A lot of people ask me why I choose to teach high school. It's simple, really. I love where teenagers are in their lives. They are so influencial, hanging in the balance between childhood and adulthood. The days that make me smile the most are the days when I've gotten to have a conversation about 'life' with at least one student.
What I have finally realized is that field trips are the PERFECT opportunity for this type of bonding - for quality time.
Last week I took about 18 students on a charter bus down to Houston. On the way back, there was a bit of discontent between two of my students. The student who had claimed the very back seat on the way
down to Houston was very upset that another student had taken the prized seat for the return trip home. Neither student seemed prepared to back down, so in an avoidance maneuver, I took the prized seat as my own (despite the fact that I get super nauseous at the back of the bus).
As the bus took off from Houston, I beckoned to Mary, two seats in front of me, "Mary, it's time for our heart-to-heart chat." It turned into a two and a half hour exchange that I will cherish for a long time, especially over the next 4 years as she makes her way through high school.
Mary is one of my freshman students. I remember her from the beginning being one of my more challenging students because she always seemed so unhappy to be in my class. She seemed to put so little energy into her work. She'd roll her eyes, "Ms. Schroeder, this is boring."
Through the first project, I saw a change in her attitude as she got more and more comfortable with the class, with me, and with the project. I saw that she had a tremendous gift and was a hard worker (working more diligently than the upperclassmen in the class).
I mostly wanted to talk to Mary about the trouble she had gotten into in middle school last year, but I could sense that she was reluctant to talk about it on the bus - not so much because she didn't want me to know about it, but because she didn't want her cousin and other friends listening in on the conversation.
Instead, our conversation turned to her strong desire to be on the cheerleading squad next year. Little did I know that this young lady had such a passion for cheerleading!!!
As our conversation continued, she told me how she really does enjoy my class because she has fun. I laughed and reminded her how much she seemed to hate the class in the beginning, "but you've really turned into one of the leaders of the class. You work so hard and you produce
good work." A humble grin washed across her face. She then admitted that she often tells herself that she can't do something, but then she'll try it anyway. I probed a little more to find out why this might be the case. She admitted that she's scared of failing. Ah, yes. So I applauded her for always being willing to take the risk, and for being wise enough to recognize this fear.
I took the opportunity to share a bit of my own story with her. I told her how I never believed myself to be as smart as everyone else thought I was or as smart as my grades reflected. I shared with her how I was constantly fearful that someone (like my boss) was going to eventually find out that I was a fraud, not intelligent at all. Luckily, over the last 4 years, I have finally been able to acknowledge that I am indeed very gifted.
So I applauded her for always being willing to take the risk of failure and re-emphasized how proud of her I am. I told her that next year I want to seek out more students like herself at the 8th-grade level, students who are in the advanced math classes and who can be leaders in our school and in my engineering program. When I told her of my plan to go visit the Algebra classes at her old middle school and the other feeder middle school, she pleaded, "Oh, Ms. Schroeder, I want to go. Mr. Green would be so proud of me and would love see that I'm doing well."
The conversation continued to flow, oftentimes with other students poking their heads up from their seats (they all wanted to be part of the conversation, too, you see). Secretly I was so happy for the opportunity to sit at the back of the bus, among my students, rather than at the front of the bus, with the 'adults'. At one point, one girl said, "Ms. Schroeder, you know why people think you're a cool teacher? Because we know you don't do it for the money. You could still be an engineer if you wanted to." Another (from 8th period) asked,"Ms. Schroeder, are we really your worst class?" With a huge grin, I responded, "I didn't say 'worst' class; but yes, you are my most
challenging class."
I made such a wonderful connection with a handful of students on the bus that day, especially with Mary. I look forward to more field trips and any other opportunities for 'quality time', time that will allow me to be more than a 'teacher', but a true friend and mentor. Afterall, this is why I believe God called me to be a 'teacher'.
