Plewman PACT Blog (Visit 3)

Rory Plewman
July 3, 2014
Peninsula Bridge
Rolando Victoria
rolando.victoria@menloschool.org


1. The Peninsula Bridge organization attempts to "bridge" the economic divide between East Palo Alto and Menlo Park by providing much needed summer school opportunities. They believe firmly in the mantra, "education leads to eradication," in this case the eradication of poverty for future generations of students living in East Palo Alto. I was struck at how privaledged our community is and the bubble in which we live and was motivated to make a difference. Over the course of my 4 weeks at Bridge I alternated between being a Math and English TA. During these classes, especially in math where I spent most of my time, it was apparent that these kids never received a strong grounding in basic math concepts. For example, one particular girl, Asupa, believed that she was dumb and that she would never be able to make the leap from elementary school to middle school because she didn't understand math at all. I made it my mission to transform her origional 2 out of 5's on the weekly quizzes to 4 or 5 out of 5. She had very low self-confidence in regards to math, she was constantly telling me to help other people because I was wasting my time and that she was never going to get it. The root of all of her math anxt was multiplication tables. She had never properly memorized beyond 5 and decided to just fake her way through the next 2 years of math class. I helped her memorize these tables and the last quiz of the year she got a 4 out of 5. Asupa came up to me after and gave me hug and said, "Thanks Rory." That one moment, of knowing that I actually made a difference, was worth the 4 weeks I spent over the summer.

2. I perceived Peninsula Bridge as an organization which through money at EPA, like many other organizations do, instead of attacking the root of the problem. I was pleasantly surprised then, when I discovered that it was a summer school program and I would get to be teaching lessons! I discovered that I am a very patient person, sometimes, the kids didn't want to work, it was summer after all, and would directly disobey the teachers instructions. I would use a wheedling tone and if this was un-effective a harsh one to get them back on track, but I never lost my temper. I firmly believe that I have had an impact on these kids, I acted as a positive role model in their lives and helped them to grasp the true power of education.

Rory

Blog Instructions

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PACT ENTRIES

In lieu of writing one journal entry per PACT visit, you will write TWO blog entries (approx. 250 words each) about your PACT service work. You will write one entry after you’ve completed your first THREE visits to your site and the other entry after you’ve completed all FIVE visits. Post your entries to your advocacy’s blog so that your peers can see and comment on what you’ve done.

ENTRY CONTENT

1. Do not waste your 250 words describing how you got to the site or listing inconsequential details about every action you performed while there. Give us the information that matters. Analyze what was going on below the surface of your actions or interactions. Keep in mind the social issue(s) you are trying to solve. Surface-level entries will not receive full credit.

2. Consider incorporating answers to the following questions:

• Before beginning your PACT, you probably had preconceptions about your organization, your issue, and/or the population you were going to serve. What were they, and how did your PACT work challenge those preconceptions?
• Did you discover anything about yourself through your service work? Were you at all surprised by your emotional reactions over the course of your service?
• Do you believe you had an impact through your service? If so, what did you accomplish?

ENTRY FORMAT

At the top of each entry, list the following information. Then, skip a space and begin writing.

Your Name

Date and Time of PACT Visit

Organization Name

Supervisor’s Name

Supervisor’s Contact Information