A Different Kind of Queen

by Amy Sullivan on November 4, 2011

Sometimes the selfish, entitled attitudes of the students I teach astound me. Cars, Facebook, cell phones, and image prove more valuable than the feelings of others.

Other times, my heart swells when I see teenagers act in a truly selfless way.

See, I know teens who tired of the usual prom court royalty. Who longed for someone more real. Who wanted a queen to proudly stand behind. Who became weary of plastic smiles and predictatible popularity. Who thought a good heart was better than a good tan.

I know teens who cast ballots another way. Who paid little attention to glitter signs encouraging voters. Who made an effort to meet someone new. Who decided to include. Who helped create a different ending to one girl’s high school story.

I know teens who make me proud.

Question for you: What are some of the ways in which the kids you teach make you proud? Have you had a heart-swelling type of moment lately?

-Amy teaches Special Education and blogs at Amy L. Sullivan.

Pin It

Tagged as: Teens that inspire and including others

  • http://www.abusywomanslife.com kendra@ www.abusywomanslife.com

    I want to know more of the story! Simple things make me happy-a kid who stands up to a bully, a student who befriends a “forgotten” student, and a student who stands by what they believe is right.

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      ooh, me, too, me too! I love these kinds of stories because they reminds us that teenagers are not all “going to hell in a handbasket,” etc. like our society so often tells us.

      Thanks, Amy, for this beautiful reminder . . . loved the way you wrote it.

      • http://www.amylsullivan.blogspot.com Amy Sullivan

        Laura,
        Thank you for your encouragement about the post.

        I love teenagers. Mouthy? At times. Emotional? Yep. Self-centered. Sure. But they have passion, and I love some spunk mixed with a little passion.

        Plus, too often we only hear the negative about them. I hate that.

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      Kendra,
      This was our high school’s prom queen two years ago. She is a beautiful girl, and she ate up every moment of wearing that crown.

  • http://thejohnsonglasshouse.blogspot.com Gaby

    Oh, so many. I have not taught teenagers for two years now but I did for many years as a high school Spanish teacher. There are so many moments that stick out in my mind as heart-swelling but mostly I remember the time we had a lock down for almost four hours and one of my boys (keep in mind there were 15, 16 at the time) had to pee his pants because we were not allowed to leave the class. I was terrified about the class’ reaction but they were so sweet and encouraging and, to my knowledge, that boy never heard one joke, one comment, one iota of mocking over it. I was so proud of how maturely they all handled it (his parents did not but that’s a story for another day!).

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Wow, Gaby, what a powerful story! I can’t imagine that situation for an teenage boy to handle, but how brilliant the other kids dealt with it, too. Thanks for sharing it . . .

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      Gaby,
      You are such an amazing story teller. I would love to hear you tell the full version of this story.

  • http://theslamdunktrove.blogspot.com slamdunk

    A teen, who arrives very early to school and has to wait in the gym, voluntarily sweeps the floor every morning. Little things. They are there to inspire, if I am just more aware.

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Yes . . . the little things. It just takes us searching for them . . .

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    Slamdunk,
    Those quiet do-gooders are the ones that impact me the most.

    Maybe it’s because I see most people in our society screaming, “Notice me, notice me!”

    Someone who offers that quiet service is rare.

  • http://flowerpatchfarmgirl.blogspot.com/ Flower Patch Farmgirl

    Goose-bumpy perfection. :)

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      Thanks, Shannan.
      It is pretty goose-bumpy. Love that you stopped by!

  • http://immersionblogapy.blogspot.com lori

    Love, love, love this. Proud of your teens for changing a life for the better and not worse. I’ve heard and seen too many stories in the opposite direction. This is wonderfully inspiring :)

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    Do you love, love, love the words “predicatable popularity” because you, my friend, inspired that!

    On your next trip here I expect some homeschooling tales, Lori!

  • http://www.OutnumberedMom.com Laura

    I’ve seen Homecoming Courts that would make your heart proud — I know they did mine. Where the unlikely is accepted and applauded. Yes, sometimes teens really get it right. Like all of us, they’re in process.

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    Where the unlikely are applauded, yes.

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Oh, I like that line, too, “the unlikely are applauded”– reminds me of our role as educators, right? To applaud all of them . . . even the unnoticed and unlikely?

      Beautiful story, Amy. :)

  • Pingback: inspired teaching christmas message

  • http://www.multitaskingmama.com Melissa

    what a beautiful crowning moment!

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Melissa, I totally agree! Thanks for stopping in!

  • Pingback: Inspired Teaching During the Standardized Testing Season

Previous post:

Next post: