I've written before about the blatant honesty of middle school students. A student's words can cut to the bone and soothe the soul and incite absolute ill-will, and sometimes all three of those feelings in one class period. It's been fascinating to listen to the things they have to say.
Take, for example, a young student of mine by the name of G. He's good-natured, slightly naive, and overall of excellent character.
One day he comes up to me. Without wasting energy on pleasantries, he starts talking, and what follows is pure material–honest, hilarious, heartfelt:
"You're pretty buff...for a man," he said.
I stifled a laugh. He continued his musings.
"Mister, have you heard...me and [female student]."
His eyebrows danced up and down his forehead.
"Yeah? Are you two dating?" I asked.
"You could say that," he said, pausing dramatically before delivering his next words. "She's given me a couple notes."
In a Herculean effort, I suppressed another laugh. Then he continued.
"You know that feeling...when you have lots in common with someone, but you just can't find out how to say it?"
This conversation, both hilarity and eloquence, sparked an idea that amazingly took many months for my mind to conceive. That idea is to interview students. As many as I can. One-on-one. Preferably after school, when the melee of the day has passed.
So that's what I'm starting with this article. I asked G. if he'd be my first subject. He responsibly took home the permission slip, got it signed, and came in after school for the following interview. It is, as I had hoped, insightful to hear this child's voice above the din of distraction.
M: Where did you go to school before now?
G: [Another school in Hartford]
M: Which school do you like better?
G: I’m guessing I like this one.
M: Why?
G: Because the teachers here are more…more smart. Yeah. They treat you like real adults. And they help you with all the questions, projects, and questions that you need to know.
M: They weren’t like that at your other school?
G: No. it was horrible. All the kids would run around the classrooms. Wouldn’t listen. The teacher would walk out the classroom, take a breather, and come back in the classroom and try to teach.
M: When the teacher left the classroom, what were you thinking?
G: I was thinking they were being too hard on him. And that he would quit.
M: Did you like this teacher?
G: Yes. Yes I did. He was active. He was funny at the same time. He would always help, but children wouldn’t, you know, let him speak.
So then he would give you his breakfast because you didn’t have any. When you’re feeling down, he’ll come up to you and see what’s wrong and see how you’re doing.
M: When the kids were talking a lot, how did that make you feel toward the students who were talking?
G: It made me feel bad. We couldn’t get through nothing. He would yell, but it wouldn’t work.
M: Did you ever try to tell the kids to stop talking?
G: Yeah, but they wouldn’t listen.
M: Do you think that teacher quit?
G: I think so, yeah, because he left for a long time and we only had substitutes.
M: Did he ever come back?
G: Nope, not really. Principal said he was taking a vacation.
M: Do you remember how long he was out?
G: For like two months.
...
M: What do you do outside of school?
G: I go home. Do all my chores. Do what I have to do. Play with my baby brother. Watch a movie with him. Mess around with him. Make him laugh. And after all that’s done I go to bed and wait for the next day to come and start all over.
M: How are you and [his note-writing girlfriend]?
G: We broke up today.
M: How does that make you feel?
G: It makes me feel…not right…cause all the girls that I have dated, I was spending a short time with them, and then they would just leave.
M: Do you think you loved [her]?
G: Yeah.
M: How do you know?
G: We had the same things in common. But sometimes I would get in this different way…to go against her, but then I acted in some certain mood in different classes. With her. And sometimes she would tell me she’s mad at me. She would laugh and get mad, mostly.
M: Do you know why?
G: No.
M: Girls and guys are different.
G: It’s true.
M: What do you want to do when you graduate high school?
G: Proabably be in the US Army. And all the money I get I would give to my family. To help with bills, funds. Sometimes for something they would want to buy.
M: Why would you give it to them?
G: It’s something that I really love. My family is like…sometimes they could get a little off, but I wouldn’t stay mad at them. Sometimes I just forget about it and keep going. And I would always tell them, when they’re down, I will always be there for them.
Take, for example, a young student of mine by the name of G. He's good-natured, slightly naive, and overall of excellent character.
One day he comes up to me. Without wasting energy on pleasantries, he starts talking, and what follows is pure material–honest, hilarious, heartfelt:
"You're pretty buff...for a man," he said.
I stifled a laugh. He continued his musings.
"Mister, have you heard...me and [female student]."
His eyebrows danced up and down his forehead.
"Yeah? Are you two dating?" I asked.
"You could say that," he said, pausing dramatically before delivering his next words. "She's given me a couple notes."
In a Herculean effort, I suppressed another laugh. Then he continued.
"You know that feeling...when you have lots in common with someone, but you just can't find out how to say it?"
This conversation, both hilarity and eloquence, sparked an idea that amazingly took many months for my mind to conceive. That idea is to interview students. As many as I can. One-on-one. Preferably after school, when the melee of the day has passed.
So that's what I'm starting with this article. I asked G. if he'd be my first subject. He responsibly took home the permission slip, got it signed, and came in after school for the following interview. It is, as I had hoped, insightful to hear this child's voice above the din of distraction.
M: Where did you go to school before now?
G: [Another school in Hartford]
M: Which school do you like better?
G: I’m guessing I like this one.
M: Why?
G: Because the teachers here are more…more smart. Yeah. They treat you like real adults. And they help you with all the questions, projects, and questions that you need to know.
M: They weren’t like that at your other school?
G: No. it was horrible. All the kids would run around the classrooms. Wouldn’t listen. The teacher would walk out the classroom, take a breather, and come back in the classroom and try to teach.
M: When the teacher left the classroom, what were you thinking?
G: I was thinking they were being too hard on him. And that he would quit.
M: Did you like this teacher?
G: Yes. Yes I did. He was active. He was funny at the same time. He would always help, but children wouldn’t, you know, let him speak.
So then he would give you his breakfast because you didn’t have any. When you’re feeling down, he’ll come up to you and see what’s wrong and see how you’re doing.
M: When the kids were talking a lot, how did that make you feel toward the students who were talking?
G: It made me feel bad. We couldn’t get through nothing. He would yell, but it wouldn’t work.
M: Did you ever try to tell the kids to stop talking?
G: Yeah, but they wouldn’t listen.
M: Do you think that teacher quit?
G: I think so, yeah, because he left for a long time and we only had substitutes.
M: Did he ever come back?
G: Nope, not really. Principal said he was taking a vacation.
M: Do you remember how long he was out?
G: For like two months.
...
M: What do you do outside of school?
G: I go home. Do all my chores. Do what I have to do. Play with my baby brother. Watch a movie with him. Mess around with him. Make him laugh. And after all that’s done I go to bed and wait for the next day to come and start all over.
M: How are you and [his note-writing girlfriend]?
G: We broke up today.
M: How does that make you feel?
G: It makes me feel…not right…cause all the girls that I have dated, I was spending a short time with them, and then they would just leave.
M: Do you think you loved [her]?
G: Yeah.
M: How do you know?
G: We had the same things in common. But sometimes I would get in this different way…to go against her, but then I acted in some certain mood in different classes. With her. And sometimes she would tell me she’s mad at me. She would laugh and get mad, mostly.
M: Do you know why?
G: No.
M: Girls and guys are different.
G: It’s true.
M: What do you want to do when you graduate high school?
G: Proabably be in the US Army. And all the money I get I would give to my family. To help with bills, funds. Sometimes for something they would want to buy.
M: Why would you give it to them?
G: It’s something that I really love. My family is like…sometimes they could get a little off, but I wouldn’t stay mad at them. Sometimes I just forget about it and keep going. And I would always tell them, when they’re down, I will always be there for them.