his living room with me and tell me how this is to happen.
November 22, 2007 at 8:32 AM
Hay...well this just further reminds us all to keep you and Nick, and your classroom in our daily prayers. I do that on what I call my
"prayer run"..It is now quite longer than it was before. :)