My situation at school has quickly improved since I hit rock bottom only three days ago. On Tuesday I left school feeling totally dejected as I doubted my abilities and my self-esteem was so low it felt like a cockroach smooched into the ground after already having been stepped on. Today on the other hand, I feel confident as I can see students reaching towards the high expectations I have for them. My classes finished much more work today than any other in the past two months. Now that the students are aware of the consequences that await them for poor behavior, they seem to understand better how to conduct themselves in the classroom.
I arrived at school this morning at 8:30 AM rather than the usual 10 AM since our school hosted a choral competition today and I was asked to take pictures. The choirs from six other “secundarias” came to participate. Our school’s classes continued while each of the choirs took their turn performing on the stage in the small theater, the size of any other classroom in the school. Three judges sat at one table, against the back wall, across from the stage. The principals of each school sat in chairs against another wall. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the singing and with the discipline that each choir exhibited. After each school had finished its performance, all of our students and each choir reunited in the courtyard to learn the results. When it was announced that first place went to Secundaria 117 “Gabriela Mistral” the students of that school immediately began a celebratory chant. It was the first time all day that the students from that school let loose. I have repeatedly heard that Secundaria 117 is the best in our area and the third best in all of Mexico City. It was easy to figure out which group was from Secundaria 117, they were the only group perfectly organized when all gathered at the beginning of the day and as they entered the theater not one uttered a word.
Later, during “descanso” I caught a couple of teachers observing the students helping me with “garbage clean up.” None of the garbage cans were out in the courtyard as they usually are, to make the school look nicer for the competition. I grabbed the small can from the computer lab and very quickly it was filled and was even overflowing. While I searched for a garbage bag a student helped take the full bag out of the can. Then, carrying the big, strong, black garbage bag around the courtyard, I made eye contact with students by raising my eyebrows while looking at some garbage, inviting them to help out. So many helped out today that I actually ran out of Kisses. When students still helped with the garbage after they knew I had run out of Kisses I knew I was on to something. (OK, one student later in the day said that I owed her chocolate for her having helped me.) Check out the attached photo to see how the “Ball of Hope” has grown - you can compare it with the one from September 21. I know these students are capable of anything, they just need more people to believe in them and then they can start to believe in themselves. This is extremely difficult to achieve when they attend a school known as a last resort for many students and as they come from neighborhoods known for being very poor and dangerous and where kidnappers and drug dealers live.
