Resillience

My passion and mission for youth work is inspiring youth to learn social, emotional, and practical skills through movement and fitness.  The most rewarding part of the work I do is to see the small victories every class. For me, in my drums alive classes, it could be as simple a student who usually has difficulty staying at their drum following along for one song.  Or seeing what songs a student may really connect to and how I can best engage my students individually.  While many do not understand the way an activity like drums alive can influence a students social skills or emotional skills it has tremendous effects on our students.  They learn to create a community, begin to feel safe and accepted, they also are using fine motor skills, engaging in auditory, visual, and tactical ways.  

I related to the video that spoke about how their work relaxed them.  Along with the room where we lead activities we also have a sensory room where our students can go to relax themselves if they are having a difficult moment.  They learn coping skills and how to walk away to avoid a problem that can be avoided.  I also was reminded of how students often are nervous or worried when class starts and soon they are having fun in their own way.  I also related it back to myself because when I walk into Wiggle Kids no matter what kind of day I have had thus far, all my negative thoughts seem to go away and I become totally engaged in my students.  My experience there has helped me to focus on what a difference you can make when you totally commit.  

An example of what drums alive for kids would look like, this is not where I am currently interning just an example.