February 1st-The Library
Alive and well in New Orleans....
Yesterday was great at the library. The school gave us a brand new out of the box computer! It has been on our wish list for a long time. Tomorrow we kick off Fun Friday with library orientation, readings and mardi gras mask making. I'm excited about that.
Yesterday I put together an Amazon wish list. Please check it out! Go to amazon.com, click "wish lists" and put in Hands on New Orleans. We have only 6 African American history books and in a school where the 99% of the students are African American-well, this must change. We added books about Katrina that are age appropriate and DVDs in science and other subjects as the teachers need this resource. I feel so passionate about doing what I can but I'm also trying to step back and let the other enthusiastic volunteers do their thing. I have more experience with kids and I think I know more but I also realize that I can be cynical and closed minded. These younger volunteers have more idealism and I have to open my mind and listen and learn.
Right now it's pouring rain outside and most of the volunteers are on these huge gutting houses projects and de-molding. The de-molding is the worst part as it is so pointless (in my opinion) to de-mold in the rain. It just doesn't make sense. But there is a huge corporate group here and they are only here for today.
I would love nothing more that to take a nap right now-it's that kind of day. Yesterday I received "When the Levees Broke", Spike Lee's HBO documentary that came out last August. I have been wanting to see it for so long and the one copy that someone here has just keeps disappearing for weeks so I just broke down and bought it. Wow! It is very powerful and I highly recommend to all of you to see it. I was surprised at how well Spike Lee stepped back and gave a voice to many opinions and experiences-allowing the viewer to draw their own conclusions. Seeing all the little children being rescued out of buildings-air evacuated-small little ones seperated from their mothers-lost and confused-so many of the kids that are at this school have been through so much. Some remember not having food for 5 days and how they waded through water-broke into a store to find food and still feel bad about that.
Kids are so tough but what is the long term effect of having your family split up?Losing a year of school? All of the kids I have talked to lost a family member or family friend during and soon after Katrina. Mainly, grandparents who could not survive dehydration, heat and stress. Working in the library is such a small thing....but it is a positive thing.
I thnk I will move to New Orleans and teach here in the public schools-IF I can muster the courage. It scares me to be so far from my family and friends-
I don't know if I can really do this.
That's it for now friends. Soon I will have a camera again and be able to add photos to this blog. Send me an email as I haven't received many lately and I need to hear what is going on with you. :)
Yesterday was great at the library. The school gave us a brand new out of the box computer! It has been on our wish list for a long time. Tomorrow we kick off Fun Friday with library orientation, readings and mardi gras mask making. I'm excited about that.
Yesterday I put together an Amazon wish list. Please check it out! Go to amazon.com, click "wish lists" and put in Hands on New Orleans. We have only 6 African American history books and in a school where the 99% of the students are African American-well, this must change. We added books about Katrina that are age appropriate and DVDs in science and other subjects as the teachers need this resource. I feel so passionate about doing what I can but I'm also trying to step back and let the other enthusiastic volunteers do their thing. I have more experience with kids and I think I know more but I also realize that I can be cynical and closed minded. These younger volunteers have more idealism and I have to open my mind and listen and learn.
Right now it's pouring rain outside and most of the volunteers are on these huge gutting houses projects and de-molding. The de-molding is the worst part as it is so pointless (in my opinion) to de-mold in the rain. It just doesn't make sense. But there is a huge corporate group here and they are only here for today.
I would love nothing more that to take a nap right now-it's that kind of day. Yesterday I received "When the Levees Broke", Spike Lee's HBO documentary that came out last August. I have been wanting to see it for so long and the one copy that someone here has just keeps disappearing for weeks so I just broke down and bought it. Wow! It is very powerful and I highly recommend to all of you to see it. I was surprised at how well Spike Lee stepped back and gave a voice to many opinions and experiences-allowing the viewer to draw their own conclusions. Seeing all the little children being rescued out of buildings-air evacuated-small little ones seperated from their mothers-lost and confused-so many of the kids that are at this school have been through so much. Some remember not having food for 5 days and how they waded through water-broke into a store to find food and still feel bad about that.
Kids are so tough but what is the long term effect of having your family split up?Losing a year of school? All of the kids I have talked to lost a family member or family friend during and soon after Katrina. Mainly, grandparents who could not survive dehydration, heat and stress. Working in the library is such a small thing....but it is a positive thing.
I thnk I will move to New Orleans and teach here in the public schools-IF I can muster the courage. It scares me to be so far from my family and friends-
I don't know if I can really do this.
That's it for now friends. Soon I will have a camera again and be able to add photos to this blog. Send me an email as I haven't received many lately and I need to hear what is going on with you. :)
posted by singsforyou at 6:28 AM
1 Comments:
Hi Maria, got the link to your Wishlist off of LiveJournal, just sent two DVDs and two books - got a note that it may take longer to deliver them, but they are on the way! I will try to help out a bit more after the next paycheck : )
Phil
raverpup on livejournal
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