Giving kids a chance... and meme.

[kseenaa]

Work is going really well, I can report. :-) My boss / colleague has even hinted at me getting to stay there a couple of months longer. Nothing is decided yet, but yeah... Hopefully. Keep your fingers crossed! If it comes through, I'll be working there until May or until school ends in the beginning of June. Then we'll see what happens. :-) Things are looking up!

Haven't done that much during the evenings more then trying to read up on LJ and reading fanfic and roleplaying. Man, all my characters are getting damn busy! And one of my characters ended up in another one-on-one game! o.O That makes three games with three characters so far, one game being the massive multifandom game cityofdesai. Yep. Busy. ;-) I sure don't need to find any new games now. *grin* I am having fun though, and that is what is most important, not to mention getting friends in the process. Always a bonus. ;-)

Been a Thursday at the library today, and yeah... Those last 3 hours really wrung me out, as they seem to be doing every Thursday. And it was no fighting and no rough housing in the library at all. They were just... A LOT of loud kids all wanting attention RIGHT NOW! And that kinda makes my brain go die a little and me not working very well after a while... :-P Not to mention making me damn tired.

Something really cute and touching happened during the first hours of the day though. Most of the kids in this school are from other countries. Conflicted countries with war and such. I don't know how, but during discussions of a fairytale with a group of 8 year olds, we ended up in the pit of discussion kids being hit... the boys in the group all trying to be little macho men, while they girls said it was horrible. Neither me or my boss / colleague were very amused with the boys antics, so she left them with me since they couldn't hear the beginning of the fairytale as punishment for not behaving. (They were laughing and making fun of the subject and war.) After a lil while they calmed down though, and were allowed to go listen to the fairytale. One boy, however couldn't complicity calm down, and was sent out with me. Where he promptly broke down in the corner of a sofa... Poor kid. These children has really seen a bit to much then they should... He just wanted attention and went about the wrong way to get it. We talked a bit while he cried and sniffled, and I ended up with the kid sitting in my lap. Anyone who knows me know I am good at that quite support and love... and it seemed it was just what this kid needed. He calmed down considerably after that, and listened to the rest of the fairytale curled up in my lap.

I must admit. This touched me a little bit. Yeah, you'll hear me rant and rave over these kids not behaving and such, but really. They are good kids. They just go about getting attention the wrong way. They are in a strange country without understanding all of the culture here in Sweden, not to mention they've probably seen things kids shouldn't see...

I hope I get to stay in this school library so I can work with and for these kids. They deserve it.

Right so... After all that serious talk, I'll continue with this meme then. :-P

1. Your middle name, and how you feel about it.
2. Talk about your piercings or tattoos, if you have any.
3. Your favourite television program.
4. Write about your closest friend(s).
6. Your favourite season, and why.
7. How you came across tumblr, and how your life has changed since joining.
5. Tell us your three favourite colours.
8. Are you a fitness guru or a couch potato? Talk about your exercise habits.
9. Favourite meme at the moment.
10. Talk about your pets, or the pets you would like to have.
11. Your top three favourite bands.
12. Your thoughts or opinions about Harry Potter.
13. Your thoughts or opinions about Mean Girls.
14. Do you have siblings? Talk about them, or talk about what it's like to be an only child.
15. Tell us your favourite junk food.
16. Your favourite Disney princess movie.
17. Your thoughts on Ugg boots.
18. Do you drink soda more often than milk?

