Blog 3: Rewarding

     The second week was much like the first. We had the same two girls come to the library with us. Two other girls decided to come with us this time. They were a little quieter than the usual two girls. Again, in this session, there were no real introductions or any sort of personal interaction. We were focused on the homework assignment that Mrs. Kanter had given them. One girl was having an especially hard time with these problems. I decided I would focus a lot of my time on her. She was really struggling and becoming frustrated with herself. I tried a couple different ways to teach her and encourage her but nothing seemed to be working. I eventually decided that I would have her go through the problem and tell me what she was doing every step and then I would correct her if she didn’t do it correctly. We went through a couple problems this way and it seemed to help. Once I felt like she knew it, I told her that for the next problems she would have to teach me how to do the next problems. After doing it this way she was getting all of them correct and I could see a big smile on her face. She no longer needed my help and ended up doing really well on the assignment. It was so rewarding for me to see the happiness in her face that she was understanding it, finally.

    Social exchange theory was being practiced here. I was getting something from the girls and so were they. They were learning how to do math and gaining knowledge from it. I was receiving a rewarding experience of being the one that helps them and puts that smile on their face when they finally understand it. This is the reason we are in a relationship, we both get something out of the relationship and from each other. It really is a rewarding experience and great feeling when I help them and I see that light bulb go on in their head.

     For the future I will continue to be encouraging and help the kids. If I continue to help them with their math homework and tests I will continue to get that rewarding feeling. And if I continue to help them learn they will gain the knowledge and get that from me. According to the social exchange theory as long as me and the kids are getting something from each other and from the relationship the relationship will continue. If I did not get so happy and that rewarding feeling I would more than likely not be into helping them or having any sort of relationship with them because it would not be beneficial to me.