(This image is not authentic) Week 9
During my last Learn and Serve before Thanksgiving break three new students were added to the 10th grade class, there are still no students during the first hour I'm at Niagara Falls Alternative. Mr. C suggested that I use the time to catch up on work and he read some of my papers and helped me out. Some of the other teachers came in and out of the classroom so I got to talk with them, to be honest it was nice to have some time to just catch up and relax because that was probably the most stressful week I've had in a really long time. You could probably see it all over my face.
One of the students was really quiet and the entire class he kept his arms in his shirt and his head down the other student had faded green hair so some parts were a light green, others were bleached looking. The last new student was a bit rounder, with classes and he was dressed in a polo and jeans. He was polite and introduced himself. We continued on with the lesson which was a powerpoint about Greek culture. When learning about the role of woman the student with his arms up his sleeve said he was surprised I wasn't complaining about how woman were treated back then. It can be strange being the only girl in the classroom at times. The boy dressed in the polo started asking me questions about school and the Learn and Serve program. Then somehow I'm not sure how we got on the topic of Mr. C failing me. Mr. C said he wasn't going to fail me and the boy said, "Even if she walks in wearing a sexy red dress you wont fail her?" Mr. C was livid and told him not to talk like that to me and told him to apologize. I'm not going to lie, I expected something like this to happen eventually due to the circumstances. My facial expression did not change when he said that I did not look shocked or anything. I just gave that look that says you are angry, not just angry but pissed. He got the point across.
A few more rude remarks were made not directed towards me, but I really did expect this to happen and it was coming from the new students not those who have previously been there. Whether or not the previous students acted like this before I'm not sure since I only see them for an hour a week but if they did then Niagara Falls Alternative is doing something to alter the actions of these students. Sadly, but also expected, the students would talk about drugs and what they plan to do after school. Marijuana was their drug of choice it seems at least that is what they would talk about. it was weird that they were so open about it even in front of myself and Mr. C. The reason that I was not surprised that the students were involved with drugs is because of the enviornment that they live in. Also, the link between substance abuse and behavior problems has been well established according to a study conducted by the Pittsburgh Youth Study of inner-city boys. (Page: 196) The study says that many boys have tried beer, wine, tobacco, hard liquor, marijuana, and other drugs by the time they were 13. Although Niagara Falls is not Pittsburgh these findings lead to not being all so surprised that these students are talking about all these activities.
Mr. C always asked them why when they brought up drugs. He did not advocate "Say No" and yell at them he turned to a different side. He asked them why they would waste there money since it was so expensive just to get high or drunk for a little bit. We suggested all the different things they could buy like shoes or clothes which all of them obviously love. When you advocate against drugs you must remember who you are talking to and where you are talking because in every situation things are different.
Hours Completed: 2
Kirk S. , Gallagher J.J. , Coleman M.R. , & Anastasiow N. (2009).Educating Exceptional Children (12th ed.). Boston, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.
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