19. The initials of your crush(es).
Going with RL crushes here, it would be PA. If we are talking fandom, it would be several... WT, JS, GS, GL, WS, RH and X, G and A. :-)

20. Do you wear glasses? If so, what are they for?
Yes, I do. Since I was 11 or 12. I am quite near sighted, and would be hazard in traffic without them... when walking. X-D

21. Your favourite subject to study.
I would LOVE to study sexual orientation during historic times... During school I loved history and literature. :-)

22. Do you play a sport? Tell us about it. If not, talk about a different hobby you may have.
Not playing any sports, but I love to dance. :-) I don't do it that well, but I love to really let lose to music. Hence, my exercise of choice is Zumba... I haven't done it in a while now. Should really get back to it again. :-)

23. Your opinions on Lady Gaga.
24. Tell us about the last movie you saw in theatres.
25. Tell us about the last book you read (for leisure or for school).
26. Name one place you would love to visit one day.
27. List your three favourite girl names, three favourite boy names, and your three favourite names for a pet.
28. Your first celebrity crush.
29. Your opinions of the television show Glee.
30. Take a picture of yourself right now and post it, or post the most recent picture you can find.

Comments

[dylansbuzz.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad you were able to be there for that child - most kids aren't bad, they're just rambunctious and needy, and a lot of of them don't get what they need at home, so they look for it other places. And for some negative attention is better than none. A lot of times, just a quiet, calming presence, or holding them, does wonders. They just want safety, security, to know that things are okay. <3

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

I am quite convinced you are right. Especially at this school where I'd say around 80% of the kids comes from another country, nearly all from countries of war or other troubles. So many that have a tough time at home, and then at school to what with having troubles understanding the swedish language. It is not easy working there, but at the same time very inspiring because the teachers and staff at that school really, really care, and work there butts off for them kids. So does my boss / collogue. She is kinda inspiring me. As did this kid, in a way. I am really glad I could be there for him.

[skarvsladden.livejournal.com]

Jag tror att du är jättebra som skolbibliotekarie och barn behöver fler vuxna som lyssnar på dem. Precis som du skriver det gäller att försöka att prta med barn på deras sätt.

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Tack! :-D Så snällt av dig att säga det! Ja, jag försöker iallafall, även om det inte är så lätt på en skola med så många invandrarbarn med tuffa hemförhållanden... Allt man kan göra i det läget är att försöka, faktiskt. :-P

[steinsgrrl.livejournal.com]

Thank goodness you were there and you're the kind of teacher kids feel comfortable coming to! <3

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Not a teacher, but a school-librarian. ;-) But yeah, I think I have gotten to the point where they feel comfortable around me now. Which is awesome. I am very glad I could be there for that kid. I think he needed it.

[steinsgrrl.livejournal.com]

School librarian, yes, but still a teacher. An adult role model, if nothing else. Some kids just don't have those that they trust. :)

...and man, this text is about impossible to see when typing. But I only have to wait a little bit and you'll change layouts again. xD

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

I know. I think I'll ask at everything_lj if there is anything to do about the text. :-P I really like the look of this layout, so I'll try to figure out the little quirks that I have problems with. :-)

Well, I am a different role model for them, to be sure, what with being a rocker-chick with tattoos and tons of piercings. *grin* Just to show you CAN be a good person and still look like that. ;-) And when I talk to kids, I always try to get down on there level and understand things from there perspective. For sure, I can never understand how it is to leave your country and having lived in a country of war, but I can try, at least. :-P

[steinsgrrl.livejournal.com]

Just looking at your CSS, I'm wondering if you found this part in the comment page section:

.replyform {
padding-left: 10px;
}


And made it:

.replyform {
padding-left: 10px;
color: #6 digit color code here
}

Idk, I'm not so fabulous with CSS, but that's what I'd try.

I think you're really cool for making the extra effort to do that for them! <3

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Well, I just gave up and changed to layout to one of milou_veronicas. When in doubt, I always do. They are some of the best layouts out there, and so easy to personlize, to put your own header and/or background on. :-)

[rule-number-7.livejournal.com]

GS & GL?

Now who could those two be? ;P

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Oh, I am quite convinced you are well aware who those two are. ;-)

[shapinglight]

Good news about the job extension, and it sounds from what you say that you're the right person to be there.

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

It does seem so, doesn't it? :-) I am just glad the kids like me, the teachers like me and my boss / colleague likes me. :-) And think I do a good job, so yay!