incomprehensible....

Amerikus about tutoring:

Inadequate me
tutoring you in things I
just don't understand

Back to High School Fun
Joking with kids all day long
what could be better?

Un-enthused kids
force them to try problems now
That's if im lucky

All in all I love
Tutoring students its fun
but sometimes so hard

It's an up and down roller coaster, and I'm sure I have an extra syllable somewhere.

I'm tutoring students at Woodland High School. The majority of the kids are really cool, they just don't want to be in high school. I can't blame them. I didn't want to be in high school either, but I got through it by focusing on what I wanted to do after. These kids can't seem to think about the future. It's like their parents never told them the things mine did. Growing up my parents always encouraged me to do my best, and to try different things. They always told me that I could do anything I set my heart too. I don't think these kids have that, and it sucks. They seem to be okay with mediocrity and even worst, failure. It's incomprehensible.

On top of the majority of my students not having motivation, I have had feelings of inadequacy in my abilities to teach. I keep asking other tutors questions, and I'm always unsure if I caught the mistakes when I'm editing their papers. Then I feel like they're not learning, and that I'm doing all their work. Also, I feel like when I have to edit papers, I don't know what to do. Their papers need so much work, but apparently we only need to get them to pass. The problem is they're not improving at all, because with each essay they only do enough to pass. They don't learn.

BUT!!! The kids are funny, interesting, and amusing. They have this naivety about life that is refreshing. I am surprised at what I remembered from Algebra 1 and Geometry. I also never thought that I'd be at a point in my life where I'd rather solve math problems than work on English papers. It's weird.

In other news, I am going to be a Weed Warrior again tomorrow with Frank! He's a PeaceCorps alum that loves working with NCCC. To top it off he's so knowledgeable and friendly. I'm really excited about our day project. It will be a nice change of pace from being inside all day.