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I once had a neighbor who was about 8 years old. She would come over and swim with us most days during the summer, and we could watch her because her dad was single and was very ill. One day, when she was chattering away about something- she suddenly said, “You know, my dad really doesn’t like white people, but y’all are pretty cool!”
Did that change the way that I saw her? Absolutely not!
Did it change the way that I felt about her dad? Nope.
My family got to teach our neighbor that people are not the typical stereotypes one might expect from someone of a particular race. We are all people, stronger when we are united.
It really is that simple.
I value the life experiences that my students bring to the classroom, and there are totally things that I can learn from my students regarding diversity.
I remind myself that little kids often don’t see the things that divide us like race. They don’t view it with the same weight that older children and adults do. They are accepting and kind.

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Here are a few cards from students that I met in field this semester! This photograph represents all of the many ways that literacy is incorporated into my life.
I am frequently reading lessons for either school, working at the church, or teaching ballet. Bausch's theory of every day literacy applies to any of these examples. There is reading and writing sprinkled all throughout my day, from facebook and instagram, to my work emails- but this is the cutest!

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I am a daughter.
I am a granddaughter.
I am a sister.
I am a nurturer.
I am silly and kind.
I am a dancer, reader, and art lover.
I am stubborn sometimes, and I am always patient. I try to make peace, and I believe that people are made in the image of God.
I am always ready for an adventure.
I am thankful.

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I will periodically share my love of kid's literature with my family by grabbing a book at the store and displaying it. I think that Children's literature has the best artwork!

Also, I enjoy watching TV with the subtitles on- not sure if that counts as a literacy activity. Maybe I just have trouble hearing!

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Planning for ballet classes

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I am privileged to come from a two parent family, and they have both worked very hard to make sure that my brother and I had more than we could ever need!
They were also very hands on and present parents, which effects the way that I relate to kids, and therefore, my students.
I am white, female, and was born an American citizen.

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I believe that following Jesus is the fullest life that anyone could ever live. I have seen and experienced His love, acceptance, and peace. I believe that He is equally loving and equally just. I believe that ALL people are made in the image of God, and that God’s heart breaks when ours does. This changes how I live, and how I see the world.

(Photo from Generation Salaam, 2018. A fun summer camp experience with refugee families in Clarkston, GA.)

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I was really so fortunate to live with both parents under one roof as a child. They didn't make a lot of money, but they made sure that we had everything that my brother and I needed. Coming from this background could make it difficult for me to relate to my students who haven't had the same experience that I have. I can only hope that I am kind, compassionate, and understanding to my students, no matter what their family or home life has looked like.

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I am super patient...Most of the time! I try to treat other people in the way that I'd like them to treat me. I also like that I am a peacemaker (Enneagram 9!), and I think this will serve my students well in the classroom.

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An eye-opening cross cultural experience + My beliefs: 

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An eye-opening cross cultural experience + My beliefs: 

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In 2018 and 2019, I went to Cambodia to meet some really special kids and leaders that my church’s children support. Wow.

It is incredibly humbling and sobering to watch HIV+ children who have been cast out of their city, worship and smile so joyfully. When I say that these kids have nothing but the clothes on their backs, and Jesus, I absolutely mean it.

Through the Lydia Project, they are given enough rice (and oil, basic food needs) for their family for the month. Then, they bring back 10% to give back, so they can ensure that those less fortunate than they are can eat.

“...He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God.” James 2:5 MSG

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Discomfort or fear:
I started training in classical ballet as a very young child, and I have been teaching ballet for ages 3-14 for 10 years. As a child, we were expected to behave professionally and be very mature for our age. It was almost like having a job at 8 years old! I think this aspect of my experience can make me think that kids are ready for more responsibility than they might actually be. I don't want to put too much pressure on my students to succeed, but I want to push them to succeed. I will need to find a balance of this in my classroom in the future.

It is also quite a task to be the calming presence in the room to a bunch of students. As teachers, we need to be the grounding, steady adult in the room. I hope that I accomplish this, as I’ve had the opportunity to practice this in field.

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I am incredibly stubborn. I think I get this from my mom, or maybe my grandpa. Once I decide that I’ll do something a certain way, I WILL DO IT THAT WAY. This is something that I’ve had to work on as I’ve grown as a person. I’ve had to prioritize which things that I really want to stand for, and which things that I don’t.

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(this is also a privilege) I was read to almost every day as a child. My very earliest memories of literacy were of my parents reading to my brother and me. They also taught me to read quite early. I could read at a sixth grade level in 1st grade.

This experience highlights to me the importance of one on one instruction with students. While it’s not always possible, whenever I can I need to be pulling small groups and giving the students as individualized an experience as I can.

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I believe that happiness is a decision, and that your circumstances don’t don’t dictate your joy.
This will serve me well in the classroom, because I will be able to share that joy with my students.

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Silly! I got my sense of humor from my dad. He has a really dry sense of humor, and doesn’t laugh out loud very often. One of my favorite things to do is to make him really laugh uncontrollably!

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My Name Story

When, as a child, I asked my parents how I got my name, they laughed! Their plan was to name me Lauren Elizabeth Kelly. However, as my mom will animatedly act out- a hospital employee chased my parents out of the front door waving my birth certificate over her head. “I have to have a name for her birth certificate!” the woman told my parents.

They decided in that moment that I looked more like a “Mary Catherine”.

As a little girl, I didn’t like my name. It was a bit of a mouthful. I wanted to be called something trendy like Brittany or Kayla. As I grew up, I began to notice that not everyone had a double name, and that made me feel special. As a precocious three year old, I would introduce myself as “Mary Caffrine-with a C.” There is a big difference in Mary Katherine with a K, and Mary Catherine with a C. Mary Katherine might become Mary Kate. Mary is never acceptable,  I’m legally stuck with it. But Mary Catherine with a C seems timeless and elegant to me.

Mary Catherine turns into “Miss Mary Catherine” with my little army of students, and the smallest ones give me new names. “Miss Cary Maffrin”, “Miss Mary Catholic”, and “Miss Mary Poppins” are my favorites. My elementary school students call me Ms. Kelly, which has taken some getting used to, and sometimes has turned into Ms. Kettle or something equally crazy! In Cambodia, I met many sweet people for whom saying Mary Catherine was a mouthful. They called me “MC”, and with their beautiful accent it became “Umcee”. Many of my friends overseas, and those I traveled with call me MC Sunshine.

“MC” is wonderful, but only for my very dear friends and family. If “MC” comes from the wrong person, it sounds intrusive and jarring. But from the right people, “Hey, MC!” is the best sound!