So this is it. We had our last meeting today with a pizza party and a viewing of the DVD. I was worried, given the nature of documentaries, that it would be difficult to keep them interested and focused, but they loved it. They wanted to watch it again! There were some very interesting conversations and revelations, and a couple of moments got me a little teary eyed. I never used to tear up about anything, but since I was diagnosed with Cancer it happens all the time. I suppose I'm more in touch with my inner feelings than I was, but it's irritating, the kids make fun of me!
I don't know when I'll be teaching Manadoob again, though I suspect it will happen in the future. I passed it along to a counselor who came in to do a workshop with my teens about effectively managing emotions so hopefully she will be able to incorporate it into what she does. Networking is everything. Still, it was a sad day, realizing that for the foreseeable future I won't be teaching Manadoob anymore. I really fell in love with the program and I feel like I really hit my stride this year as a teacher. At least I will be able to pass on what I've learned to whoever teaches it next.
Some good things today. We talked a lot about communication. The kids thought, at first, that there was no way to talk to animals. I pointed out to them that speaking English is not the only way to communicate and that dogs spoke too. They were skeptical at first but came around once I explained it to them. I also talked to them about how verbal communication is actually one of the least important forms of communication and that body language and tone communicate far more information. At the end of the DVD, I asked them what they learned from the video that they didn't know before. CS told me that he didn't realize you could communicate without talking and that he saw how the people and animals communicated their love and understanding of each other through the way they touched and interacted. CJ told me that she learned that people and animals can help each other with mutual problems and bring physical and emotional healing to each other. There were many other insights as well but I'm running out of time!
I did a brief interview with CJ which I will be offering up to Manadoob to use as they see fit. She was one of the rock stars of my group and she gained so much from it. This is a bit of a spoiler from the interview, but, at the beginning of the class, she was having nightmares and really struggling. She told me that Manadoob has helped her to overcome her nightmares and her fears, and she is sleeping comfortably again!
Well, I will respond to any comments (including the ones from last week I have not gotten to), and thanks again for sharing this experience with me and interacting. All the best to all of you!
P.S. They BEGGED me to do Manadoob one more time!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Session 14: Endings & Beginnings
Short session today. In honor of Wella's excitement over the future, I couldn't help but point out that endings and beginnings are pretty much the same, or at least they often arrive at the same time. In this case, they definitely have.
So before I share my thoughts from today, I talked to my boss about Manadoob next year, and I won't be able to teach it in the future. However, our Education Director, who has been with the Club longer than I, will be transitioning to a role where she will have more interaction with families and help in coordinating support for them much like a case worker (she is getting her Master's Degree in Social Work). While I am sad to hand it off, Alley is an amazing asset to the Club and to the lives of our members. Her greater communication with parents will also likely give her tools to supplement what she is teaching in the class by bringing her insights and lessons into another forum. I don't want to let Manadoob go, but it couldn't be in better hands.
I don't have much to say about today's session, but it definitely had a somewhat somber tone to it. It was bright for a moment when I told them that they FINALLY (to them) get to take their kits home. But, for the most part, it was pretty quiet and unassuming. There was the feeling that things were ending, and it was a gray rainy day here after weeks of sunshine and hot weather, so the energy was just low. Still, I asked them if they are going to miss the program, and they all answered heavily in the affirmative. Well, all of them except RJ, who firmly stated that she wouldn't miss it at all because she hates everything. So I asked her why she only comes on Manadoob days, and she said so she could get the kit at the end. I asked her why she wanted the kit so much if she didn't like the program, and she mumbled something dismissively. So, even the girl who is mad at EVERYTHING grew and came to like the program.
In fact, perhaps in the last great Manadoob moment I will experience, RJ and I had an interesting connection. We were talking about good things we can do for other people, and RJ said she could ignore them. I asked why that would help them, and she said because she wouldn't be mean to them. So RJ and I had a discussion about how not doing mean things is not the same as helping them. I expected significant resistance on her part to that idea, but I saw sincere thought and consideration in her eyes. Usually she is dismissive or confrontational, but she really considered my words. Shocked isn't the right word, but something just a notch lower than that.
Next week we will be having a pizza party and watching the DVD, so it's not quite over. I will have some final thoughts next week after it is officially over. In the meantime, thanks again for reading, and commenting, and really just caring about the lives of these kids you have never met! I will do my best to get some pictures, but it's difficult because I'm never downstairs with the kids anymore.
Ryan
So before I share my thoughts from today, I talked to my boss about Manadoob next year, and I won't be able to teach it in the future. However, our Education Director, who has been with the Club longer than I, will be transitioning to a role where she will have more interaction with families and help in coordinating support for them much like a case worker (she is getting her Master's Degree in Social Work). While I am sad to hand it off, Alley is an amazing asset to the Club and to the lives of our members. Her greater communication with parents will also likely give her tools to supplement what she is teaching in the class by bringing her insights and lessons into another forum. I don't want to let Manadoob go, but it couldn't be in better hands.
