i shall never complain about traffic again.

I have officially decided that there can't be worse traffic than in L.A. I mentioned in my last posting about my battle with the traffic that caused me to miss the first half of the duke game. Today we traveled to Venice Beach to do our PT (workout) for the day and what not, and it took us almost an hour and a half and we did not travel more than 25 miles. Insaneness i tell you! We drove all the way down Santa Monica blvd, so we saw Bevely Hills, and Santa Monica before hitting the beach. That was semi cool. .. i guess. I have never been all that into hollywood or celebrity stuff, so the glam of LA doesn't really do much for me. It's cool to see the stars along Hollywood blvd, (and i live 2 blocks from that i might add. .. haha) and sunset blvd, and all the famous places, but i've seen them, now i am done.
The beach however, was nice, i could have sat out there all day. .. on a towel and read. That is until it got cloudy and chilly, and ya'll know i don't like anything related to coldness. Venice beach, other than the beach was not too impressive. I got a good cup of hot chocolate while I was there, so that, other than the beach was probably the highlight of the day. (oh, and we found a Whole Foods store nearby where we live so i can get bread that i can actually eat. Maybe i'll get over this sickness that has lingered for so long if i actually eat stuff i can!)

Anyways, onto more about the school I am working at since I have been pretty vague until now. Unfortunatly Americorps is all about last minute and flexibility, so a lot of what I will be telling you, until I get into my projects will be vague. . .i promise i am not holding out on you, i really don't know stuff! Even now, i am still not totally sure everything we will be doing while we are here.

Let me give you some details about Larchmont Charter School where we are at. This school was created i think 3 years ago by some parents who wanted an alternative to the public schools their kids were in. A charter school is still considered a public school, and has a lottery system to get in, so it's not like a private school that costs money. They just don't have to follow all of the strict testing guidelines that public school systems have to, but they do have to answer to the school systems in other ways. This school's curriculum, is a Constructivist model, which kinda means that the students learn by doing things and they build on what they already know. Its definitly more student lead than teachers standing in front of a classroom teaching like we all are use to in our elementary schools. This is the 2nd year the school has been at it's current location. It is renting space from Hollygrove which use to be an orphange for kids. It is famous for Marilyn Monroe living there as an orphan kid! (i didn't even know she was an orphan). The orphanage then turned into a place for troubled kids to come live for a treatment program for couple years, ages of 6-14, and then was shut down a couple years ago. There are small cottages, which use to be dormatories for the kids that are now the classrooms, plenty of outisde space for the kids to run around and play on as well.
This whole constructivist idea is very interesting to me, since I do have the education background from good ol' UNCG. My team and I already have some issues/more like questions about some things there. Not that they are bad by any means. It is just that the kids get a lot of time for enrichment/playtime. There is also more time than i remember built in for playing outside, which in some ways is good. I can't really think of one overweight kid in that school. Granted this is health concious country, unlike the south (by the way i definitly miss some of those foods that don't exist out here). . but these kids are always on the move. Each of us, on my team, were placed in a classroom (they only have K-3, and 1st and 2nd grade is together mixed in classes). Jason and I were in a 1-2 combined class when we were in Durham, so that concept isn't familiar to me.
Being in a kindergarten class has definitly made me 100% sure I want to work with youth after this. I like the little kids, they are cute but it's not what I want to teach. I think this next week I will be tutoring a little more one on one, or small groups since there are some kids that need more of the one on one attention that they are not receiving. I almost feel like with this constructivist model they don't spend enough time on some concepts that they should. It's more like the kids should pick it up on their own? I know I am not really explaining this correctly, so if you want more info, just google it. haha. I know they don't really teach reading by teaching phonics, the way a lot of us probably learned. They also do "brave spelling" which means we can't really correct a lot of their spelling. They also discipline strangely, it's way too nice if you ask me! My class is actually a little crazy sometimes so i feel like i do a lot of crowd control right now.

I think we are going to tutor afterschool as well this next week. One afternoon last week we did afterschool with the hollygrove people. They have a group of about 12 kids (some from Larchmont but others from other elementary schools nearby) that come for an anger/therapy program daily afterschool. They have a homework time, and then they playoutside (we played scocer) and then they talk about how their day was, and what not. It was an interesting experience. These kids have a lot problems with anger or depression. Some of it is a result of abuse at home, or other times not having the necessities such as food at home either.
It was fun hanging out with the kids. Many of them remember the group of Americorps people from last year so we are superstars this year. Kids always want me to play tag with them or whatever other game they make up.

Friday I played guitar with the music teacher for the Friday Morning sing. THe kids know some silly kid songs that have basic G,C,D,A chords, so i just followed what his fingers did and it was easy. The teacher I work with asked if i could listen to other songs and figure out how to play it, so maybe i'll get to play some more there. I have been playing some here at the hotel, when I get a chance. It has been nice to go out on the balcony and play for a while, and worship. I don't really belt the singing, since ya'll know how i sing, but you know. . my usual joyful noise for the Lord. =)

My team is alright, better than I had thought i guess. Today at the beach I found myself thinking how much fun it would be to be there with other people, but i decided to not think about that, and make the best of the situation there. We all get along good for the most part. I have kinda taken on the "mother" roll, waking people up in the morning, carrying the hotel room key, etc. It's kinda funny to me, but i know that I will not be late in the mornings, and that I will be able to get in the room, so it works for me. I don't mind being the mom! I don't really feel like i am babysitting, with the exception of 1 girl that is 18 and a little odd. Hopefully that part will get a little better.
I have a 4 day week this week, since the kids have this Friday and next Monday off of school. SOme of us might be going to Catlina Island or San Diego to visit other teams during the weekend. Either way, I will be able to see one of my friends so I am lookinmg forward to that. Allie said that Catalina Island is beautiful so i am going for that this weekend. Although, the San Diego Zoo would be super cool. So you'll just have to wait and see if what I end up doing. . .
Love ya'll!
ps: pics coming soon!