Now I know that it has been a LONG time between my blog posts but I got so wrapped up in teaching and sleeping that my time always seemed to be slipping away. Don't get me wrong, I still feel like I have no time, or not enough of it I should say, however the difference is about priorities and doing what makes me happy. Well I love being surrounded by others and being social and having amazing relationships but, unfortunately, many of my loved ones are not with me right now and that is why it makes sense to write this blog. I figure it is a way for people who cannot be here with me to still know what I experience, it's a way for me to share myself with others, and writing about what I see on a daily basis and the emotional rollercoaster that is life in Indianapolis is healthy.
One of the reasons I did not start this sooner was because I honestly didn't know where to begin. How do I start to spill my guts about the important things that are going on in my life without being overly cynical or depressing? Well folks, I now know the answer. This blog will center around the ridiculous comments that my students make which, on the surface, are hilarious and make my life so much more entertaining but if you look deeper these comments reveal a lot about the students and are applicable to life outside the classroom. So that's my story....and I'm sticking to it. Sorry that this post is going to be pretty long but just grin and bear it...
Quote Number 1: "Michael, when we graduate and live together, new rule: no girls over, we cannot be having any babies!" - TF This quote came during a lesson we were doing on the financial reasons to go to college. We laid out all the things you would have as monthly expenses and the kids saw very quickly how money can just disappear...like that! TF's outburst in class was absolutely the icing on the cake because at least the students are realizing some sort of life lesson.
I have had countless conversations with students about their procreation (yes, I did just use that word) habits and the habits of others they know and....let me tell you, it is shocking! If I fell into the "norm" that these kids experience I should have an 8 year-old by now; some of my students' moms are 29! (I am teaching high schoolers btw) I have had students tell me that they were going to miss my class period because they had to go take a pregnancy test or that, at 14 years old, condoms cramp their style and it doesn't matter if they father a child because they could just leave the state. And then there was the cherry on top when I found out one of my girls was pregnant and the reason another one had been missing was because she was out having her baby! WTF!?!
I have never considered myself a role model and I think it is particularly interesting that I ended up teaching a "life skills" class, since I feel like a hot mess most of the time. However, in this respect I think I can serve as an example of someone who does not align with their cultural norm. I am 23 years old, have no children, no fiance/husband, and have not come close to marriage...what is wrong with me? I like the fact that I don't make sense to these students, that I don't fit into how they thought the world operated, and that I might mess with their heads a little bit. Because, honestly, they mess with my world, haha. Any relationship you have in life shouldn't be one-sided and everyone needs to bring something new to the table; something that challenges you, adds to your life, etc. It's nice to know that my new student-teacher relationships are mutually beneficial.
All for now, deuces.....Melanie
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