Listen to Your Hormones
20 Jun
Teenagers scare the living shit out of most people, but I am not most people. I love teenagers. As a middle school disciplinarian, I know I often repine about being “stuck in the middle,” but I would not have it any other way. I started my career as an educator by teaching freshman and sophomore English in Louisiana. When I moved to Nevada, the first and only job I could get was in an inner city middle school. I needed to get my foot in the district’s door, so I accepted and proceeded with extreme caution. I found out that I love the “hormones with feet” mentality of middle school life both as a teacher of eighth grade English and now as an administrator. Besides, someone has to love them, and it might as well be me!
Newsflash, naysayers: teenagers are people too. I have learned as much from then as they have from me. Despite what my friends, family, and readers think, I do not choose to continue to work in a middle school because I am glutton for punishment. I make a difference in the lives of the hormonally-enhanced, and they make a contribution to my personal growth as well.
The truth is teenagers educate adults. They make us want to be better people and stronger role models day in and day out. In my most Fulghumesque way, I give you lessons I have learned from working with teenagers.
- Listen more; talk less.
- Sweat the small stuff.
- Change is good.
- Respect is a two-way street.
- Strike a pose.
- Laugh until it hurts.
- Dance like no one is watching.
- Question authority.
- Be sarcastic ~ everyone loves a smart ass.
- Drama, lies, and tears are a facade.
- Clean is the sign of a wasted life.
- Whatever, duh, like, and ohmygod are acceptable interjections.
- Stand up or fight for a good cause.
- Just do it.
- An attitude is a terrible thing to waste.
Katherine Graham said, “To love what you do and feel that it matters — how could anything be more fun?” In my best teen-speak, that would be: “Do what you love. Fuck all the rest.” Some people subscribe to the idea, or the philosophy, that there is no need to teach those who know it all already, but I have “promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.” Join me. Make a difference in the life of a teenager. It is not as scary as you think.
This post was written for the BlogBlast for Education. Please visit April at It’s All About Balance to learn more and find more participants. Thank you, CableGirl, for encouraging me to “listen to my hormones.”
I think teenagers are some of the greatest human beings on the planet. For all the reasons you’ve expressed — and then some. They make me think. They make me feel that I’m still sorta kinda maybe cool — well, the ones I know well do, anyway. And they are a reminder of the idealistic, anything-is-possible bright young thing I used to be — and want to find again.
Great post. I knew you were cool. This confirms it.
I remember that my biggest complaint about adults when I was a teenager was that they didn’t remember what it was like to be young…. but they thought they did.
That is something that I remind myself about constantly. It is vitally important to take what teens (and younger kids) say seriously. They’ve got a tap into a side of culture that most adults don’t see and if they do, don’t recognize.
Awesome post!
So much to say. First, regarding your comment about hearing from an “evil” administrator. BlogBlast for Education was born because of the fact that my daughter’s middle school Principal is leaving the school and what concerns that brings on. He’s an amazing person that’s worked wonders, so I can attest to the fact that administrators do not have to be evil
Also, your link isn’t working – there’s a comma instead of a period and I’m too HTML-stupid to know how to fix it, so please re-link.
I do believe, and I saw a study that proves, that middle school is where we make or break students. You have taken on an incredibly worthy task and I’m so glad! You are literally changing people’s lives, and I thank you for that.
So glad you found the BlogBlast for Education! Thank you for participating!
This post is very fun for me. You are tapping into your…. joy and passion for the work itself. YES! Good for you for reaching past all the horror and abuse to see what you love.
I love my teenagers, actually. There are problems, sure, but I think they are pretty damn awesome, and am so glad to hear that someone else like “them” in general as well. Great post!
Katherine Graham and Robert Frost in the same post. You are my hero.
I love your blog and your passion. I’ll be back for more!
Ohmygod. Like, you are so awesome
Honestly, it really is a amazing to read your point of view on teenagers. It is so rare to read any positive connotations regarding teens nowadays. It’s wonderful to see your perspective and that you truly enjoy what you do. “How can anything be more fun,” indeed.
Alright Cajunlady…
You are sort of my hero and you push me past my comfort zone, especially with this, this post about teenagers.
I hated teenagers when I WAS a teenager. I was that girl that wore black, angry pink hair, wouldn’t be caught dead at prom.
And now, I feel incredibly stupid. Because until this moment, I never questioned why I chose to walk around groups of teens rather than through them. I’m not afraid of the “goth” or “punk” or “alternative lifestyles” (gag me) groups of kids. It’s the Abercrombie and Fitch group that freak me out and make me feel like less than I am.
But now, I feel stupid. Because this is more my issue than theirs. They are just living. So should I.
Damn. Ten years wasted being afraid of judgement that would never actually come from people that are more self-conscious than myself.
I’m, like, sofa king we todd id.
But you, obviously, rule all. Thanks for the great post.
When I started teaching high school, I had planned for it to just be a stepping stone — something to do until I could work my way into teaching college. However, after 10 years of working with teenagers, I realize that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, and your observations about them and their thoughts are dead on. The one about respect is especially right, and I’ve learned that when I show that I respect their ideas, I get respect back from kids ten-fold.