I really loved interacting directly with the kids. I spent half my day as a teacher's assistant for a class of about 15 1st graders. It was chaotic and exhausting but incredibly rewarding. I was given a new level of responsibility and independence that I had not experienced before and it was so helpful to learn through direct experience. The second half of my day was assisting with the cheer and dance group of 6-8th graders. I was really heartwarming to see how important these creative and fun outlets are.
What I wish was different
For this experience specifically and a lot of education-related opportunities, so much depends on what teachers and supervisors you are paired with.
Advice
One piece of advice I would give is to step out of your comfort zone, in all facets of the process. I sort of went for this opportunity on a whim, and it was completely worth it. In the whole experience, from what I was actually doing at the school, to commuting to unfamiliar part of the city on public transportation, I was sort of thrown into the deep end, which was scary at first, but helped me grow a lot. The direct experiences you get from volunteering and internships are really important, but there are a lot of unexpected, indirect skills you can pick up as well.
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One person found this helpful
Mentor
June - August 2017 • Philadelphia, PA
What I liked
It was a great way to connect with kids
What I wish was different
More hours
Advice
Build trust earlier
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Sports Intern
June - August 2017 • Philadelphia, PA
What I liked
Great to work in the community
What I wish was different
The faculty were not very organized and not everyone did the job they were supposed to do
