My colon shifted too I suppose. Sorry but truth is truth. Woke up this morning and walked three miles, but still was feeling blah when I got to class. When students walked in, I could see it on their faces. They felt blah too. Colons do not stop the needs of students so I had to get myself together. Didn't take long. Had an interesting issue to discuss for the Money Hungry Book. Posted a statement I saw on line by a girl saying she related to her Black mother more than White father because the world sees biracial kids as black anyhow. Asked my soon to be 7th and 8th graders if they felt this was true, most didn't. Asked if race, ethnicity mattered when it came to marriage. They didn't think so. All African-American they were eager to share when I asked about which stereotypes were out there about Whites, Asians, Blacks. Close your eyes if this is gonna bother you. Whites they said were stereotyped as being stuck up and distant. Asians they believe are stereotyped by having people say negative comments about their eyes, and being considered smart. African-American stereotypes include people calling them ghetto, loud and wearing slippers out. Again, they weren't saying this is what they thought, but what stereotypes were out there. I loved their honesty.
Mai in my novel does not want to be biracial or Asian like her dad. She wishes her mixed race parents had married their own kind. Should people only marry their own kind I asked the class? Absolutely not they all agreed. Marry who you like, was the message they sent. Many raised their hand when asked if they would marry outside their race. One girl even said a woman should marry another woman if she liked. A man a man. Several students agreed.
I wrote about issues of race and ethnicity in the novel because I wanted teachers to explore the issues with youth. To not shy away from such discussions. Later someone said they hadn't thought youth this age could discuss race with such intention and thoughtfulness. It takes more than a day to address such topics. But it's a beginning.
Authors have to slip out of their skin and write from other perspectives I told them. I'm 56 not 13. In Money Hungry I had to be a black girl, a Korean dad, a biracial girl. So they had to be someone else today as well. Gave them photos of people nothing like themselves. Whites, men, old ladies, little girls. It's an assignment that stops some students. Pretend you are this person and tell the reader who you are, what you are going through, why you are here. Stopped some of my students too at first. I think sometimes students forget they have imaginations. Some want you to tell them what is going on in the piece. I had conversations with a few to get them thinking. After a while, several students got it. Revisiting it again tomorrow. Pushing past limits is what is needed. And they do it all the time I'm sure. Just need reminding via practicing and a pushy 56 year old.
Their business groups well well. Always busy, noisy with them buzzing about. Some at computer, some at desks with entrepreneur partners, some talking. It matters who you connect with in a group. you'll work harder if you connect with a social butterfly. That's a valuable lesson to learn in a group as well. One group had a break through I think. Didn't have their name and tagline until late in the day. But oh it was nice. I read it to the entire class. Always reminding them that more is in them. So nice so very nice to see them rising to the occasion. Today the first person created an ad. Logos are coming, along with completing information (for me) for trademarks, posters, presentations and more. Today I was like, what did I do? Can this all be down in two weeks? It's my brain child. My baby. My belief that if we expect more we get more. Here's hoping I don't land on my colon.
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