Being around secondary school (grades 9-12) students brings back memories of high school days for me. As a Language Arts 11th grade teacher at Grants High School, I have observed, corrected, learned from, hopefully helped (when needed), and laughed with students since coming to work at GHS as a fulltime teacher in 2014.
One of the most interesting places to watch the interactions among high school students among themselves is prior to the start of the school day when students initially come to school by bus or vehicle and gather within the school cafeteria. At this time, students meet with their friends, grab some breakfast from the nice cafeteria workers, and socialize. Some walk around talking to various groups of acquaintances, some play games together on their phones, some sit by themselves preparing for the day ahead or finishing up homework.
Usually, the backdrop pre-first period cafeteria noise of student laughter, happy discussions - because friends are among friends - and even an occasional dropping of a food plate or an excitable cry or student yelp is heard. This mostly joyful environment is a daily happening at GHS - the before school cafeteria scene! Teachers who are on duty to oversee the ever increasing growing number of students who come through the doors from 7:30 to 7:55 a.m., when the first bell for the start of the day rings/chimes, oversee with watchful eyes to make sure the morning routine is going well and no trouble is brewing. Usually, it isn't. The students are just gearing up for another school day and what a better way to do so than hanging with friends. And those onduty teachers and school security personnel present often are mingling with the teenagers as well, enjoying the brief time before classroom time begins.
It's a positive vibe most of the time. Teachers are on duty once per week. On my duty day, after my initial inner complaining about having to get up a little earlier to get to my duty station in the cafeteria, it turns out to be a fun experience. Often I watch students enjoying one another's company, laughing at something funny, and simply enjoying that age old human custom of socializing with one another, and I realize I am smiling watching the youngsters.
While many parts of high school life have changed since I graduated from James Madison High School in Northern Virginia back in 1981, many aspects of high school remain the same like social interaction. One interesting aspect to my days in high school were the labels - for better or worse - students created for their peers. There were the `Jocks' (student athletes), the `Brains' (gifted academic students), the `Geeks' (an unfortunate label given to students thought to be awkward or different), and the `Freaks' or `Burnouts' - those students perhaps experimenting with drugs and seemingly, at times, wasted (not a good thing).
Back in my day, students did not gather in the cafeteria before the first bell, they just roamed in the school halls, went to their lockers, and socialized. There was also an outdoor smoking corridor for students at our school - a courtyard area in the center of the school structure. I can hardly believe looking back that was acceptable or permitted. Different world back then.
When I compare high school students from my day to nowadays, well, teenagers are still teenagers - they are at a time of physical, emotional, and mental growth. They are all making the transition from the teenage years to whatever comes next. For some it's a rough ride, for others a little more smooth. But, wherever they are in their stage of overall growth, they keep us older folks young. Yes, they can drive us crazy at times, but I'm pretty certain we adults drive them a little nuts as well. They also remind us of a time when we really believed the world was our footstool and anything was possible.