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SUSTAINED RELATIONSHIPS |
CLIPBOARD
Sources:
On advisors and teachers
Student:
I like The Met, because you have a close relationship with your teachers.
Its not like a regular school where Im confused but I dont
say nothing cause I dont like my teacher. I procrastinate a
lot, and when I had to write this essay for an Outward Bound scholarship,
my teacher was like Youre not putting this one off. Its
too important. Youre coming over my house, and youre writing
it. And I stayed at her house until eight oclock that night
and got it done. Then when I got the scholarship, she took me shopping and
paid for my boots, because my mother didnt have the money. My mother
paid her back later. Stuff like that. Like I used to have a big, big attitude
about adults trying to have authority over me. Im getting better,
but last year she was the only one who could calm me down and get me to
apologize. She knows how I am, and if she knows that Im too upset,
then shell just leave me alone and let me work by myself.
[3]
Maya: Usually other high schools, they dont really bother with you. Since its so big, they dont care... These teachers, they get personal with younot too personalbut they know how you are, they get down to it.
After describing how often she was suspended for fighting in her middle school, Maya explained how and why she changed:
Here, I havent been into a fight yet. I was going to get into a lot of fights, but Doc [the students nickname for co-director Dennis Littky] sits you down and talks to you. He makes you laugh, makes you understand your problems. At other schools, its just, you re suspended, goodbye! Im changing the way I do my work, the way I act towards people... Now, I just breathe first, think about it, and go talk to someone here. When you want to fight, you dont think about why, you just want to fight the person. When they sit you down and you talk about it, you understand that you shouldnt go into that kind of stuff.[1]
Priscilla: Staying with the same advisor for four years is the highlight
of The Met. You learn to trust that person. [2]
On mentors
Freddie: Manny is like another advisor, someone who coaches me to do what I need to do, shows me the ropes, how to present myself to people. He shows me the grown-up world, the business world. I can tell hes not a teacher, but I learn a lot from him. He has very good advice, so I take that and that helps me out.[1]
Maya: This year, every year, I go through this low point, but thats also related to out of school issues and thats what kind of affects you at school. And I talked to my mentor about it. I dont want it to affect my school things, because I know it can happen, and Ill probably give up, and I dont want that to happen. My mentor is there for me a lot. If I didnt have him, I dont know. My mentor, my advisor, and me. The team... keeps the dream together. [1]
On advisories
Nadia: [My advisory] was essential to my success here, how Ive done well. Its essential to have these people who are like your family. To go back to whenever things are not going well in your internships or whatever. Weve laughed, weve cried, weve argued. Its just been so great, because were able to understand each other so well that its just amazing.
Its funny, because now we are all talking about the advisory. Now its like, wow, its been a great thing. It was there, and we didnt realize what a great thing it was that we had 13 people we were so close toother people who could help us with our work and could understand what we were going through and always be there to talk about anything. Weve had our fun times and our fights [but] we always seemed to find the time where we could relate and talk about stuff.
I think that being in my advisory has changed some of my perspectives as a person, because now I think Im more open to different people, different views, different perspectives on stuff... Weve come together and understood each other, but it hasnt been easy. It wasnt impossible, because we all made it, and we were all able to relate to one another in many different areas, not just schoolwork. [1]
On talking to parents
Freddie: Now I find it easier to speak to my parents. Before, I never talked to them... I hated to talk to them, especially anything about school. It was like the worst thing you could do, to say something back. When Id get mad, my mouth starts to go, I dont even realize what I saybad things. Since I was always holding it in, now it feels good to release all that. So now I m like, wow, I can talk. I can take a stand now, especially at my house. I have voice now. Its real good. [1]
Leah: My conferences in my old school, those were always bad. Well, Leahs not doing this and this. I used to never tell my parents anything about school... They d say, How s school? and Id say, fine, because I really didnt want to talk about it, because I hated it. Now I talk about school a lot. [1]
Priscilla: My familys more involved in the school. At the same time, that could be bad, because they always, always know where youre at and what youre doing. But, you know, my family feels verythey can trust my teachers, they can come in anytime and speak to the principal, you know, something that you dont see very often. [2]
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