Each quarter, Project MARS/AmeriCorps collects “Great Stories” from its members in which they reflect on their experiences mentoring in the classroom and the progress they see students making. This month’s story comes from Sam Cross.
This has been a trying year for all of us, especially for the kiddos that we serve. But I myself have tried to make the best of it, with all my kiddos. I am not sure if I have told you all the story about our school getting the little boy in first grade who is deaf. Well, I started getting this little guy in February, and boy, was I thrown for a loop when I realized that I had to slow down and pay extra attention to him and making sure that he can understand everything I am saying. So after meeting with him multiple times a week, eating lunch with him going outside with him – just any extra time I had I tried to spend with him so that we could connect – by the end of the year this little guy had really grown close to my heart. I learned to listen to him very closely to understand him when he would talk to me. Did I mention this little guy and myself didn’t really know sign language? But by the end of the year he finally realized how to read my lips and at times would say slooooooooow dooooown. Lol.
