Indy's Blog: Tutoring

I have been tutoring Jasmine every Thursday this school year for about one to two hours. It was a class requirement to tutor third through fifth graders at a local elementary school. The school is all black students and we were told that some of them had never seen a white person before--crazy! Some stay in the afterschool program because they need help with homework/learning, their parents are working, or their home life is rough. I help with Jasmine's homework occasionally, but have found that she doesn't need help as much as she needs a push to get going. I think I got quite lucky--she seems like the most behaved one around! Today was our last day together and we enjoyed pizza and snacks, coloring, and playing around. Here are some things that I remember about my times with Jasmine and the other students.

1) Children are very gullible. She told her uncle that she had a tutor for school and he asked if I was black or white. She responded with white, and he proceeded to tell her that if you look REALLY REALLY close, all white women are ugly!!! The next time I went to tutor, I was helping her with some homework and looking at her worksheet. Eventually, I feel her literally right next to my face, so close I can feel her breath. I move back and said, "Girl, whatchu lookin' at?? Do I have something on my face??" It was cute watching her blush a little and try to explain herself. I squeezed this story out of her and she was very happy when I laughed very hard. I think she was worried it would offend me. This is my favorite memory with her and I still laugh thinking about it.

2) Kids in the ghetto aren't really kids. They have a lot of worries. I learned this when Jasmine holding a plastic bag stuffed with as much food as it could hold from their party earlier in the day. She said it was so she wouldn't get hungry that weekend.

3) They know how to insult, talk back, and stand up for themselves. I saw and had to stop many verbal fights that were up close and personal. Some of the boys think they are good fighters, too. A couple were play fighting boxing style. I went up and showed them how to defend themselves. They only knew how to punch, but not how to hold their arms to protect themselves, especially their cute faces. Figured they outta know, right?

4) THEY ALL CAN DANCE - AMAZING. They tried to teach me some moves, but I ended up just being laughed at. I really don't know how to do the swanky leg or a bunch of those other weird moves and never could figure it out. I just danced and danced and imitated them and let them laugh and how awful I was.

5) I learned to check before you pet an animal in the dark. Jasmine told me a story about how she accidentally pet a possum with her hand thinking it was a cat. Poor girl got quite the surprise! Haha!

6) It is my tutoring there that made me realize HOW SHORT I AM! The first time I walked into that fifth grade classroom, everyone said to each other, "She's short!" All year they came up to me and talked about how short I am. Some of them were my height or taller. Even though I was small, they still were kids and loved to hug and hold hands and play around, which made it tough for me! Jasmine is one of the shortest kids there, though, so I didn't feel so bad. :)

7) I played on the playground with the kids one day and all I could remember was my Mom's words, "Stay vertical! Stay vertical!" I was fighting for my life out there!! I got to run and play and push everyone on swings. It was fun. Jasmine at one point ran to the top of a dome thing (the one with all the triangles), stood on top of it, and beat her fists on her chest with a war cry!! I was across the playground and she heard me laughing and giggled. Silly girl.

I certainly will miss them. All of the fifth graders knew my name and loved me. Cute kids. Here is a picture of Jasmine and I!