Teenagers...

The truth is a lot of the time 9th graders (or teenagers in general) get a bad wrap. They get accused of being gross, of being dirty, or rude. I understand that there are teenagers who fit that mold; BUT there are also adults who not only fill that mold but also exceed it.

I confess... I like teenagers. I prefer most the 9th graders that I teach. Partially because I am biased towards my babies and partially because once they hit sophomore year they feel more entitled and act "harder" and thus begin to annoy me. Nevertheless, I think they are amazing people.  I know that people will find this shocking. I am in amazement of how they can shift focus, attitude, emotions, and intelligence in 5 seconds flat. I find it intriguing.

Some days the emotional turmoil in my room is so strong you can almost smell it. To me it is the most raw and unedited version of psychology. Yes, I understand that officially the rules of  basic psychology do not apply to teenagers as their frontal lobes of their brains are not fully formed until nearish the end of "teen" years. However, my personal theory is that since the are soo near adulthood and are already beginning to grow, shape, and change into the adults that they will eventually be some of the emotions etc. are already in their but bob around like apples in water. They are so raw with emotion that at times it is a warzone both metaphorically and literally. I my empathy is sometimes in overdrive as I observe them that I have to walk away and catch my breath.

Some days wisdom is a rollercoaster. One minute a student will be describing how he/she thinks that the world could end world hunger, the next second someone ( or even the same student) will make a  fart joke, then ten minutes goes by and  I will have been asked about everything under the sun...from why your pee smells weird after you eat asparagus, to why is Zeus the head of the Greek gods and goddess, to why is the sky blue, to why do both sexes have nipples if only girls get boobs... I never know what genius or simplicity will come out of their mouths. I have previously wondered a lot of the things they ask me, so I am not phased by much anymore. Once and a while one child will ask me something odd.. not often and even more rarely I have students who will ask me things that I have never contemplated. I ask my best friend Google  or any of the brilliant people I have in my life. :)

I grow more understanding of relationships and interpersonal skills the more years that I teach. I have been a teacher for 7 years and in education for the last 10 yrs. I have learned a lot of things about how words can have more power than I ever realized. I learned how not saying words also have power. I learned how a misquote or misunderstanding can really get blown out of proportion.

 I thought I had learned about communication in college, being an adult, being previously married, but nope. I really learned about people and communication through people who are often and at it. For all the things they do right and all the things they do wrong I learn. I love teaching. I love that I learn so much about humanity and all the human condition. I love that I learn from them. It really is true about teaching, I learn from them as much as I hope they learn from me.

And that simple fact makes me love my job, love my kiddos, and learn every day about life.
Teenagers aren't bad, they are just the most edited and raw versions of humanity. Every aspect. Teaching them is like going back to getting my humanities degree, except this time, it's hands on and the homework is emotional.