Perhaps the best thing about my MLE course at NLU is that it enables me to exorcize the demons of my own middle school experience. Oh yes, I was one of those slightly deformed, permed, pimply, and awkward kids who made unfortunate fashion choices under the guise of expressing myself. Hey, don't judge: Madonna made it sound so easy and glamorous!
My middle school experience, however trying, was indeed facile and pure compared to the issues that today's young adolescents face. One thing that tipped me off that today's middle schoolers are truly experiencing a brave new world? The myriad of text abbreviations we had to wade through today.
My small-group members will perhaps chuckle when I say "AWGTHTGTTA!?" And don't get me started on the icky ones that made every single one of us squirm in our seats as if we were the ones in the middle of a growth spurt.
This weekend I was able to engage in arts & crafts, grad school style. On Thursday I turn in a soundtrack of my life encapsulated into 6 songs; complete, of course, with cover art that exemplifies my identity. Ten years ago I would have given my professor the stink-eye and done the bare minimum. Today I am grateful for the opportunity to put my years of stay-at-home-single-mom to use.
All kidding aside, Dr. Mee has successfully cultivated an environment in which we can all be our best selves, our best students, and our best prospective teachers.
If I ever emerge from my perceived state of sleep deprivation and complete my plans for total world domination, I will surely take time to reflect on how my Middle Level Electives and its corresponding endorsement helped me get there. The children are indeed our future, and I for one am arming myself. With information. Because as all good Gen-X'ers can recite: knowing is half the battle.
Buckle up, Buttercup.
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