This morning a student comes to school late without her book, homework, and other materials necessary to learn. She is greeted by campus security that yells at her about being late and make jokes about how she should go home since she didn't bother to come to school with materials.
Jessica then enters the classroom where she needs to sign the tardy sheet and is then given a detention slip by her teacher. Jessica sits in her chair with an attitude as the teacher does his lesson.
"So nice for you to join us today Jessica. Too busy trying to find the right outfit to get to class on time?" The teacher says playfully as he finally get some laughs from the class.
"It looks like your ass need to be late sometime Mister so we don't have to keep looking at your dingy sweat stained shirt that you wear every damn day." Jessica snaps back at the teacher and gets even more laughs.
"Get out of my classroom and don't come back until your parents have a conference with me!!!"
Jessica storms out of his classroom and into my classroom. She tells me everything that happened this morning. I asked a question that no one else asked Jessica.
"What happened Jessica that made you late?"
You will be surprise what we as adults can get from teenagers if we just ask them a question sincerely. I learned 3 things about Jessica's life.
1. Her father is a drunk and had fought her mother last night.
2. Jessica slept in the car all night with her mom b/c they were afriad to go back in the house.
3. Jessica mom made her wait until the father left for work before she could get ready for school.
Moral of the story: You never know what someone is going through. I'm not excusing Jessica's disrespectful behavior but the adults in this story were not without fault either. Before any teenager is going to listen to you, you must take the time to listen to them. If you listen, you just might make a connection, and learn the "Why" behind the "What" a teenager does.
I'm Shira Dillon, a high school teacher in Los Angeles, CA
Like my FB page www.facebook.com/ParentsTeacherandTeens to unite with me to help public education become a better institution of learning. Our children need it!
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Excellent point, something we all should consider...
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