Graham 3/22/12

It is Thursday night, and we just finished up a reflection.  We were lucky enough to be joined by Ms. Adam, our host teacher for the week, and with her fiancé, Michael.  After talking with them, I have been reminded of a couple of things that I think are really important for us to keep in mind as we finish our service this week, and as we continue on, beyond our stay here in Philadelphia. 

            As we have discovered through our service and our reflection this week, dealing with urban education means confronting many complex issues.  Facing up to the reality of these issues is often not something we enjoy doing, so it is easy to walk away from these service experiences feeling deflated or discouraged.

            However, I believe that while it is vital for us to keep in mind all that we have seen and experienced here, that does not mean that we must focus on the discouraging aspects of our service in order to feel that we have learned from this trip.  When you are working with a class of 20 students and you feel like you only have enough time to work successfully with 4 of them, it can be tough to feel like you are making a difference.  But the fact remains that we are here and we are making a difference. 

            In order for us to feel like we have made a difference or changed a life we do not need to have worked with these students for years.  Even the week that we have known these students has (hopefully) provided them with an opportunity to make the kinds of connections between their schoolwork and what can follow high school.  Ms. Adam was an amazing resource all week, and she continued to provide perspective and insight tonight when she pointed out that calling a former student to check up on them every couple of months is STILL making a difference, even if you wish sometimes that you could be there with them, helping them study for each and every test.

            Right now I feel like I have felt so often this week during reflection, meaning that what I am trying to express through words is making a lot more sense in my head, and getting a little twisted on the way out.  However, I think that what I have taken away from this experience goes beyond a weeklong immersion into urban education.  I have been reminded that making a difference comes in many shapes and sizes, and that being a mentor for a week and helping a kid succeed on a test can be just as significant as shooting them a “How is your day going?” when they walk into class. I’m pretty big into making sure that I get a perspective/reality check every once in a while.  I think that this trip offered me an amazing perspective check in the form of reminding me of the ways in which you can affect other people. I could not have asked for a better learning experience.