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The Academy ended a four year-long lawsuit in a favorable settlement this past August. Skidmore, Owens and Merrill (SOM), the architects of the Koch Center, have paid a significant sum of money that was divided between Deerfield Academy and the Gilbane Company, the construction manager of the Koch Center project. The exact sum is not available because of legal issue. Deerfield sued the architecture company because of several design-oriented issues with the building, according to Chief Financial Officer Joseph Manory. In August 2008, the Academy also favorably settled a related dispute with the Gilbane Company. Deerfield has already improved elements of the building since its opening in spring 2007. Most notably, water seeped through the brick caps atop the site and parapet walls, causing efflorescent stains on walls. In 2008, with the building surrounded by scaffolding, granite caps were added to prevent further water penetration into the walls and future staining. The then existing efflorescent stains were also cleaned. Mr. Manory, along with Head of School Margarita Curtis, President of the Board of Trustees Phil Greer, Chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee and Board Member Sam Bronfman, and Board Member Luke Terry oversaw the out-of-court settlement of the dispute. The proceeds from the settlement will fund the improvements, which also include strengthening the “crash bars” on the front doors. These changes will be implemented in 2010, and the Academy has retained Architectural Resources Cambridge to assist with the planning. The Koch Center project was not the first time Deerfield employed Skidmore, Owens, and Merrill. The internationally-renowned architecture firm was involved with the design of the natatorium, and the Louis Marx and John Louis dormitories. “It’s important not to lose sight of what has been gained…we have a state-of- the- art building for future generations; it is a signature building for Deerfield, and it has fostered a collaborative approach to teaching and programmatic innovations,” said Dr. Curtis. These include an inquiry-based 9th grade physics course; a new Game Theory seminar for approximately twenty members of the faculty, including the whole math department, and the integration of science, math and technology within its walls. Other exciting new programs and research projects will now become possible because of the Koch Center. In fact, the Eight School Association chose to host its science department symposium at Deerfield because of the unique setting the Koch Center provides. The conference will be held on November 2nd. As Dr. Curtis explained, “This is where the other schools wanted to be.” Mr. Manory said, “Unfortunately I had to get lawyers involved to get it all done and taken care of. But at the end of the day we’re still left with a great building.”

The 2009 Heritage Award will go to Ralph Earle II ’46, the chief U.S. negotiator for SALT II between 1978 and 1980 and the director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA). Students familiar with international history and politics will recognize “SALT” as the acronym for the strategic arms limitation talks, a series of negotiations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union designed to reduce their nuclear arsenals in the late 1970s. Ambassador Earle’s life has certainly tracked a course of public service. Following Deerfield, Mr. Earle served in the Army Corps of Engineers and Counter Intelligence Corps from 1950-1952, later attending Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Prior to his involvement in SALT I and II, Ambassador Earle occupied the role of ACDA representative and numerous defense-related positions besides. He has practiced law in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Two current Deerfield students can already claim a close knowledge of Ambassador Earle’s contributions, however: his grandchildren, Liz Earle ’10 and Thomas Earle ’12. How did they react to the news of their grandfather’s recognition? “I thought it was really cool,” said Liz, “I think he totally deserves it, and he loves Deerfield, he loves the fact that [both his sons] went to Deerfield and that Thomas and I are here now, and he really takes every opportunity to come out and see us and hear about what’s going on, because it had a huge impact on him.” “He inspired my dad to come here,” said Thomas of Ambassador Earle, “and my dad inspired me.” Both Liz and Thomas noted how fully their grandfather has supported them throughout their Deerfield careers. The young Earles will introduce their grandfather when he addresses the community at the October 6 school meeting. Asked what we can expect from Ambassador Earle’s speech, Liz replied, “He does have a lot to say,” though Thomas added, “he plans on keeping it rather short and sweet.” Laura “Mimi” Morsman, director of alumni relations, suggested that the ambassador will discuss “differences in the world he entered after school versus the world [our seniors, Class of ‘10] are entering” and also the greatest risks facing the U.S. today. Both Earle siblings seem to have given the notion of heritage some thought as well, Liz in particular noting, “Actually, going forward into this whole college process, I’m really looking into political science and government as a career path that I kind of want to go down…public service and politics are definitely in the family.” The Heritage Award annually recognizes one DA alumnus for the notable work he or she has pursued over a post-graduation career. Frequently, those contributions involve some form of public service—always unique to the recipient’s passions, and always meaningful to the entire Deerfield community. Past winners familiar to current students include Father Thomas Keating ’40 (recipient ’06); Muppet co-designer Michael K. Frith ’59 (recipient ’07), and environmental conservationist and educator Brian A. Rosborough ’58 (recipient ’08). The Heritage Award derives its name, of course, from our school motto, “Be Worthy of Your Heritage.” DA itself has become a major element of the Earles’ family heritage. Sources: https://www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/DRF/alumni/heritage.html http://dosfan.lib.uic.edu/acda/aboutacd/earle.htm Video footage below

