When I was a child (not too long ago, by the way!), I attended a very interesting school. The school taught kindergarten through 8th grade, and had an enrollment of approximately 50 students. The building itself was very small, consisting of only 3 classrooms and a large finished basement that housed the lunchroom/library/music room/teachers’ office. Since there were only three classrooms, the grades were mixed together in a unique learning environment. When I was there, for example, the setup was 1st-3rd grade in one room, 4th-5th in another room, and 6th-8th in the last room (the kindergarteners spent their half-day in a ‘classroom’ in the basement). Each classroom was taught by only one teacher, who would coordinate the teaching by grade level. For instance, she would call 8th graders (there were just two of us) to the table at the back of the room to do math. While we were back there, the other two grades would be working on projects or their homework. When our session was done, we would return to our seats and the teacher would call back another grade for their math class. The same format is still used to teach at the school today.
This type of environment created a close-knit community of students, and helped me form a very personal bond with the teachers and the school in general. Because of this bond and my passion for lifelong learning, I have been volunteering with Junior Achievement for the past four years or so at the school. In this role, I return weekly to my old stomping grounds and present a one-hour class on business and economics as it relates to our society. The classes come prepackaged from JA, complete with lesson plans, handouts, posters/wall charts, and all materials needed to complete the class. I have taught over 10 of these classes so far, and the children are very receptive and open to learning. Each day when you walk into class, you can feel the excitement radiating from the students (I’m not sure if they really like me, or if they are just glad that their not doing real homework). For me personally, I enjoy volunteering with JA because it allows me to give back to the school that I attended. I can honestly walk into a classroom and say ‘Look at me. I came from the same background as you and I was once sitting in the same room as you are now. I am proof that you can do anything you would like to with your future, as long as you believe in yourself and reach for your dreams.‘ It is a powerful speech that seems to connect with the children, and always leaves their teacher smiling.
To learn more about Junior Achievement and how you can help make a difference, click here.