The One In Charge

As a mentor, we help the students with homework, but we are also supposed to help them feel safe and comfortable in High School... I honestly think teachers underestimate students, most of this students seemed really belonging, and they didn't seem scare at all for the high school experience, now I won't lie there were a few that were more alienated than others but they all there little "gang" of friends with whom they break the ice...


As bulling month arrived mentors were required to give a little presentation on bulling, I'm not a big fan of public speaking and more when half this kids are pretty well educated, let me tell you that's intimidating. Well the other mentors and I decided that we would break the class up into small sections so we would each have our own little group. When we got into the little groups I decided to talk to them about how bullies feel bulling other people, what motivated them and how did that make them feel better about them self. As the group got together I notice right away how it was going to go, half of them were going to be talking to each other and the other half was going to hide behind there desk. I decided to break the ice by asking them if they ever been bullied I went one by one trying to make feel everyone welcomed but if was hard half of them would just sit there and nod to everything I said. Well they didn't get involved the way I expected they tried to make a joke out of everything I would say and that wasn't the business... I don't blame them at all though they are freshman and they don't know any better but to make life a joke, and in a way I don't have the character to discipline a crowed of spoiled kids so it is my fault too.


This wasn't the most pleasant experience at all, I did not learn much about the students since they were pretty close when I tried to interact with them, I don't blame them though we haven't really had much inside conversations with them and to try to get them to open up was a complete failure.. This activity did help me though to be more out there since I'm usually the one hiding behind the desk and this time I had to be the one in charge..