Field Day Experience

My field day observation was an eye opening experience. I went to my local high school and got a true taste of inner city life again. I had forgotten that at one point I too had been part of this mix. I grew up in Jersey City, NJ. My graduating class was an even mix between African American, Asian, and Hispanic with a slight minority in Caucasian and Middle Eastern. However, there was something that distinguished me apart from all my other classmates. Over winter break while my friends were playing tackle football in Lincoln Park I was seven hours away skiing Vermont's best mountains. My best friends had never even seen a pair of skis. In the summers, while they sweat profusely on basketball courts all around Hudson County I did the same while hiking the Adirondacks in New York or going on a 60 mile bike ride around the Watchungs. I did this all with my uncle, Robert Chiari, also known as Tico. Tico introduced a new way of life for me. He took me off those city streets and showed me how much more this world had to offer. When I walked into my inner city high school to spend the day I realized I wanted to do the same for my students.
As I looked around I saw kids exactly like me and my friends seven years prior. They were tough, had loose mouths, and held chips on both shoulders. But I really did love the challenge. By the end of the day I had grown attached to the students I taught the importance of pull ups to in the weight room 2nd period. I felt like a teacher to the twelve students I showed how to correctly play volleyball to 4th period. And at the end of the day I knew this was the job for me when several students came back and asked if I was going to be there tomorrow. I spent one day at the high school and I already didn't want to leave. My 7th period health class was talking about the way muscles work. When I mentioned how rock climbing was really a key work out for building arm strength, they were ecstatic about going. I want to open up my students minds. I want them to see new things. I want them to see past the buildings that block the horizon, I want them to see the sun set from a mountain top instead of through smog filled skies and barred windows. I want them to see all the things I've seen, because if i was given the chance, they deserve a chance.