Nora: Journal 11

After a frustrating morning of research and debate over what I should do for my project, I finally settled on a topic!... kind of. But the more noteworthy part of the day was working at the Padua Center. I got to spend time with and tutor a young girl in the fourth grade who apparently had attitude problems. She was friendly towards me and the other students, however she seemed to show contempt for adults. Although it was evident that she was a smart kid, she struggled when she had to work on homework. When she didn't know the answer to a problem, she would usually give up, and I would have to encourage her to try again. As a fourth grader, she struggled with basic math skills. I learned that she had been in and out of a few foster homes, and had been suspended from her current school for kicking her principal. The most challenging part of working with her was trying to find the balance between pushing her to be productive and really demonstrating that I was on her side; I didn't want her to feel like I was another person that was older than her and didn't understand her. I got the feeling that she felt misunderstood, and I wanted to make sure she knew that I wanted to help her and that what she said and felt was of significance. I'd imagine that in her situation, she may not feel like people always listen or value what she has to say. She was sweet though, linking arms with me and asking me questions- she even complimented me on a few things. She said she wanted to be a scientist (and doctor, and a bunch of other things). Science is her favorite subject because, as she said, you get to explore things. I thought that was awesome, and I hope she does pursue a career in science. But first, she has to get herself together.