nope, I'm not a teacher, but I can do this...right ?

all it took

was a tour

of the facility

and

a look

around the art room

and

I was hooked

~~~~~

completely hooked

on

the

boys and girls club

~~~~~

so

after a lengthy

application

process

3

written

references

{thank you kathy, chris and suzanne}

and

a

background check

I'm good to go

~~~~~

I start teaching

on

monday

YES

yikes

monday

~~~~~

if I said I wasn't nervous

I'd be lying

~~~~~

I'm not a teacher

but I've always loved children

who

need

an

"it's okay"

smile

or

some

reassurance

or

a

hug

or

someone who believes in them

or

says "good job"

or

teaches them that writing down their feelings

in an art journal

is better than

keeping it all inside

~~~~~

so

on

monday and wednesday

nights

from

6:30 to 9:00

I'll be missing

some

of my favorite TV shows

and

instead

I'll be with teenagers

who

will be working hard

to trust me

and

like me

or

even want to be in the art room with me

instead of playing basketball

or

playing games

~~~~~

so

it won't be easy at first

I'm guessing

or

maybe

just maybe

it will be

so easy

that

I'll find

that 2 days a week

with these

kids

just

isn't

enough

~~~~~

side note:

for those of you who have known me for awhile, you know that my heart will always be as a CASA, but due to the fact that the CASA program here in wisconsin, just isn't one that fits what I believe a CASA to be, I chose not be part of their program.

the CASA children, especially the teenagers I used to work with, taught me more about life than I could ever imagine or even begin to share with you here.

so this is my new adventure.

and

the best part

I can bring my camera to class and take photos of the kids

and I can teach them to take photos

and we can use our photos in our artwork

or

hang them on the bulletin board

or

they can just take them home for mom or dad

who just might not have a current photo of their son or daughter

because sometimes

that's what happens

*