American Life episode (Middle School)

             I found the American Life episode to be very interesting. It showed a variety of different perspectives from students of different ages and backgrounds to the teachers who watch these students interact on a day to day basis. This episode gives a very accurate description of just how challenging it can be to fit in and be accepted in middle school. Hearing these stories was a bit nostalgic. I couldn’t help but remember my experience in middle school and just how challenging it was to fit in let alone not be judged for thinking differently than others.

              They start the show with a girl who talks about how judgmental middle school students can be but even though she is worried about what people think of her, she also understands that children at this age don’t yet know who they are; so their judgments are just a way of dealing with the transition from childhood to adulthood. I thought this girl was very intelligent to come to a conclusion about why middle school students act the way that they do. She goes on to say how the smallest thing like wearing a new sweater to school can be filled with anxiety because it will only take one kid who doesn’t like it; for her to get made fun of. The episode also talks about awkward school dances, the struggle immigrant families go through trying to fit into a new society and just how difficult it was for a sixth grade student to move to another school. What I found most useful was the story about the seventh grade student who came from a troubled home life.

              The seventh grade boy comes into school angry every day; he generalizes about the world and people around him talking about how terrible everyone and everything is. This boy comes in everyday without a shower, with dirty clothes with holes in them; sometimes he hasn’t even eaten breakfast. It’s sad to hear about this child whose life is already challenging, but on top of that he has to deal with the pressures of middle school. He was constantly made fun of; children would call him dirty among other things. He would get angry and start screaming at his classmates; it’s understandable that he didn’t know how to deal with all that was going on. His teacher notices this and tries to help him. A girl in her class who is normally a good student gets into an argument with the boy one day and ends up saying hurtful things to him. The teacher talks to the girl after class and because she trusts this student she tells her that the boy has it really hard at home his power is now out and he was up all night taking care of his grandmother. The student then feels empathy for the boy and her and some other girls talk to the boy and try to get him to open up without lashing out.

             I thought this was a great thing that the teacher did. Even though she was hesitant to tell a student about his background, she apparently told the right one. It made the girl understand just what the boy had to go through each and every day. After his peers talked to him; he didn’t have as much of a problem in class. When he had a problem he would say calmly why he was angry and the other students would help him work through it. This shows how positive influence from peers can make a big impact in a child’s life. This topic of encouraging your students to have empathy for others and understand different viewpoints was discussed in various articles we read about the middle school learner, and it was also brought up in our video chat with Amber Ward.