Full speed into week 3

I've now worked ten full days at AIM, most of them with the AIM Academy. If I were a participant, I'd be done and have my certificate of completion!

The difference between my first couple of days and my last few is astonishing. At first, I felt like I was either drowning beneath everything I didn't know, didn't know how to do, or was afraid of, and I felt just about useless to the organization. In retrospect, I shouldn't have expected to be their most valuable asset on my first day.

I'm still doing a lot of observing, though I'm starting to pitch in a bit with the academy. Nothing major yet, but I've been trying to sense the group dynamic and help to shift things productively. I'm not sure what skill set you'd say I'm using... diplomacy? Teaching? But I've been feeling good about it.

I'm sitting down with someone - either the director, Joann, who's officially considered my mentor; or Amy, the facilities coordinator, who has been sort of my de facto mentor and has more time to meet with me - to more officially figure out my long-term schedule and responsibilities some time this week. I've been offered a chance to start facilitating the academy (not by the actual facilitator, but by her boss). I'm a little scared at the prospect, but I'm also excited. It's certainly something I'd instinctively try to avoid, but I'm making a point to dive as deep into this stuff as I can this summer, so I say bring on the responsibility and I'll just find out whether I sink or swim. Teaching is never something I saw myself doing in any respect, but this stuff does interest me. The thing I really need to work on is two sided: I need to make sure I know how to control a group, especially with these kids, and I also need a little patience for when the environment isn't exactly a stone-silent lecture hall. I definitely can't get angry or aggressive with someone whose go-to solution is to beat someone up.

I also want to take a look at their mentor manuals and such... I haven't really gotten a taste of any of their training yet.