No Clubs Today

While I didn't have to deal with any kids today, I did have to go to a staff training on Mandated Reporting. That means that I had to learn the circumstances and procedures under which I would have to report child abuse or neglect. The meeting was informative as well as disturbing. At one point, there were slides showing children who had signs of abuse. Very hard to watch. At the same time, it also helped me to put things into perspective. While the kids in my club can be a real pain in the ass, the situation could be a lot worse. For one thing, the principal, teachers, and staff in the school are incredibly supportive of the students. Every adult there is committed to their education. And from what I've heard from a lot of the other teaching artists, that is not a common philosophy in all schools. Some schools are just downright horrendous. Also, the parents, in general, seem supportive of the school's efforts. I mean I've definitely met some parents who are doozies. Some seem rather ineffectual. Some have had somewhat questionable parenting styles. But I can honestly say that I haven't seen any evidence of abusive or neglectful situations. And again, not every teaching artist has that luxury. Finally, it's good to know that I don't really have to deal with deeply troubled children. Sure, they have problems with their attention span. And all of them, at some point, try to test my authority. But overall, I haven't had to deal with anything that I couldn't handle. Which, again, is a bit of a luxury. So for tomorrow's club I will try to remember that the situation could be a lot worse. I will remember that I cannot control every single moment of the time I'm there. Lastly, I will remember that while progress sometimes comes in leaps and bounds, most of the time it comes in teeny tiny little steps. And as long as we're not going backwards, it's a good day.