I've been teaching sixth grade a long time, and every year the kids really enjoy writing fictional short stories. We use the writing process: they plan, compose, confer, and revise until their pieces are as polished as possible. Today I had the following conversation with a student as she worked on her first draft:
Student: Will you read this part of my story and tell me if it's okay?
Me (regarding the look on her face with a bit of concern): Sure.
We hold hands as we get to his house. He tells me to come to his house, and I follow him to his room. We have a lot of fun and then we fall asleep in his bed.
Me (with eyebrows raised quite high): If you're asking me if it's appropriate for the characters in your story to have sex, I'm going to have to say no.
Another student (overhearing our conversation): Ewwww! Who wants to read that?
First student: Fine! I'll change it.
In the interest of engaging them in writing they really care about, I give my students a lot of freedom, choice, and leeway when it comes to topic and content, and to be honest, there have certainly been times when I have had to address inappropriate themes and action, but that was definitely a first.
I guess I'm kind of surprised this happened with a sixth grader. I would think high school perhaps, but holy cow! You handled that well. It makes me glad I'm teaching 4th grade :)
ReplyDeleteEEEk! You did handle that well! What trust to run that by you!
ReplyDeleteYou handled that well. Two thumbs up.
ReplyDeleteSmells like springtime, or is that smells like pre-teen spirit?
ReplyDeleteYikes! You did diffuse that well. Thank heavens she didn't elaborate on "we had a lot of fun".
ReplyDeleteDid I mention my own story was about a kiss on the cheek? Thanks for putting it into perspective.
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