Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence in an Urban Context

When I was in high school, I was a volunteer in an after school program, because I need to have 100 volunteer hours for a class. Therefore, when I went to the program, I was helping students to finish their homework and their needs. However, I didn’t think about myself as a teacher, because I didn’t like to play with kids and handle them. After I finished all my hours, I decide to apply and work with that after school program, because I realize l love to teach students and plays with them, even though many students gave me a hard time, I still like to handle and be closed with them. For example, when I just got into program, the whole class didn’t listen to me, when I told them to sit down and finish their homework, they were just ignoring me.  The supervisor of the program told me that I need to be serious and need to try to control them, don’t let the students control me. However, there was one student in my class gave me such hard time, because he wasn’t like to sit down, and he like to running around by himself. Therefore, sometime, I have to call some people to help me to watch him. I told his parents and asked them for the reasons why he behaves like this ways, and his parents told me they have no ideas.  At the time, I was asking myself how come the parents don’t understand and know their own child. I try to talk to him, and try to play and be close with him; also I have told him he couldn’t do everything he wants in the school, but he didn’t listen. However, I know him like to eat chocolate, and he loves it. I told him if he didn’t behave, I won’t give him chocolate, because I will give out chocolate every Friday to those students that can finish their homework on time, and also behave well in classroom. I think chocolates are their motivation, and it can help me to get their attention. By the way, my trouble student was behaving a little bit better right now, he understands he has to finish his homework and behave well, other than that he is going to get his chocolate on Friday.