The life of a sixth grader may not appear to be complex, but the innerworkings of the mind and the day-to-day changes that occur can have a huge impact on an adolescent. In a revealing inetrview, RM, a sixth grade student, explains what school is like for him.
After reviewing his responses to a variety of questions, it is clear that school, in and of itself, is a major social event for RM. He uses the library, playground, and even the classroom to visit with friends. Collaboration time in the classroom is an open opportunity to engage in conversation, and his teachers even encourage it at times. RM and his peers are allowed to tell stories and jokes, read magazines, and play card games. His favorite subject, math, is his most-liked due to …show more content…
His teachers ignore cheating and RM doesn’t think sharing answers is cheating anyway. He and his classmates exchange papers in the open and copy answers for one class during another class. This supports RM’s belief that teachers really are gullible, predictable, and easy to deceive. The students easily get the teacher off task telling stories, and RM even crawls under his desk when he gets bored during this time. His teacher doesn’t seem to mind. There are those days though, when his teacher is in a bad mood and the students are not allowed to talk openly, but on good mood days they can. It is very obvious to RM that a teacher’s temperament dictates the activities of the class.
No matter the disposition of the teacher, it is the students in the class who drive other students to behave in certain ways. RM recognizes the importance of peer approval and does not want his friend’s laughing at him for giving the right or wrong answer. He does not want to appear to be a fool, and yet he does not want to be the class nerd - RM is somewhere in the middle. He partakes in making fun of others at times, and does not think that it’s a big deal. School is fun, and laughing at others is a part of that fun.
Overall school is an enjoyable, social experience for RM; the assignments are relatively easy, there are few consequences for bad behavior, and cheating is not taken
After reviewing his responses to a variety of questions, it is clear that school, in and of itself, is a major social event for RM. He uses the library, playground, and even the classroom to visit with friends. Collaboration time in the classroom is an open opportunity to engage in conversation, and his teachers even encourage it at times. RM and his peers are allowed to tell stories and jokes, read magazines, and play card games. His favorite subject, math, is his most-liked due to …show more content…
His teachers ignore cheating and RM doesn’t think sharing answers is cheating anyway. He and his classmates exchange papers in the open and copy answers for one class during another class. This supports RM’s belief that teachers really are gullible, predictable, and easy to deceive. The students easily get the teacher off task telling stories, and RM even crawls under his desk when he gets bored during this time. His teacher doesn’t seem to mind. There are those days though, when his teacher is in a bad mood and the students are not allowed to talk openly, but on good mood days they can. It is very obvious to RM that a teacher’s temperament dictates the activities of the class.
No matter the disposition of the teacher, it is the students in the class who drive other students to behave in certain ways. RM recognizes the importance of peer approval and does not want his friend’s laughing at him for giving the right or wrong answer. He does not want to appear to be a fool, and yet he does not want to be the class nerd - RM is somewhere in the middle. He partakes in making fun of others at times, and does not think that it’s a big deal. School is fun, and laughing at others is a part of that fun.
Overall school is an enjoyable, social experience for RM; the assignments are relatively easy, there are few consequences for bad behavior, and cheating is not taken