Constructing Adolescence

I found this week's blog to be a bit challenging. I emailed Professor Bogad last night because I did not understand what was being asked of me. I understood bits and pieces of the prompt but I was not comfortable with it. After reading Christina's blog, the light bulb flashed on. Her personal example helped me realize that I was over thinking the assignment.

The case study centered on Ms. Peterson and Antwon brought me back to high school. First impressions may mean everything to certain people. It certainly meant a lot to my teachers in high school. If students were disruptive, rude, loud, or impossible as they would say, they would utilize every opportunity they had to dismiss you. Whether that was suspension or detention. Ms. Peterson's first impression of Antwon was negative. She too found him to be rude, and disruptive. But what separates her from my former teachers is, she took the time to get to know him. Sure she had her judgments, but she worked with him rather than against him. Ultimately, she discovered the underlying problem was his concerns with the mandated standardized testing. Megan pointed out something out in her blog that I believe some adults tend to forget, "we both teach and are taught by youth". Antwon taught his teacher that not all "cries" for help are expressed through words. Actions sometimes speak louder than words.
            I know the prompt for this week's blog said list 10 people who have shaped your life but I have eight special people who have shaped my life in a positive direction within the past year. 

 My sister Alexandria

My cousin Christina

My niece Mystique

My niece(Lanyia) & my nephew( Jarell)

My sister Dominique  

My brother(Ryan) and my sister-in-law (Nikki) 

My brother plays a very important role in my life. He is one of many co-authors in my life. I met my brother for the first time when I was six years old. He was 14. We clicked right off the bat. He was someone I could confide in. Someone that possessed no judgements. After 1999, he moved back to Mass and we had no contact with one another but I thought about him all the time. In 2012, he found one of my sister's on Facebook and we have been in contact ever since. He attended my high school graduation, we met our future sister-still and our nieces  nephew.  He helps me embrace my strengths. I am so lucky to have him in my life