Creating Effective Transitions by C. Thomas Potter II

Author:C. Thomas Potter II
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: undefined
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 2012-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

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Johnny was often hazed by some of his peers because he was a teacher’s child. Other students taunted him, claiming he received special privileges as a result. This made Johnny, who had previously been a studious boy, hesitant to apply himself. Already being teased for getting so-called special privileges, he worried that being viewed as a straight-A student would only add to the problem. Like many other middle school children, he only wanted to fit in with the crowd, even if that meant not being studious. He didn’t want to be labeled a nerd.

Under the stress of trying to be popular, he began to fall behind on his schoolwork, ultimately falling further behind with each passing assignment. When the first grading period ended, Johnny’s parents weren’t pleased. His father—a teacher who had set high expectations for him—was severely disappointed. After attending the parent-teacher conference held at his school and upon reviewing his son’s report card, Johnny’s father began to blame the students he hung out with as the reason Johnny was doing so poorly. His father was determined to have some of Johnny’s classes changed, and he was grounded him from many of the after-school events he liked to attend. As a result, Johnny began to resent school even more.

As the year progressed, Johnny’s difficulties in school seemed to heighten. As he struggled to find himself and connect with his peers, he began to resent that his father was a teacher. On one occasion his rebellious behavior nearly resulted in in-school suspension for lashing out at his pre-algebra teacher, Mr. Stiggins, who had questioned him about his unfinished homework and threatened to contact his father. This infuriated Johnny, and his verbal reaction to the teacher landed him in the principal’s office for the first time since he had started school.

The principal, Mr. Jackson, sat Johnny down and asked him why he had misbehaved. “I don’t like this place” was his only reply. After a serious talk with Mr. Jackson, Johnny began to understand why he was in this predicament. He confessed that he didn’t appreciate the other kids teasing him because of his father’s position, and that he was purposely rebelling because of it. Instead of punishing him, Mr. Jackson was determined to help Johnny navigate this situation.

Mr. Jackson asked Johnny whether, when he was older, he would rather be successful and viewed as a man who’d accomplished his goals in life, or seen as an unsuccessful man who’d accomplished nothing. As Mr. Jackson began mentoring to Johnny, the boy’s worry and apprehension began to subside.

During this process, Mr. Jackson’s mentoring turned into a means of intervention, and Johnny began to develop a connection with his principal. Luckily for Johnny, Mr. Jackson had three sons of his own and could relate to Johnny’s struggle. Mr. Jackson shared with him a similar situation one of his sons had experienced when he was about Johnny’s age.

As a result of his mentoring sessions with Mr. Jackson, Johnny began to question his own motives for success.

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