Service Learning

I was not excited when Lina told us we'd be doing a service learning project. I like kids, but I wasn't sure if I could have the patience to teach a child about careers. Luckily, my partner and I got a sweetheart named Emma. Emma is 11 and going to the 6th grade. She loves math and hopes to be either a teacher, an accountant, an artist, a vet, or a doctor!
Task one was to make a collage. I had a vision of how I wanted it to look, so it was hard finding letters to use for her career choices. But once we were done, it looked great! We were all proud of our project.
Next, I made a powerpoint for her. This took forever since Emma wanted to be so many things! I must say that my presentation was a piece of work, and I was more than excited to show her. Unfortunately, when we got there, I was told that my USB wouldn't work on their computers. I had to tell her about her choices instead of show her.
Then, she had to write an essay. Because my powerpoint wouldn't work, together we researched her careers online. From there, she wrote a short essay on how she would accomplish her goals, the skills she'd need, and the classes she would have to take. This process didn't take her long at all.
The last task was for her to make a middle school action plan. Emma knows that she wants to take the highest math classes offered. She's a great listener and will continue to do the best that she can. And most importantly, she will stay focused on her dreams and use them as a motivation to get through school.
This experience showed me that I do have patience. It also showed that me that I have potential in teaching. But most importantly, I learned that in order to help her get to her dreams, I need to be organized myself. There would be no point in making her do these projects if I hadn't been thinking about my career choices, especially since my time is winding down! I think that I realized that I do need people to grow, and that it's not me against the world. Emma taught me that.