As part of the #edublogclub year-long challenge to blog on education, this week I’m combining two prompts into one on interviewing and something that you wouldn’t see in a classroom today that used to be learned or used. 

I regularly blog for our local newspaper’s Books Blog contributing with other locals on what else… books! Two years ago, I wrote a June post entitled I’m the lucky one around five seniors graduating who I hold dear to my heart. One of those seniors I have kept in touch with regularly and decided to ask her a few questions about her high school experience and life post-graduation.

What were your expectations for high school and were they met?

I don’t think anything has wasted my time as much as high school did. I guess what I really expected out of high school was that it would really prepare me for the “real world” or for college at least. But it didn’t do that. It just genuinely was complete nonsense. It wasn’t reality and I’m glad I realized that early on unlike my peers who were really consumed in all that rubbish. My expectations weren’t met until it was finally over. Because I was happy it was over because high school just wasn’t for me.

Are you where you thought you’d be after graduation?

It’s been two years since I’ve graduated, and although it has seemed like time has flown by. I think I need more time to be where I really want to be. I think I settled for too much after graduation and now I just need to figure out where I really want to be.

What goals do you have for your future? 

I have many goals for my future. I plan I being a Radiologist at some point in my life so that if my current goal that I’m working on. But I don’t want to settle on one thing so another main goal for after I get my life started as a radiologist is to learn photographer and just photograph people from all over the world.

How did the adults in school have an impact (or not) during high school?

Personally, every adult in this school has had an impact on me whether it being negatively or positively. But one adult who’s impact really has stuck with me forever is Ms. Lawyer. She really impacted me in a positive way. Her devotion and passion was really inspiring. She was really there for me when I struggled the most around my sophomore. She just made me feel like there was someone who genuinely cares and who will listen to whatever I had to say. I really felt heard.

What is one thing you wish educators would know or learn when teaching youth? 

One thing that I think educators should learn when it comes to teaching the youth is to actively listen to some of the things students have to say, I guess it shows that someone actually cares to listen. I’ve seen teachers really shut students down and that makes me upset to see that. I just think that really listening to a students feedback makes a difference and makes class less miserable.

*****

What she speaks to several times over leads me to respond to the second prompt around what used to be used or learned in schools that might be missing today. I could talk about filmstrips or the pro/cons of teaching cursive in elementary schools, but I’d rather address teaching the whole child. What my former student refers to about the connection with Ms. Lawyer is an emphasis that she was listened to, not “put in her place”. There are still teachers and certainly not all, who would rather sit and spit, getting through their lesson for the sake of sanity and the upcoming state test than stop and talk about a topic affecting a student emotionally or greeting the class with a smile and a handshake.

Every educator needs to be reminded that it’s not always about being right, it’s about people-building. I am guilty of letting frustration or anger getting the better of me, but upon reflection, I try to rectify that directly. That’s more of a lesson than ignoring it could ever be. Let’s remind our colleagues and ourselves that we need to continue to remember that these little or big bodies (at 5’1″, many high school students tower over me!) are as much in need of kindness as ourselves and that everything is a learning opportunity to grow ourselves.