Monday, October 02, 2006
2:57 PM
I am not sure what was with my high school students today. Normally, they are pretty good and we can have conversations and they can keep working, but not today. The first hour wasn’t so bad, but the second. I had a girl ask me about a job interview today. I tried to give her some constructive advice about what to where and how to act, and that turned into a philosophical discussion about stereotypes and racism. No matter what I said, I kept digging myself in deeper to this conversation. I now have a student who thinks I am arrogant because I don’t shop at Hot Topic. From there I tried to explain that I don’t shop there because I don’t wear those types of clothes, or have a need for body jewelry – which is a bit of a lie, since I do have my tongue pierced. And that unfortunately everyone whether or not they want to admit it, will judge someone based on any number of factors, and are likely to change their behavior or actions because of those judgments, i.e. locking your car doors when you cross “that” intersection. Needless to say, no one got anything accomplished and I am exhausted from trying to defend myself and explain the rules of society to them. I don’t think they got it, hopefully though at some point they will. Cross your fingers!
