Circle Urban Visit One

         I visited Circle Urban Ministries for the first time on March 27th. I was extremely nervous about going to Circle Urban since it was a part of the Catalyst Charter School Network and it is a grade school. My reasoning behind my uneasiness about Catalyst is that it is the school that took over my high school once it closed. With going into a grade school, I am most comfortable with high school age students because I am able to relate with them more than grade school age students, I was nervous. I know majority of people would be nervous about going to the West Side of Chicago, due to it not being in the safest of neighborhoods. I felt at home. Being from Chicago, and going to high school on the South West Side and many of my friends are from the West Side, I was not worried at all.
      
       All my preconceptions about Circle Urban were wrong. Even though they are associated with Catalyst Charter School, the students thought it was cool that I knew about the school and once I told them I went to the school that was there before Catalyst they were in awe. Those students amaze me by how much they plan for their future. When I was their age, I thought I was going to be a fashion designer. We all see where that went for me. Education 203 prepared me for engaging with students and keeping them on track. Knowing each student is different, I could see that in the classroom, how some students were very outgoing and straightforward to those who were a little hesitant to us being in the classroom at first. Overall, I believe the visit was beneficial to both the Circle Urban students and to the Trinity students as well. I can not wait to go back on April 17th.
    
         What I have learned from going to Circle Urban will contribute to my field experience and future classroom. I have learned to create activities that will engage students and encourage teamwork. I learned to never judge my students from where they are from. These students have a bright future ahead of them and with they way they are going, I see that they will achieve all that they would like.