My name is Zulejha Osmani, and I am a senior at Texas Woman’s University. Currently, I am interning with Communities in Schools at Tomas Rivera Elementary in Denton, TX.
One of the students that was assigned to my caseload is a second grader named RC. I met RC in mid-February during a lunch group session I was observing. I sat in on the lunch group, and I observed him as well as his interactions with his peers and with Ms. Amanda, the CIS Site Coordinator.
After observing him, I concluded that he was a very outgoing and talkative kid. I was very intimidated at first, because we are polar opposites in terms of our personalities. He is very outgoing and talkative, whereas I am more quiet and reserved. I decided that my first one-on-one mentoring session would be very relaxed, because I just wanted to get to know him and start establishing a relationship with him.
I had a piece of construction paper that was cut into a circle, and I had him trace his hand and write out five interesting things about himself on his paper fingers. I did this activity alongside him so he could learn five things about me as well. He wrote out a few unique facts about himself, but there were a few times where he tried to copy my ideas as well. I left the session knowing some things about RC, but I knew that there was more to him than what meets the eye.
During our next sessions together, I kept asking him different types of questions about his family and/or his class so I could dig a little deeper, but he would avert those questions and focus on the activity we were doing at that time. After a couple meetings together, I started to feel like I was peeling back a layer and learning more about RC and his hobbies and interests. Then the week after spring break, I had my “ah-ha” moment with RC.
I went to the cafeteria and waited for him at the door. He saw me and waved and asked me if I was eating lunch with him that day. When I replied “yes,” he smiled and leaned to his classmate and told him that he was eating lunch with his mentor. This brought a smile to my face. I waited for him and we walked together into the classroom. I asked him a simple question, “How was your spring break?” and he responded with stories about his brothers and his family.
It was the first time in a month and a half that I felt like I got to meet the real RC, and I felt special that he trusted me enough to confide in me. Under the layers of his outgoing personality, there was also a shy little kid yearning to be heard. He wanted someone to listen to him and give him advice on life. I left that session knowing that he finally trusted and respected me. It took a long time for him to open up to me, but I am glad that he trusted me enough to tell me about his home life. There is no doubt in my mind that RC will grow up and be successful. He is a bright little kid that wants to do so much, but he just needs that extra little push to realize his worth.
