After reading and pondering the debate about teens lacking adult reasoning capacity, yet being held to adult consequences, what do you think this means for you as a teacher?
I think one of my jobs as a high school teacher will be to model appropriate behavior and show them how to make good decisions. I want to be a role model, but also someone they can ask advice from. My 9th grade English teacher was such a mentor for me. The literature is packed with good lessons for teens as well. Romeo and Juliet died horribly because they didn't take even a few hours to ponder the wisdom of their impulses. I want to use the stories we talk about to start important conversations about real life. I want their journals to be places where they can work through thorny issues and complicated questions. I want them to think, and to understand that their first thought might not be the best one, especially when the consequences of their choices will affect their entire lives.
How wonderful to have a teacher to look back on and remember as a strong role model. It is neat that it was a high school teacher, I'm sure that was helpful during your teens :o)
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