Week 1: Summary

 Week 1 reflection. 

When I arrived at Julie's Family Learning Center, I didn't know what to expect. Although I have had many emails and video calls with Michelle, my mentor, I had never seen the space. I was given a tour of the four floors of Julie's, which included the toddler room in the basement, the infant room and preschool room on the next floor, the floor that was just for mother upstairs, and the general adult education floor, which hold anyone 16 and up needing a GED.  The childcare section of Julie's is extremely short-staffed at the moment, so I spent a lot of time there. I spent most of the days this week working a majority in the childcare, and I absolutely loved it, which is not something I was completely expecting. I got to see how these children interact with each other and at three different times in their life. I not only got to hang out with toddlers but also with infants and preschoolers, which all came with their own sets of challenges and obstacles.  More than anything, it was a test of my patience and I was challenging myself in a way I never had before. 

I also got the opportunity to sit in on some adult classes. I watched the teacher, Joan make many accommodations for the schedules of different students with all sorts of schedules. About half of the students were on Zoom, and the other half were there in person. I loved hearing all the students' stories, and how Julie's had helped them. Most of these students finish high school, not because they didn't want to, but because of unfortunate circumstances. Julie's also helps them find jobs after graduating and provides many resources for after-testing. I enjoyed the women’s classes the most because it was a really inspiring environment. It is a group of strong women, all who are mothers, and many who are single mothers. They have all gone through some sort of trauma, and they all found a safe space in Julie’s to be authentically themselves and better their lives not only for themselves but for their children and their family. It was really meaningful to me to take care of people’s kids and then see them in class working and actually see for myself the sacrifice they are making for their families.

I also got to experience much of the behind the scenes work at Julie’s and really learn about the organization itself and it’s purpose. I got to help with the operational and organizational piece of the non-profit. I just really enjoyed the fact that I got to see all aspects of Julie’s even in my first week there. Getting sick was an obstacle I had to work through, but I was able to learn even more about the organization from just staying home and researching and I am so glad I did. I have a huge appreciation for this organization and all they do, so I am glad I get to be a part of it for a little while.