Our first sessions with the children of Maria Teresa School

So Mauricio asked for the worst behaved children in the school for our group project.  We want to take the children to places of cultural interest where they might not normally be able to visit due to their socio-ecomic status.  Can you imagine not being able to go to the museum, art gallery or theatre because you can not afford it?  That really is unfair.  We don't choose what class we are born into and in my humble opinion, everyone should have access to these simple things.  These children come from very poor homes and often immigrant families where they all live in just one room.  They are often exposed to violence and abuse.

With this in mind, Mauricio and I have decided to make this our project, to expose the children to the cultural greats and give them different environments to learn in.  So our first classes are about preparing the children to behave inside the classroom so that they can behave in society.  The first week we had almost an entire session of hitting and name calling (not Mauricio and I), but fifteen children!  I looked at Mauricio with 'what have we let ourselves in for' eyes.  He whispered to me that the children have to learn to quieten themselves, that they have to learn to listen.  Ah, the words of the psycholgist!  For fifty minutes it was  pure chaos.  But all of a sudden, the shouting and screaming stopped when they realised what was required of them.  They began to listen to one another and also to what we had to say.  Result.

The second class was a lot more productive, and we only got a few minutes of hitting each other and I think I only heard one child call another tit face.  I mean I don't know how I kept a straight face on that one, but this time they were a lot better at listening and we are already planning our first visit to an interactive museum.  It is so rewarding to be able to spend time with these children.  I don't think they are bad children at all.  Some of them have just had a bad start in life, and they all deserve a chance.   So we will show them understanding and love in hope that they will grow and gain from this experience we are offering them.