Yesterday (Wednesday) I went and hung out with the PALS kids. PALS stands for Positive Activities Lift the Spirit. It is connected with Adelante, the transitional housing program within La Puente. I am looking at possibly transferring to work with this program. I am learning a lot with the work I am currently doing, but am missing the social interaction that I am used to. I had intentionally not done work with kids this year because I felt I just needed a break, but I might just be missing it. Anyway, I went to see what the kids were like, how the program is run, and what I would be doing. The program, right now, has about three 5-year old boys, one 5-year old girl, an 8-year old girl and boy, and a 10-year old boy. It was fun... and loud.
They started out with reading/homework time from 3:30 - 4pm. I don't really know how much reading was accomplished. One little boy asked me to read with him, but then he ran around the room, built tents with chairs and blankets, and acted out Pokemon scenes. I ended up being read a few books by the 8 year old girl. Then, the little boy returned, pulled on my sleeve, and wanted to read. I told him I wasn't ready for him yet; he sat quietly beside me until I was done working with the girl. Then, we read a number of really short books. After reading/homework, they played games - heads up, 7up; army, navy, and poop deck (I'll have to explain this... definitely not a game that uses a lot of peaceful words!); and musical chairs. Of course, the kids ran and ran and ran around the room, both using and gaining energy (and volume) at the same time. At the end, we worked at putting coats and backpacks on. I was looking at the bulletin board with one of the 5 year old boys. I said, "Look what you got a star for." (There was his picture, name, and a star with something that he had done that was positive.) I said, "You have a star for helping Jack find his shirt when it was lost in the van." The little boy got a smile on his face, went over to "Jack" and told him why he had received the star. "Jack" smiled and put his arm around the little boy's shoulder in a side hug. The kids are so cute!
I usually work with older kids (7th or 10th grade mostly), so this was a definite switch. Even though there were definite behavior issues, I didn't have kids talking back, being outright defiant, or some of the other survival behaviors older kids have developed. I saw more wrestling, hitting other's heads, spitting, making farting noises, and yelling. I think (and I will probably eat my words later if I decide to work with the kids) that these are all behaviors that can be un-taught. It would help to give some structure to what is occurring. If you play loud, rowdy games, you should expect kids to act loud and rowdy - at any age! I think there could be a good balance between larger motor activities, fine motor activities, and mental activities. (I think the teacher in me is coming out.. YIKES!) I am going back today to see if anything is different or how the kids are two days in a row.