Last week I had the joy of eating lunch with a couple of my link crew kids. When my partner and I first asked them to join us we had 4 out of 8 of our kids said they would come. But when we actually went to have lunch one 2 went with us. 1 of the kids left with his friends right away and the other left with her friend because she forgot her money. I was very happy we had those 2 still with us. To me that seemed like a big step. I was a little upset that the other 2 bailed on us but I would have gone to hang out with my friends instead when I was in grade 9.
This week was also Suicide prevention week and for my group I got to hand out these bright green silicone bracelets. I was very happy when I saw my kids walking down the hall wearing their bracelets.
The major thing of the week was that we had our first AFU. An AFU is and Academic Follow Up. This is the first time since Orientation that my partner and I have been with out whole group. A few of the kids didn't want to do the activities, they wanted to study for tests or work on some homework. My partner and I did our best to keep them entertained but they went on cell phones or didn't listen to us. We tried to get through it smoothly and without fault but they really didn't want to participate. At the end it was hard to keep the boys of our group to stay with the group. They would always wonder off and try to skip out. I think they just wanted to go to lunch or find their friends or do some unfinished work.
At the end of all this I got to sit down and chat with a couple of the kids I didn't get to talk to as much. It was nice to talk to them for a little while until their friends started showing up and they scattered to hang out with them instead.
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Monday, 9 September 2013
Orientation Day and First Week
I feel that orientation day went by smoothly. We started out with lots of energy. My group of grade nines are a good bunch of kids. My partner and I had a few quiet girls at the beginning but as time went on they started talking more. I'm very happy with the group of kids we got.
Our group didn't really enjoy all of the activities we did, they usually spent most of the time chatting with each other and us. Near the end two of the boys from my group only wanted to wonder off and find their lockers and have food. There isn't much I could have done to change that. To be fully honest by then I really wanted to go eat some food also, and I'm sure my partner did too.
If I could go back to orientation day and change one thing that happened I would change how I kept trying to move to the next thing. I feel as if that made it seem like I didn't want to just chat with them.
The first week of school was crazy. It seem like there were a lot more kids there than usual. My partner and I had some trouble trying to find all of our group but in the end we did. On the first day of school one girl from my group sort of watched me walk down the hall and waited until I said "hi" before she waved at me. There were times when the nines didn't want to talk to us but we tried anyway.
I was always scared to walk up to one of my nines when they were surrounded by their friends. Next time I'll just walk up to them and try to find out how they are doing whether they are with their friends or not. It seems nicer then just walking right past them incase they are expecting us to check in on them or something.
I had lots of quick L.I.C.s with my crew but not many meaningful L.I.C.s. The meaningful L.I.C.s were hard to have because at lunch the mostly went over town to eat and other times they were hurrying to class. I think this week I might try to walk around over town to find them or go to MSIPs to see if they need help with school work.
I don't believe I did my very best last week.
If I could go back to orientation day and change one thing that happened I would change how I kept trying to move to the next thing. I feel as if that made it seem like I didn't want to just chat with them.
The first week of school was crazy. It seem like there were a lot more kids there than usual. My partner and I had some trouble trying to find all of our group but in the end we did. On the first day of school one girl from my group sort of watched me walk down the hall and waited until I said "hi" before she waved at me. There were times when the nines didn't want to talk to us but we tried anyway.
I was always scared to walk up to one of my nines when they were surrounded by their friends. Next time I'll just walk up to them and try to find out how they are doing whether they are with their friends or not. It seems nicer then just walking right past them incase they are expecting us to check in on them or something.
I had lots of quick L.I.C.s with my crew but not many meaningful L.I.C.s. The meaningful L.I.C.s were hard to have because at lunch the mostly went over town to eat and other times they were hurrying to class. I think this week I might try to walk around over town to find them or go to MSIPs to see if they need help with school work.
I don't believe I did my very best last week.
Friday, 6 September 2013
What is a Link Leader?
My job as a link leader is to help the 7-8 grade 9s that are in my group survive their first year of high school. The link leaders have partners so they don't have to handle such a big group by themselves and if one partner is usually quiet and shy they can be partnered up with some one louder and outgoing. As a link leader you have to check in with your crew (link group) at least once a week. There are 2 types of way to interact with your crew, quick L.I.C.s and meaningful L.I.C.s. A L.I.C. is a Leader Initiated Conversation. A quick L.I.C. would be saying "hi" when you pass them in the hall or ask how their doing. A meaningful L.I.C. would be having lunch with them, tutoring them, or celebrating their birthday.
Even though Link Crew is a course, you shouldn't treat it as just a course. You should get your work done and stuff but don't just focus on the work being a Link Leader is about helping out the grade 9s not just about passing the course with amazing grade. I can assure you the grade 9s in your group will notice if you are there for the grade only.
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