Little Rebels without a Cause

I never wanted to be a teacher. Ever.

But beginning in graduate school, I kept finding myself in front of a classroom. So I convinced myself that dealing with adults would be okay, but not children.

Kids scared me! I just didn’t know how to talk to them. All their weird questions and sensitive needs made me very nervous.

However, I took another leap of faith into the unknown and accepted positions in some private schools.

Most recently, I worked with K – 5 in an after school program. The youngest group I’d worked with so far.

And I still don’t understand them! And what I mean is, I don’t understand kids who fight and rebel against people who are good to them. Fair. And, yes really care.

Some of these kids would fight against the dumbest things. Like sitting in a chair, at a table, long enough to take roll. It would only take 5 minutes. Afterwards, they were free to roam, play, and enjoy a snack. It took weeks to finally make it happen.

I would also tell them they could hang out anywhere in the room, except by the door. They fought that everyday.

I understand the desire to rebel against unreasonable, even mean teachers. But good teachers? The ones who were kind and fair are the ones I respected the most.

The little rebels today make no sense to me. If nothing is wrong, they try to manufacture something.

(There’s enough real problems that naturally surface.)

But, hey, it wasn’t all negative. The little rebels could be sweet and funny at times. Even helpful.

And I understand peer pressure is still alive and well. Even in adulthood.

God bless all you good teachers out there.

As for me and my house, kids are free to rebel. But have a cause, will ya?