When thinking of the Jewish Ethical Tradition and its influence on my experience I am reminded of Rabbi Sacks in his explanation of the complexities of today, beginning with Hans Jonas in his The Imperative of Responsibility. Rabbi Sacks discusses the increasing disconnect in today’s global society, despite our ability to be more connected than ever, with what the greater implication is. We forget that though our one simple action may not change the world, it still makes a difference to that one person, who is able to have the effect on another person, and so forth. My placement in one of my student’s life may not change their family’s life, but I can change his, and inspire him to want to learn and want to succeed. It is essentially my responsibility to do so, my responsibility to do all that I can, take the risk, for the student I work with, help him feel comfortable and like his work makes a difference in his own life. Though I may have struggled or got frustrated at times with individual children, it is imperative to put those feelings aside, and just work for them, with them. I may not ever see the total benefits of my work, but I can know that some of the experiences we share will have lifelong effects on each of them. I have learnt that just caring for them for a brief moment, by just sitting with them and letting them count on their fingers, they become grateful and the light in their eyes makes it all worth it.
I
wish that I could assimilate myself to Father Boyle, but he is much too great
of a figure in my eyes to ever be equitable.
When thinking about the Christian moral tradition we of course are
immediately reminded of the remarkable steps that Jesus took for us over 2000
years ago, to guide us to be better humans and find our purpose and the meaning
of life in one another. Father Boyle
sticks out to me as he was the minority in a very threatening area that nearly
showed no signs of hope, yet he saw the light in one young man’s eyes and it
spurred him to want to continue and ultimately have a remarkable affect on the
East Los Angeles area. The school I had
the privilege of volunteering at is certainly not overly threatening and there
are not gunshots every day, but it was an incredible reality check for me. The high school I went to was a semiprivate
academy-campus, with nine buildings, a sophisticated campus safety program,
every class was offered in AP or UCONN credit and we even offered Chinese. I am able to say that I was very lucky to
attend the high school I attended, and though it was a diverse school, it was
still in my element. Driving into
Johnson’s school I was greeted by a safety officer who checked who was able to
go into the parking lot, where they had hall mediators to keep the kids in line
and security at some of the doors. This
was very different for me. However, I
kept going, I knew I was not threatened but I was nervous of being rejected or
hated by the students, I suppose this was my own ignorance because of our
shifting generation. Thinking about
Father Boyle, and certainly, what Jesus would do, I was able to become one with
the students, feel their struggle when they could not solve a math
problem. Listen and understand the
stories they had to say, while also being shocked that two 2nd
graders knew that pulling each other’s hair to the ground was an appropriate
action to hurt and get their point across. Some very simple actions that I always
understood were successful were reiterated to me reading Father Boyle’s book,
and some of the stories became real life.
A student running up to me to give me a hug and thank me for helping her
with her homework, that is joy, that is happiness in every form, to know that I
was able to make a difference in that child’s life, no matter how small, means
the world to me. The Christian moral tradition has shown me why I feel so
strongly about volunteering and have the desire to volunteer, because it is our
natural tendency, and we find the utmost joy in seeking joy in others, in such
a simple small way. I truly was able to
make a difference in these children’s lives and I honestly look forward to when
I can join them again and guide them further along their journey -- another
idea of Father Boyle is that though you may not see the benefit immediately, there
will be a positive effect, as God wishes for it to happen.
One
of the major issues addressed in my school was the use of violence and violent
words. Kids telling each other I am
going to kill you or I am going to punch you are simply not acceptable. For my specific students’ with autism handling
these issues was a much bigger process and our methods to prevent and teach the
wrong use of these words plunged much deeper.
I experienced a child who repeatedly threatened others, including one
day Ms. Ivy. I was shell shocked in a
sense that someone at the age of eight knew what this meant or even thought
about it. However, it is today’s
society, older siblings and cousins that knew how to make it on the street
heavily surrounded this particular student, and he took those tips to
heart. This is what scares me and when
thinking about the Catholic social teachings, made me realize how important my
role was in the school, far beyond just helping with his homework. This student and I would have meaningful
conversations at times when he would discuss his home life to me, where his mother
was never home and his cousins raised him.
I realized very quickly that it was my duty and responsibility to
protect him, at least when I could, his safe haven was this school, and it was
his escape. I obviously cannot follow
him home at night and make sure he is hidden from the world around him, but I
can instill positive thoughts and show him a model of morals and guide him
while making him achieve his goals. This
is my ultimate duty as a Catholic, and learning from the Catholic social
teachings, it is the way of life that not only defines us as humans, but also
allows us to find a meaning and purpose in life, as well as a way to forge the
common good. These are our duties and responsibilities
to our communities, allowing myself to be exposed to these situations, and
allowing myself to become one interacting with the students allowed me to gain
such an amazing experience, and realize the necessity and important of these
volunteers not only to the single student’s life, but to the life of the
community as a whole. I may not be able
to change the family’s values, but I can have a great effect on that student,
and give him motivation to succeed and change himself, as he grows into himself
as well. Ultimately the three faith based teaching systems have taught me to accept everyone as they are, embrace that person, and guide them to their fullest potential. That is the path to understanding ourselves and the world around us. We accept each person as our family, and it becomes understood through action that we have a responsibility to each individual and to our societies to make a difference. This difference may not change the world, but that is not necessary. It is necessary to take the leap and allow ourselves to become vulnerable, working to make everyone less vulnerable, we need to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves, and work to preserve and restore the dignity of those who have none. Working in a school with children who are surrounded by what seems like people who do not have the time to focus on their children, because they are working to provide a good example, shows me how important it is for those of us who have the time to share, to share it. Our words, faces, and hands, can make the world of a difference to these students, and often provides them with just the comfort they need succeed and find meaning and purpose in their own lives.
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