I know failure is a difficult topic to discuss with all of you as you got into the most selective school in the country and therefore probably have rarely encountered failure, but this year, I challenge you to be fearless and fail spectacularly. Whether in your academics, athletic, or carnal pursuits, I challenge you to be rejected. This rejection would simply put you in the same position this very school found itself a century ago. Many of you may not know this, but Deerfield’s history while impressive and intriguing, is also full of boom and bust times. Our darkest hour was just before our greatest headmaster Frank Boyden was hired after leaving Amherst. With only 14 students, the school was near closure. However, within twenty years, Mr. Boyden and his wife had reestablished Deerfield as an academic institution in the standing it exists today. While he was a master educator, Mr. Boyden failed miserably on one ground: managing the school finances. After the Great Depression hit, it looked like Mr. Boyden’s vision was doomed, as the schools debt and falling donations seemed like a fatal blow. However, long before TARP and Fed Rescues, Deerfield was rescued as the headmasters of Taft, Andover, and Exeter traveled with Mr. Boyden to their alumni around the country to bailout Deerfield in a move that, to this day, has no precedent or decedent. So, fail spectacularly. The consequences are not nearly as dire as one might imagine, and I will personally assure you that you will be better off for it.

Amanda Bennett ’10 is spending her senior year at the School Year Abroad program in Spain. During our morning break between Spanish classes, we go to a bar. We have infinite choices: Bar San Remo, El Albohada, el Laurel, or any other of the countless bars in the center of downtown Zaragoza. Here in the capital of Aragón, most bars open at eight o’clock and offer coffee, pastries, and tapas. Next door are bakeries and bookstores. We can walk to the city library, numerous fountains, and the cafeteria of a local high school, where we go for lunch every day. While the offerings are limited in comparison to Deerfield’s dining hall, our options for free period snacking surpass the Greer. Classes here in Spain begin at nine, but the school opens at 8:30. We press a button and wait at the green door (which never fails to remind me of Deerfield!) to rise three flights to our tiny colegio. After two classes, we buy coffee or a pastry at the aforementioned bar-cafés or simply wander around the city and take in fresh air. After three more periods we leave for lunch. The school is shut down and locked for siesta until three, until the next class begins at 3:30. After two more periods, we are let out at 5:15. Since co-curriculars have yet to begin (most start after the Pilar festival, a week-long celebration particular to Zaragoza, which, according to my host-mother, includes eating chocolate churros for breakfast), I don’t have any commitments until 8:30 in the evening, when my host-mother and I eat dinner. However, I generally walk home much earlier to do homework and help cook. Being vegetarian in Spain is possible thanks to my host mother, who is always open to trying new recipes for me. We’ve tried an asparagus and leek soufflé, various quiches, mushrooms with garlic, and the classic Spanish tortilla. I cooked rice with spicy peanut sauce once, utilizing the peanut butter I brought from home since one cannot find it here. After dinner, students are expected to spend some time with our hosts before burying ourselves in homework. My host-mother and I head to the living room for the news at nine—a chance for me to practice my Spanish and hear about the state of things in the United States. Keeping up with Deerfield news isn’t too difficult, as I check DAnet and my email daily…as opposed to hourly, which was my general habit in the U.S. Here, my house doesn’t have Internet access, so I have to walk to the library or the Plaza del Pilar for free wifi. Walking to the Pilar from my home is about the same distance as from John Louis to the Koch Center. But rather than colonial architecture and the Memorial lobby, my walk today consists of a dance troupe twirling to music blasted from the back of a truck draped with the Spanish flag, an informational fair sponsored by a heart health organization, multiple women in wedding dresses at a photo shoot, a basilica, and a giant puppet accompanied by a few women dressed in traditional Aragón garb. And luckily for me, the giant caricature scared all the pigeons away. The Plaza is covered with birds and little children feeding them (more like wildly and randomly throwing rice to them). Deerfield’s squirrels are beautiful in comparison. And The Plaza would be so much more beautiful if that tree outside the Memorial Building was here.

