Yesterday after school these two 13 year old girls stayed and we talked. Well, first I kept them after because they don't know anything and to be quite honest I have a problem with taking it personally when students don't learn crap, and then I feel like I have to teach them no matter what instead of just letting it go. I'm working on it!
After I showed them how to do their homework, they just stayed and one of them started sharing about her life. Now, these are the lowest achieving 8th graders in the school, and I have three classes of them. I think these are representative of a lot of my students' situations at home.
•She said she might get sent to another school for her poor grades.
•She said that her whole family is stupid. That the only one who graduated...HIGH SCHOOL... was her cousin or aunt.
•She said her dad calls her dumbass "and worse."
•She said her brother doesn't even work anymore, and he tells his mom he is going to school but she thinks he is just taking money to buy pot.
•She said her brother comes home at 5 or 6 in the morning and sleeps on the couch.
•She said her whole family comes from bad blood and indicated the general direction of her future by making a funnel in the air. All going downward.
•She said her dad is from the worst part of Mexico.
•She told me about her grandmother's revolver and how she keeps it in the kitchen (in Mexico).
And on and on...It's too much for me, people! What can one person do? I told her she is going to change her family's bloodline, change the direction of her life. She could be the one to bring them honor. I don't know. It's so ridiculous. I feel very discouraged at this public school.
ps. This whole conversation started when we were talking about what she likes or what she wanted to do. Her answer: nothing. At all. No hair, makup, teaching, kids, nothing. No reading, writing, acting, fashion, nothing. She said her brother is the same way and wanted to kill himself but he is going to go into the army so he has some purpose in his life, and if he dies at least it will be with some meaning...
3 comments:
wow! That would be really discouraging. They are not in Mexico anymore though... and are in a place of great opportunity and she has the opportunity to make a change for herself. That is so sad that she doesn't see that, but I am sure you are a great teacher and do your best to let the kids know this sort of thing. You have always been so positive and encouraging and make people feel good. :o)
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