Spent part of this weekend tutoring my landlords' kid...he's 9 years old...his parents asked me to help him with reading comprehension, as he's not doing too well in some of his schoolwork. Reading comprehension? Moi? Well, it was kinda interesting...I hope I taught him something, but I think I learned something as well...
Actually, on Saturday, I was almost a babysitter since I spent much of the afternoon and evening with him...his parents work long hours (5 am - 9 pm, 7 days a week), his grandmother was out and his older brother is never home (...to be honest, even when his grandmother is home, she spends most of it watching tv...so the cable company is his real babysitter). I ended up spending a few hours before dinner helping him go through his homework...and to be honest...I was a little bit frustrated...his attention span was poor...as a result, he ended up reading each section multiple times...he didn't seem interested in trying to understand each passage...if he didn't know the answer, he simply made one up!
After dinner, I had him try some of the exercises by himself...however each time I checked on him, he made little progress. I was frustrated...then my gf reminded of something...he's a kid...if I am going to teach him, I must make an effort too. It was a little bit of a kick in the pants. So I decided to change my strategy...I challenged him...I turned one of his exercises into a game...I sat with him...and know something? His homework became more than just work, it was fun! At the end of the day, he owed me 5 ice creams...but lo and behold...when we went to go get them, he forgot his money...so I bought!...smart kid:)
These few hours made me think...as an adult, we aren't that different. Sure, we can cover up many things...hide behind our facades...use our words and actions to compensate for our inadequacies (real or perceived). But at the end of the day...this weird, little 9 year old kid made me realize something...we all like someone to sit with us...to listen to us...to not judge us...to really engage our imaginations. And the biggest thing that became obvious to me...it really matters when someone acknowledges that we exist...and that we matter. It's funny...sometimes I think I know a great deal...but then I realize how little I know...
;-)
Actually, on Saturday, I was almost a babysitter since I spent much of the afternoon and evening with him...his parents work long hours (5 am - 9 pm, 7 days a week), his grandmother was out and his older brother is never home (...to be honest, even when his grandmother is home, she spends most of it watching tv...so the cable company is his real babysitter). I ended up spending a few hours before dinner helping him go through his homework...and to be honest...I was a little bit frustrated...his attention span was poor...as a result, he ended up reading each section multiple times...he didn't seem interested in trying to understand each passage...if he didn't know the answer, he simply made one up!
After dinner, I had him try some of the exercises by himself...however each time I checked on him, he made little progress. I was frustrated...then my gf reminded of something...he's a kid...if I am going to teach him, I must make an effort too. It was a little bit of a kick in the pants. So I decided to change my strategy...I challenged him...I turned one of his exercises into a game...I sat with him...and know something? His homework became more than just work, it was fun! At the end of the day, he owed me 5 ice creams...but lo and behold...when we went to go get them, he forgot his money...so I bought!...smart kid:)
These few hours made me think...as an adult, we aren't that different. Sure, we can cover up many things...hide behind our facades...use our words and actions to compensate for our inadequacies (real or perceived). But at the end of the day...this weird, little 9 year old kid made me realize something...we all like someone to sit with us...to listen to us...to not judge us...to really engage our imaginations. And the biggest thing that became obvious to me...it really matters when someone acknowledges that we exist...and that we matter. It's funny...sometimes I think I know a great deal...but then I realize how little I know...
;-)
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