Next time you walk into a drugstore or pass a newsstand, pick up a current issue of Seventeen magazine and flip to page 50. There you will find a familiar face promoting the latest trends. I sat down with Daisy Dolan ’11 to discuss her role on Seventeen’s style council. Scroll: Tell me about your role as member of the Seventeen Style Council… Dolan: It’s really fun actually. I’m sort of like a guest editor, in that we all style our own shoots, and we blog on seventeen.com about trends and things like that. Scroll: How did you get chosen to be on the Style Council? Dolan: I interned at a fashion PR company the summer after freshman year, and my boss got an email from Seventeen saying that they needed girls for the position, so I applied. I actually didn’t know I got it until they called me in for a shoot for the March issue. Scroll: How would you describe your personal style? Dolan: Pretty similar to how they describe me. I love dresses and skirts, but I’m a lot less preppy than they describe me. They needed someone to fill the ‘prep school’ position. Scroll: Have you always wanted to have a career in fashion? Dolan: My mom used to say that Vogue taught me to read, so yeah, I guess. But after being around the industry, I’m not positive it’s what I want to do when I’m older. Scroll: What was it like to be at a Seventeen fashion shoot? Dolan: Very long. It’s crazy because you spend an hour or two in fittings and in hair and makeup, and then the actual shoot is maybe 6 minutes. It’s sort of awkward because there are 10 people on set and fans blowing at your face and you have to sort of dance around and look like you’re having a ton of fun. Scroll: In what ways has appearing in Seventeen changed your life? Dolan: It has definitely opened a lot of doors for me. This summer I already have two internships planned, and I’ve been able to go to fashion week and some premieres, so it’s been a pretty cool experience. Scroll: Do you have any other promotional appearances coming up soon? Dolan: Yes! I’m going to be in a JC Penney promotional ad for one of their lines, Decree. And I may also be on an E! News segment about holiday shopping, but that’s a few months away.

A monk, a boxer, and a Gossip Girl watcher — say hello to Deerfield’s new Wilson Visiting Fellow. Jaed Coffin, of half-Thai descent, shared with the Scroll tales of his colorful and unconventional past on a stroll to his house. The Wallace Wilson Fellowship is a sponsored fellowship that brings a professional to simply teach what they do. As a writer, Mr. Coffin is funded by Deerfield to teach English for a year while continuing his personal pursuits. Mr. Coffin maintains his prior position as Master in Fine Arts in Creative Writing at University of Southern Maine. “I like working with graduate students, but I prefer teaching teenagers,” Mr. Coffin said. He came upon this realization in Alaska while teaching for a year at a non-traditional high school for “kids who didn’t fit the regular mold.” These were students recently expelled or teens with drug-abuse problems. However, what Mr. Coffin really picked up in Alaska was boxing. When he began to “burn out” on the soccer field, he decided he needed “something more individually driven and something that inserted me into a different culture.” In the evenings, Mr. Coffin boxed against local fisherman or indigenous Alaskans in local bars around Juno and Sitka. In fact, his second book, which he hopes to finish by the end of his year here, is about the people he met and with whom he boxed. Surprisingly, the men grew closer after the fights. “People assume boxing breeds violence. But actually, the result is more often fraternity,” said Mr. Coffin. In fact, he has kept in touch with his former boxing