So this is a collection of my adventures as a Junior Assistant for the Elementary Institute of Science (EIS for short). For three weeks, I am to work with the children, instructors and administrators to make sure that their summer programs run as smooth as possible. At the end I will receive 100 hrs. for my community service, more hrs than needed to graduate high school (44 hrs are needed). Without further ado, here's week one of my journey!
Day one: Today I started my duties as a junior assistant at the Elementary Institute of Science (EIS) and I arrived 30 minutes early (thanks mother, couldn't frickin finish my bagel or my Cinnamon Dulce Frappachino from Starbucks because I came so early!) , so my first assignment was to tidy up the library. I did this for an hour, then greeted the returning and new faces of the children to EIS. I showed them where to leave their lunch ales and directed them toward the conference room, where they signed in then got into their groups depending on their age. I got the kids who showed up at 10:00 (there are two sessions: one group comes in at 9:00 am and the other at 10:00 am) and I got paired with the group of 10-11 year olds (one group contains 7-8 year olds, another contains 8-9 year olds, another from 10-11 year olds, and the last from 11-13 year olds). My job description for the next three weeks goes down like this: I work with administrations, instructors, and the kids to make sure everything goes smoothly. I help the instructors with the lesson plan, help set up projects, help the kids out with the projects when needed, basically, I bend to their will (like Bush Jr. bends over for the uber-conservatives in the Republican party, but you don't sell your soul). I did this for Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, and Natural Science (there are other other junior assistants, it's not just me out there), and i'll be doing the same thing tomorrow.
Day two: Today at EIS, my group of children (the 10-11 year-olds) acted the way I expected them to act like -- like noisy children. When they acting disrespectful and noisy towards the instructors, I had to let them know that there is a time to act like a sugar-fueled monstrosity -- it was called lunch and recess, but until that time came, they were to act like mature kids and listen to their instructors. I did this for Engineering, Computer Science, and Natural Science. Biology, I took a short nap because of all the times I had to keep the kids in line!
it has also occurred to me that I haven't explained what the kids did yesterday.....so sorry on that from, too tired to explain, so here's what they did for yesterday and today:
Monday in Engineering - the kids had a little experiment in using lemons and copper wires to test if it could conduct electricity.
Today - the younglings learned about static electricity and how it is conducted - through blow-up balloons, some wool socks, and fake rabbit's fur.
Monday in Computer Science - learned about all the main parts of a computer (the CPU, RAM, hard disc drive, etc).
Today - having learned about the parts of a computer, they "drew" (cut-and-paste pics of parts from Google Image) the parts that they needed to make a computer.
Monday in Biology - learned when the right amount of water temperature, yeast was able to rise, create, and give off the smell of alcohol (syrup and sugar work best).
Today - learned something about the lungs and the respiratory system. Don't remember too much, I was asleep for most of the class time.
Monday in Natural Science - got to know one of the most basic tools needed in NC.......the graduated cylinder; learned to measure using water.
Today - more measuring, this time with a triple-beam balance, did more measurements with items such as baking soda, sand, magnifying glasses (the kiddie kind), and marbles.
Day three: Day 3 might as well be considered, 'And now something completely different......'
I wasn't working with my group of kids today as I originally planned.
I wasn't going to follow any group of children today.
I was to help out the instructor for Photography class for the whole day. I was helping out the 9:00 session of the program (all ages) because today, the instructor was working in the black room with dangerous chemicals and needed my assistance to make sure that the little children wouldn't get into a situation that involved calling up poison control. Definitely kept a tight leash on the kids, made sure they did what they were supposed to do (they were making pictures they took themselves on old-fashioned cameras), and for the most part, there was little screwing around.
Day four: Same old, same old, today. Once again, I was helping Ms. Nicole, the Photography instructor, out in the dark-room. Yesterday, the kids did a test run on making photo grams, today was the real thing. Nicole and I decided to let the kids process their photo grams on opposite sides of the sink in the dark-room. The day went smooth both for Nicole and for the kids because the kids were able to pit out each photo gram for themselves, and for Nicole because working conditions were not as stressful as yesterday. the photo grams the kids made were truly awesome. Wish I could have taken some photos to show y'all what talent is being created ere at EIS And I think the little ones are starting to grow on me, as I have began to grow on them.
Day five: Yesterday was a field trip day (there's a field trip for the students every Friday). We went to the San Diego Natural History Museum at Balboa Park, and let the kids explore. I had had a group of four boys, all of them were 8-9 year olds, meaning one thing: the sugar-fueled monstrosities would be a pain in my ass. And were they ever, telling me to take them here, then there, etc. And yet, I enjoyed their company and liked watching over them. We visited the dinosaur exhibit, the reptile room, and the kids' favorite room: the dinosaur cafe. We even went to green house to heckle the incoming Red Sox Nation. The whole class was treated to two education movies the museum was showing: One on life under the sea in Baja California, the other on global warming (i'm certain Bill O'Reilly would have EIS blacklisted as 'Secular-Progressives' for indoctrinating young minds into such left-wing propaganda!), and the kids enjoyed themselves.
All in all, a great time was had by all.
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