I don't have much to say about today's session, but it definitely had a somewhat somber tone to it. It was bright for a moment when I told them that they FINALLY (to them) get to take their kits home. But, for the most part, it was pretty quiet and unassuming. There was the feeling that things were ending, and it was a gray rainy day here after weeks of sunshine and hot weather, so the energy was just low. Still, I asked them if they are going to miss the program, and they all answered heavily in the affirmative. Well, all of them except RJ, who firmly stated that she wouldn't miss it at all because she hates everything. So I asked her why she only comes on Manadoob days, and she said so she could get the kit at the end. I asked her why she wanted the kit so much if she didn't like the program, and she mumbled something dismissively. So, even the girl who is mad at EVERYTHING grew and came to like the program.
In fact, perhaps in the last great Manadoob moment I will experience, RJ and I had an interesting connection. We were talking about good things we can do for other people, and RJ said she could ignore them. I asked why that would help them, and she said because she wouldn't be mean to them. So RJ and I had a discussion about how not doing mean things is not the same as helping them. I expected significant resistance on her part to that idea, but I saw sincere thought and consideration in her eyes. Usually she is dismissive or confrontational, but she really considered my words. Shocked isn't the right word, but something just a notch lower than that.
Next week we will be having a pizza party and watching the DVD, so it's not quite over. I will have some final thoughts next week after it is officially over. In the meantime, thanks again for reading, and commenting, and really just caring about the lives of these kids you have never met! I will do my best to get some pictures, but it's difficult because I'm never downstairs with the kids anymore.
Ryan
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Session 13: The Home Stretch
Perhaps the biggest compliment I have recevied in Manadoob is the fact that the children are often amazed by how quickly the class has gone. Today, when they found out we only had one more day after this before we were done with the book and the workbook, they were so upset! Part of this is a reflection of me as a teacher, and part of it is obviously a reflection of the amazing job that Manadoob does to engage children and keep them engaged even when there are weeks separating classes at and a continuous story that takes place over months.
Today we discussed belief in ourselves and why it is important to success in every part of our lives. HJ pointed out that belief in yourself is about half of all of the effort you need to put into something. We also discussed Wella learning to become more confident in her life and why that came about. CS surprised me by tying it back to an earlier point about facing your fears. All of the kids agreed that the Manadoob, Moobia Stones, and Yama Cruz contributed to Wella discovering her confidence, but only CS recognized that a big part of Wella's confidence came from the fact that she faced her fears and overcame them, giving her the courage and sense of self needed to grow.
After that we talked about patience and how valuable patience can be in our lives. At that point I was down to two students, so it just got kind of goofy and fun and we joked about little brothers and how annoying they are. We also talked about our lives and just kind of hung out. RJ, who is normally pretty surly and taciturn, really opened up and had a number of positive interactions with CS over the last 20 minutes or so. It really seems like Manadoob has become a high point of her week and her behaviour is exemplary when she is there, even though her behaviour outside has stayed pretty consistent. It's too bad that it is going to end, but I think the lessons have really sunk in.
So Manadoob and the year are coming to an end, and the summer is about to begin. I find myself very reflective, wondering if this will be my last Manadoob class and thinking back over the moments I have shared as a result of the program and the amazing children I have worked with. One more day of class, one day with a pizza party and watching the video, and then our class is over. It will be fun to talk to the kids about what they learned, but it feels a little bit like a family is breaking up. I hope they feel that way as well and retain the connections they've made and the lessons they've learned.
Cheers All.
Ryan
Today we discussed belief in ourselves and why it is important to success in every part of our lives. HJ pointed out that belief in yourself is about half of all of the effort you need to put into something. We also discussed Wella learning to become more confident in her life and why that came about. CS surprised me by tying it back to an earlier point about facing your fears. All of the kids agreed that the Manadoob, Moobia Stones, and Yama Cruz contributed to Wella discovering her confidence, but only CS recognized that a big part of Wella's confidence came from the fact that she faced her fears and overcame them, giving her the courage and sense of self needed to grow.
After that we talked about patience and how valuable patience can be in our lives. At that point I was down to two students, so it just got kind of goofy and fun and we joked about little brothers and how annoying they are. We also talked about our lives and just kind of hung out. RJ, who is normally pretty surly and taciturn, really opened up and had a number of positive interactions with CS over the last 20 minutes or so. It really seems like Manadoob has become a high point of her week and her behaviour is exemplary when she is there, even though her behaviour outside has stayed pretty consistent. It's too bad that it is going to end, but I think the lessons have really sunk in.
So Manadoob and the year are coming to an end, and the summer is about to begin. I find myself very reflective, wondering if this will be my last Manadoob class and thinking back over the moments I have shared as a result of the program and the amazing children I have worked with. One more day of class, one day with a pizza party and watching the video, and then our class is over. It will be fun to talk to the kids about what they learned, but it feels a little bit like a family is breaking up. I hope they feel that way as well and retain the connections they've made and the lessons they've learned.
Cheers All.
Ryan
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Hiatus 2
Sorry for the tardy absent message all. The last couple of weeks I have been sick/busy, and my class was ahead of itself, so we've had some time off. Back this week though! Cheers.
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