coach, an electrician who fishes commercially for salmon during the year; in the summer, Mr. Coffin has returned to visit and fish together with him. “The boxing world is truly its own world,” Mr. Coffin mused. The astonishing cultural explorations of our Wilson Fellow don’t end here. His first book, a memoir called A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants, is about his brief life in Thailand. The story revolves around a 21 year-old Jaed Coffin returning to his mother’s rural village to become a monk, reaching into his cultural origins, and discovering a new aspect of the world. So why would someone with such extraordinary experiences come to Deerfield, Massachusetts? “To enjoy being a family,” explained Mr. Coffin. He liked the idea of getting away from the busy Portland scene and being more local and relaxed, giving him time to write and focus on his family life. “I wanted a place where Jai-yen (his one-year old daughter) will be happy…where I could spend more time with her.” When Mr. Coffin and I reached our destination, a blue-gray home on the right side of Main Street, we were met by exuberant Jai-Yen and his gentle, slender wife, Jessie Chalmers. Although the Scroll sat with the Coffin family for only a few minutes, those few minutes offered a window into the young family’s daily harmony. When asked if there was anything he wanted to say to Deerfield, Mr. Coffin stated three things: One: you can always bring treats to his office, anytime. Two: he will coach Boys’ Thirds Basketball. (Perhaps a subtle recruiting advertisement?) Three: to “please come say hi.” Visiting him and his family at their home is always welcome.

There is good news and bad news regarding the unexpectedly high acceptance rate of freshmen last spring. The good news is that Deerfield welcomed an exceptional group of new students. The bad news? There were not enough dorm rooms to accommodate them. Over the summer, many dorms were reconfigured. Some singles became doubles, a few faculty apartments were made smaller, and many common rooms were converted into bedrooms. These abrupt changes were necessary due to the short amount of time before the new students arrived; they have resulted in a range of reactions among students and faculty. No one believes that the removal of the common rooms is an ideal situation. Richard Dorhmann, who lives with his family in Pocumtuck, noted, “It has been difficult not having a common room. In the past, it was where we could all gather and be together. The basement can serve as a space for this, but it is a little less convenient.” Nevertheless, one of the proctors in Pocumtuck, Madeline Keeshan ’10, believes that “Although the basement is not as easy to get to, it is a bigger, more comfortable space where our whole dorm can congregate.” Most common common spaces are now doubles, and in some cases triples. This is an especially controversial circumstance, as the school has been known for providing singles for almost all incoming students. A new sophomore, Elizabeth Yancey ’12, who lives in a triple, recalled, “I was shocked when I found out, a week before school started, that I would be living in a triple. I am happy now, as both of my roommates and my whole dorm have been very welcoming and supportive of me in what could have been a difficult situation.” This attitude is shared by most students who are in a similar situation, evidence that our community can adjust to changes when they are necessary. Another modification to the traditional dorm organization is the choice to have seniors proctor juniors. In the past, seniors have only proctored in underclassmen dorms to support and advise the younger students. This year, proctors also live in two upperclassmen dorms.

