all I need are minds for molding
by D.O.
As I endure this season of job searching (one of life’s evilest necessities) for a teaching position, a question of the teaching variety has come to my mind on multiple occasions that I thought I’d bring to the odfm table for discussion:
What should I teach the public school, junior high population of [whoever hires me] Independent School District?
I’m not talking about what subject to teach. I already have a pretty good hold on that (Thank you Judy Stringham, 11th Grade Pre-cal, Martin High School). I’m more concerned with the hard to measure life lesson gems that I hope to impart on my students.
So far I’ve been able to come up with three things that, if I can really get into my student’s heads, I will feel as though I’ve succeeded as their teacher.* They sound like this (read in my voice)…
1. Think. Don’t let peers or MTV or Fox News or CNN think for you. Think for yourself. You have a completely able mind. Think!
2. “Cool” is an absolutely man-made, not-real idea. There is no such thing as cool. Magazines, movies and music do not define cool, despite their hardest attempts to convince you otherwise.
3. You have worth, regardless of whether you feel like it or not, whether you hear it all the time or this is the first time in your life to hear it, you have worth.
Having said that, I’m sure there are many other important lessons that middle school kids need embedded into their impressionable minds from all sides — teachers, parents, and coaches alike. That’s where you come in.
Tell me what you think 13 to 15-year-old kids need to be hearing.
Or,
Tell me what you wish you’d learned during your middle school years.
Or,
Tell me what you were taught by a teacher or coach during those critical years that helped you on your journey of discovering yourself.
I really do want to know what you, my wise and faithful readers, think on this matter. Think of it as your opportunity to shape the minds of America’s youth, all by leaving a simple blog comment. And if you write one, and later think of another, come back and share that too. This post isn’t going anywhere. Just look for the cute kids** staring straight into your heart and you’ll know you found the right post.
So seriously, please, think about this and comment so I can reap the benefit of that which I did not sow (your life experiences). I promise it is for the greater good. If I end up writing a best-selling book on my first year as a teacher, I’ll be certain to give credit where credit is due, because really, it’s all for the kids, right?
* I realize that I’m extremely idealistic on this matter, and that reality might find me struggling to make sure my kids pass the TAKS, let alone learn important life lessons, but please let my experiences smash my idealism, don’t take that liberty yourself.
** I won’t be teaching kids this age, but I absolutely adore this photo, so I used it, compliments of Andrew Ryan Shepherd, whose flickr page can be accessed by clicking the photo above, a click you will not regret.
Comments
**Warning, I have the tendency to get on a soap box and stay there for quite awhile when talking about teaching and children.**
First, I don’t care how idealistic it sounds– I love that you are already focusing on the non-curriculum side of teaching– in my opinion, that is the most important.
With that said, I like your first three you started with– all of them would be so beneficial for that genre of kids.
Another thing I think is important to teach them is that they all have gifts and talents and to encourage them to find them, and possibly break the mold in doing so. I would encourage you, as a teacher, to find special, UNIQUE, and specific qualities your individual students posses and capitalize on those. That will give them a sense of ownership of something that is special to them alone. I think it is so important for middle school kids to learn to be individuals and that it is okay and actually a blessing to be different.
Ok, I’ll keep it at that for now I think, I don’t want to overload you with all of my radical thoughts and opinions on teaching that may or may not work considering this will be my first year as well, ha!
Well, first of all I like Megan a lot, kids don’t get enough of that! They don’t understand that they each have different passions because the Lord desires to use them differently. So instead of living out their passion, they hide behind what is popular in an attempt to be accepted. If they are not valued as individuals and encouraged in that God has blessed them with a unique passion, they will live tin doubt and will hide for the rest of their lives.
Secondly, I want my kids to know that I value them and care for them even if they feel like no one else in their lives does. I want them to find safety in my classroom and to be able to confide in myself and their peers in my room…I want them to be able to let down their defenses when they enter my room because they can come as they are. I try to be honest and open with them as well so that they will feel that the environment is real! Ok, does this make sense? Did I answer your question?
Have fun finding out what everyone thinks!
Rachel Reed
hmmm so many things…so little time.
1) You can NOT charm your way through life. You may not face that being a guy teacher or you may have girls try and pull it on you. Beware
2)Your life will continue. (They think “their life is over” everyday.) Teach them to think BIG PICTURE.
3) Try and learn something new everyday. That was probably one of my favorite discussions I had with a 5th grader this year who did really well on all his TAKS stuff and felt like he just didn’t really need to pay attention at the end of the year because he was doing fine. Inspire the “we are always growing, learning, changing philosophy” and that learning is not limited to school and a bad connotation. Personally, I try and learn something new everyday!
and ditto on the thoughts above.
I actually disagree with Ms. Kelly Nall, as much as I love her. I’ve charmed my way through life so far…….granted, it hasn’t worked every time. But it’s gotten me by. I mean, I have a lot of it to dish out.
Seriously though, here are some of the things that helped keep me out of the qualms of jr. high/high school:
1. Learn to laugh, especially at yourself. You’re gonna screw up, and things are gonna happen. Life is easier when you can laugh off what isn’t gonna kill you.
2. Conversely, you have to respect yourself before others will.
3. Don’t get sucked into all the stupid kid drama that jr. high and high school is all about.
4. Don’t just let life happen to you. Life is what you make of it. So go out and live it. (I could go on for a while about this one…..maybe you’ll find it on my blog when I start that up again)
On #3 above – I agree. Drama sucks. Worst part of school life by far.
Also, on telling them that they have worth, I agree. In our culture, life is devalued in a big way, and humans are often appreciated less than dogs. Humans have dignity and we are valuable. However, just don’t let that message turn them into people who live life thinking they’re the center of the universe. Often when we’re told “we have value”, we think “I’m awesome,” when that’s not the case.
I wish I would have known about these things in middle school:
1) Jesus. Yeah…I know your classroom is not a pulpit. And you shouldn’t treat it like that. But I tell you what, if the Lord presents opportunities for you to talk about Jesus, do it. They need more than life advice. They need a Savior.
2) Be humble. Pride is ugly. This may be the hardest message to get across to that age. I don’t remember anyone that was humble in middle school.
3) Get over yourself. Maybe the coming generation can be different than our’s in that they won’t all be lookin’ out for #1. (But again: I contend none of the good things we want for people truly happen apart from Jesus…)
Everything in life doesn’t suck!
Choose to think of the positive instead of focusing on all the negative.
Probably my greatest struggle in junior high was my constant state of negativity.
This thread is a few weeks old, so I’m not sure anyone is still paying attention. I stumbled over here after reading d.o.’s comment on a recent Ross King posting.
Anyway, something I would tell a middle school kid is to make sure to connect with an adult at school. I realize this requires a competent adult teacher/mentor type to be around, but I believe they are there in any school system. These don’t have to be classroom teachers, they could be counselors, administration folks, custodian, coach, whoever.
While often these mentors will sense a connection and may try to get to know you better, you should be on the lookout and be proactive about it. While I agree with most everything written here so far, some of them are of the genre of Nancy Reagan’s “just say no” campaign. Well meaning, but not really useful without a whole lot help from others, particularly adults. (For example: staying out of the stupid kid drama. A great goal, for sure, but one that needs a lot of support and guidance to accomplish.)
I don’t have any words of wisdom… but I loved your three things. I am sooo telling those things to my kids tomorrow. I think those are WONDERFUL things that kids can’t possibly hear too much! so preach on, my friend… you r what “cool” is all about!
Take Care,
Christy