Everyone is talking about how this generation is so messed up.
The thing is, though, we only ever hear the bad stories.
We never hear of a story going viral about some kid who took out the trash AND put a new liner in the can.
We never hear of a story going viral about a kid who found a dog, checked the tags, and made sure that it got home safely.
We never hear of a story going viral about kid who followed instructions and turned their homework in on time.
There are plenty of great kids out there.
I have a middle-school student who told me that he wrote a book.
It wasn’t an assignment, he just wanted to do it.
He very excitedly told me all about the plot, and he promised that he would upload it for me to read.
I can’t wait!
Another student, only ten years old, knew what a hyperbole was.
And if that wasn’t enough, a few days later, we were discussing idioms such as “the apple of my eye,” and “it’s raining cats and dogs,” and he said, “That’s like a hyperbole, right?”
Yes, you brilliant child, yes, it is.
Another time, we were discussing apostrophes, and I told the kids that it drives me absolutely crazy to see apostrophes in plurals.
You see it all the time, especially in restaurants with handwritten signs.
One girl asked timidly, “So what do we do when we see it?”
“Nothing!” I assured her, “it’s rude to randomly correct people.”
She giggled in relief.
I think that she was afraid that she would have to correct the sign.
Nope.
She can just be proud that she knows how to use an apostrophe correctly.
Mr. Rogers said that during times of crisis, look for the helpers.
To paraphrase Mr. Rogers, after you watch Adolescence, look for the great kids.
Saint Patrick’s Day is over, but I still have it on my mind.
Years ago, on Saint Patrick’s Day, it was Spring Break, and my husband and older son were going on a trip.
We had to drive to the airport for an early morning flight.
The younger son wanted to stay home and sleep.
However, he wasn’t old enough to stay home alone for the length of time I would be gone.
I assured him that he could roll into the car in his pajamas, sleep on the drive, and roll back to bed when we got home.
He complained and complained and complained and complained and complained.
This was unusual, because he was usually a very cheerful and pleasant child.
His griping was getting on everyone’s nerves, and the whole family was cranky and snappish.
As we were driving down the freeway, I turned to the back seat to tell him to pipe down, and to perhaps throw out a few random threats that I probably wouldn’t carry out, when I saw his face.
“Pull over,” I told Bob urgently, “He’s going to be sick.”
“No, he’s not,” Bob snarled back, “He’s just whining.”
Sure enough, just a few minutes later, the kid got carsick.
Violently carsick.
Moms know.
We had to pull over in a gas station to clean up as best as we could.
I didn’t say a word for the rest of the ride.
Neither did the kid, who now felt much better, and had cheerfully stopped his complaining.
However, after we dropped off the other two, I had a few questions for him.
“How many cupcakes did you eat at your Saint Patrick’s Day party at school yesterday?” I asked.
“The teacher said we could each have one,” he replied angelically.
“Yeah, but how many did you sneak after that?”
He looked at me sheepishly.
“How did you know?” he asked meekly.
“Moms know everything,” I told him.
Also, his vomit was green.
We spent that Saint Patrick’s Day steam cleaning the car.
From that point forward, Bob always pulled over when I asked.
For example, with my beginning ESL students, I don’t try to cram the entirety of the English language into that first lesson.
I teach them how to say hello.
By the second class, we can all greet each other.
Success!
With that first accomplishment comes confidence, and with confidence comes success in the next thing, and then the next and then the next.
It’s the opposite of the snowball effect.
The snowball effect is a negative concept.
Something bad happens which creates another bad thing which creates yet another bad thing until the situation snowballs into a complete sh**show.
The opposite of that is when something good happens which creates the confidence to create another good thing which in turn creates another good thing.
Somebody should invent a word for this because it’s a real thing.
It’s how I teach.
One success at a time.
My students LOVE my classes.
And they are growing and developing their skills.
I teach English Language Arts to K-12.
I teach creative writing, ESL, and Public Speaking to adults.