Last spring, students and faculty gathered for a community service- themed school meeting in which Director of Community Service Bernie Baker announced the recipients of the Workman Grants and Cost Award. Sixteen students received the Workman Grant to support their own community service projects in their hometown. The Cost Award is a $2500 grant in honor of Charles Piper Cost, a Deerfield alum who died in his second year of college at Williams College. The grant is supported by his friends and family. Generally, the selection committee awards the Cost Award each summer to one student who has created an organization that will last even after the student has graduated and moved on to college. This year, the Cost Award was granted to Andy Harris ’10. Harris worked on his project with Katie Regan ’10 in Milford, New Hampshire. Harris and Regan directed a children’s musical, Seussical the Musical Junior, with three other high school students at a local boys’ and girls’ Club. “We did everything from costumes and lights to props and budget planning. We had to rent mikes and pay for everything else in the production,” explained Regan. “The grant helped so much. Without the Cost Award, it wouldn’t have been possible for five high school students to pull it off.” The application for the Cost Award is essentially the same as that for a Workman Grant. All interested students apply for a grant; however, students must specify their interest in the Cost Award. The application process for both grants was extensive. “You have to submit a plan of what you intend for your project to accomplish,” said Harris. “I included information about the show, who I planned on having help with it, the rehearsal schedule, a brief budget, and many other details.” A selection committee, including Dr. Baker and Associate Head of School and Director of College Advising Martha Lyman, read all the applications and decided which projects to award grants towards. Despite the hard work that went into this project, including tech week when the high school students spent hours painting the set and working out the lighting, they found their overall involvement to be a lot of fun. The experience of working with children, Regan stressed, “was absolutely incredible. A lot of the kids had never done theatre before and it was nice to see all these talented kids experience theatre for the first time. It was very rewarding.” Regan particularly enjoyed working backstage, adding, “I felt almost more nervous than the kids, but I was so excited to see them perform.” Harris echoed her sentiments, commenting that, “It was great just to work with the kids. They’re all pretty adorable. By the time they get to actually perform, it is so cool to see them on stage and be excited about what they are doing.” Click here to read students’ journals about their community service projects.

With the loss of four senior starters and their coach Elizabeth “Scottie” Buron, Captains Shaye Horn ’10 and Morgan Marks ’10 imagined a bleak future for the varsity volleyball season ‘09. That is, until Cathleen Markowski arrived. The new coach has created quite a buzz for the volleyball team. “I’m so excited for this season, especially as a four year senior, under someone who only coaches volleyball,” says Horn. With focus solely on volleyball this fall, Coach Markowski came with a definite plan and, most importantly, experience – what Mrs. Markowski can offer to the volleyball team is inestimable. Mrs. Markowski’s coaching experience began as a freshman at UMass Amherst and officially started as a career with the women’s volleyball team at Turners Falls High School. After four years and a 77W-17L record, Mrs. Markowski set out to coach the men’s and women’s volleyball teams at a division III . She raised their combined record from 4 to 33 wins. Among the wins, she has also looked over the newly established Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year programs for women. Many players on the men’s team received post season awards, which is undeniably due in part to their effort, but also to Mrs. Markowski’s ability. How does all of this history translate on the court? As Horn simply puts it, “She’s pushing us harder than any of us have been pushed at Deerfield.” If any player speaks the word, ‘can’t’, she will have to give 25 pushups (Mr. Flaska only asks for 10). Each practice under the coach’s eye forces every player to take more out of each drill. In a scrimmage against Kingswood Oxford, Taft, Loomis, and Williston, the team played exceptionally well. The team’s new sophisticated offenses caught other teams off guard, simply because the plans were not generic. Horn, the setter, has up to 15 options of strategy, dictated by hand signals. “There’s definitely a different feel about the [volleyball] program,” says Marks. “Mrs. Markowski is very dedicated to coaching and really intends to change the program in general.” One such change is related to the junior varsity team. “I believe that if the two teams practice in a similar fashion and the effort is consistent, eventually, perhaps the next season, a few of the jv players could transition to the varsity level,” says Mrs. Markowski. Her words put to action, the jv team recently ran with the varsity team for practice, and volleyball coaches are creating plans to incorporate drills between the two teams. Mrs. Markowski’s involvement with DA may expand to the softball team, but ultimately she hopes to coach volleyball for many seasons. “I would like the volleyball teams to grow here at Deerfield,” Mrs. Markowski said. “I believe that with time and effort, we can continue the winning tradition.” And fortunately, she has a team willing to work, not just for New England’s, but for every practice.

“Is that what it is really like?” It’s a question that knows no bounds—friends, parents, cousins; it makes no difference. It’s also a question I’ve been asked more times since I arrived at Deerfield than ever before. For those who want the simple answer, “Boarding School life is and isn’t like what you think.” The easiest way to address the question in a more in-depth way is to make it more familiar. Another place often ridiculed, questioned, and parodied unfairly, especially at Deerfield: The Buckley School in New York City. Unlike the norm at Deerfield, when you say you go to Buckley in New York, no one snickers or makes a joke about waiters or ties or whatever the particular snipe of the day may be. It’s roughly the equivalent of meeting someone who says they go to Hotchkiss. For those who think otherwise, Buckley is very much like Deerfield. It’s competitive, the kids are driven, the athletic teams are successful, it is traditional in all respects—the list can go on and on. Yet myths persist about the school even at Deerfield. It seems the question of “what it’s really like” will never fully be put to rest. I know that Deerfield students who come here from places where people infrequently go to boarding schools are faced with similar myths and questions surrounding Deerfield. “Do you really have to wear a jacket and tie?” “Do you really have curfews on weekends, even as seniors?” “Is it only rich white kids?” It doesn’t matter what you say. The rumors and incredulousness still persists. The criticism isn’t limited to small circles. The media have increasingly taken interest in continuing these stereotypes to satisfy what seems to be an unending hunger for “elitism” on display. This came to my attention this summer with the airing of the show NYC Prep. Given that I grew up in New York and went to school there through 9th grade, I feel that I have a somewhat unique perspective especially given that I am now an outsider looking in. NYC Prep is a show that purportedly follows a year in the life of five kids who go to “elite private schools” in New York. Yet the show is complete fabrication. Of the five, only two knew one another before the start of the show. They all go to schools that rarely overlap: Dwight, Nightingale, Birch Wathen Lenox, and the Ross School (which, by the way, is not in New York City). And none of people on the show—not Sebastian, not P.C, not Kelli, not Jessie, and especially not Taylor—are the type of people the show is trying to target. This makes sense since anyone who should actually be on the show has no interest in being portrayed as an insensitive jerk—the show’s objective. Sure, there were bits and pieces of the show that were accurate just as there are parts of any reality show that are true, but, ultimately, the overall message was more or less flat out wrong. Just because it’s New York doesn’t mean that all of a sudden the kids there are not fairly standard teenagers. There are, after all, more new students from New York than other state this year. By being at the top is to accept that those very people who are captivated by, and have an insatiable thirst for things such as “Housewives,” “Sweet 16’s,” and the Donald Trumps of the world—essentially all the fake elitism they can get their hands on—are the first to say how fake the people are without any real interaction with the people. Just because you’ve seen Harry Potter doesn’t make you intimate with wizards. Just because you’ve seen NYC Prep doesn’t make you intimate with New York. But in the end, as great a video and as intimate as 10 Things I Love about Deerfield may make you with the school, it wouldn’t make for a good TV show. Essentially, what it means to go to an “elite” school in New York is what it means to go to Deerfield—is what it means to be at the top of anything. It means being criticized, stigmatized, and ridiculed unfairly, as it’s easy to point fingers at entities that pride themselves on their competence or their being the “best.” That paradigm extends to individuals, to sports teams, to companies, to dance troupes, to anything that can in some way be ranked. In the end I pose this question: recognizing that there are some aspects to stereotypes that make them true, but putting them aside because it makes dismissal too easy, what is it about so many Americans that causes them to fall in love with what is ostensibly portrayed as “elitism,” but couldn’t be farther from it?

Though Rebecca Melvoin joins the faculty as a history teacher, it will not be her first time living on campus. As Ms. Melvoin’s father was a teacher at Deerfield, she spent her childhood in Pocumtuck, but now, as a teacher, she lives on Mather II. When asked how she was re-adjusting to dorm life, Ms. Melvoin responded, “My work at Brown in the dorms helped prepare me. That having been said, I’m still getting used to how loud girls can be when they are excited and having fun.” Ms. Melvoin also enthused over her favorite food to make for feeds: pancakes. Before coming to Deerfield, Ms. Melvoin attended Bowdoin College and Brown where she received her Master’s degree in American Civilization, and Boston College where she earned a Master’s in history. While at Bowdoin, she dabbled with the idea of becoming a social worker or management consultant before deciding to teach after helping out at a Hebrew School. She has also taught at several secular schools including the Lakeside School in Seattle and Beaver Country Day School in Brookline, MA. When asked why she chose to return to Deerfield, Ms. Melvoin said, “I was so impressed with everyone I met when I came to interview, and I knew that I would enjoy teaching here. Plus, returning home was also very appealing.” In addition to teaching, she will be coaching squash in the winter and softball in the spring.

During my community service project I volunteered for two weeks at Cassidy’s Place, a location of the Association to Benefit Children (ABC). During this time, I was an assistant teacher in one of the classrooms there named the “panda room”. I worked closely with my class, taking care of and playing with the kids there. When I started this project I wanted to work with and help children from disadvantaged backgrounds. I wanted to give them more attention and care than they might receive at home. As a personal goal, I wanted to have more experience working with kids because it is something that I think I’ll be interested in, in the future. Saturday, June 6, 2009 Yesterday marked half of my ABC experience! I can’t believe that there’s only one week left and will be really sad to leave the kids. It has been raining and cloudy all week so they didn’t get to go outside to the two playgrounds as they usually do. There is one on the first floor which is very close to the classroom. The second is on the sixth floor and is not really a playground, but an area with blocks and bikes which they can play on. They have only been able to go out onto the real playground twice because of the bad weather. The kids have been doing the same kinds of activities for the past three days, although Shamel didn’t come to school for two of them. He had a health issue and then it was someone in his family’s birthday. I’ve learned that Jayden is usually causing trouble somehow, as is Rachel. Jayden doesn’t really know manners and sometimes hits and grabs things from other kids. It’s a problem, but I think he has therapy like a few others do, including Rachel. The most unfortunate thing though, is that the other kids have noticed that he takes things, so they always expect him to be doing something bad. On Friday, Clever, Min, and David were playing with blocks and then they started hiding them under toy helmets. I asked them what they were doing and they replied that they were hiding the toys from Jayden, who at that time was simply eating breakfast. Jayden also doesn’t seem to understand space, and eating manners like waiting until you’ve swallowed before putting more food in your mouth. Rachel also has issues with listening and doing as she’s told. She doesn’t speak very much and seems to think that everything is a game. She often runs away from us if we are trying to get her to do something like eat breakfast, clean up, or sit in a circle with the other children. Then, she will look back to see if anyone is chasing her, and if no one is, she usually stops. It’s too bad that she’s the only girl in the class because maybe she would feel like she could play better with other girls instead of only boys. On Thursday, she was continuously asking about princesses, which the boys aren’t very interested in. Another child who has issues is Matthew. He has some sort of disability, but I have not asked what it is. He understands pretty well if you talk to him, but he doesn’t seem able to talk back as well as the other children can. He also doesn’t interact in the same way as the other children do, but maybe that’s because he can’t communicate the same way. I think that probably, if he could talk normally, he wouldn’t stand out from the other kids as much because he would be just a little less good at memorizing and not as coordinated as the others. He is very sweet and is always hugging people. The kids begin the day when they come in a bit later than nine, and many have breakfast while others play. Then, once it’s about ten, they will usually go out to the playground for an hour or forty-five minutes. Sometimes it takes a while because even though the playground is so close, some of the kids run off onto the playground before a teacher has given them permission, or like Rachel and Benjamin on Wednesday, they will not get out of the jungle gym part of the playground when they’re supposed to. At around eleven they come back inside and have a choice of things to do. Usually there is an art project which they take turns doing, like painting a cardboard box to make it like a fire truck. They also do things like playing in the “kitchen” which has lots of different toys like doctor sets or fake food, or playing on the rug where they can take out different toys such as puzzles, cars, and blocks. After around half an hour, they clean up and it is “circle time”. There, they sing songs like the “days of the week” song and learn and review vocabulary words. This week they learned “transportation” words. After that, they have lunch, brush their teeth and then take a nap. When they wake up, it’s already almost two in the afternoon, and then they go out onto the upstairs playground. Then, they come back and are read to and played with until around three. Afterwards, each is sung the goodbye song, and is either taken home on a bus, picked up, or sent to afterschool. Actually on Friday, Clever and Dayvid were waiting to go to afterschool while I was leaving, but they didn’t want me to leave, which was very cute and made me feel like I had really gotten the hang of things.