My two classes of seventh graders read an excerpt from the autobiography Bad Boy, by Walter Dean Myers this past week.
Myers is probably every English teacher's favorite bad boy. As a child he was a wiggly, fidgety, squirmy boy who was always talking out of turn, wandering the classroom, and not getting his work done. He freely admits he lacked self control and frequently got into fights. In short, he was very much like many of the students I teach now.
After his mother's death, Myer's father gave him to another family. Even thought they raised him as their own, it must have been hard to live with the memory of that early rejection. Much of the anger and acting out that he did in school might be traced to his childhood.
Luckily for Myers, the woman who raised him also read to him. He found solace in books and used reading as a way to escape bad situations. When he was in high school, one of his teachers recognized that he was not only a good reader, but a good writer as well. She encouraged him to continue writing, no matter what was going on in his life.
Myers didn't immediately follow her advice. He dropped out of high school and joined the Army. It was only after he was discharged that he picked up the pen. Before he passed away in 2014, Myers had written more than 100 books. He is best known for his young adult literature, but he also wrote picture books and nonfiction. He was the recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award for African-American authors on five different occasions.
Maybe one of the bad boys in my class right now will pick up a pen and become the next generation's Walter Dean Myers. Maybe not. Writing is not for everyone. But I can encourage them to read and write, for literacy opens many doors. I can help them overcome their own anger and feelings of rejection and find the self discipline to settle in and "get the job done," even when it's not what they want to do. I can recognize the good in each of them, and encourage them to find the one thing that is their passion. My bad boys might grow up to be auto mechanics, ranchers, businessmen or teachers. Perhaps there's a lawyer, doctor, or truck driver in the bunch. They may not all become writers, but these bad boys can all become good men.
Myers is probably every English teacher's favorite bad boy. As a child he was a wiggly, fidgety, squirmy boy who was always talking out of turn, wandering the classroom, and not getting his work done. He freely admits he lacked self control and frequently got into fights. In short, he was very much like many of the students I teach now.
After his mother's death, Myer's father gave him to another family. Even thought they raised him as their own, it must have been hard to live with the memory of that early rejection. Much of the anger and acting out that he did in school might be traced to his childhood.
Luckily for Myers, the woman who raised him also read to him. He found solace in books and used reading as a way to escape bad situations. When he was in high school, one of his teachers recognized that he was not only a good reader, but a good writer as well. She encouraged him to continue writing, no matter what was going on in his life.
Myers didn't immediately follow her advice. He dropped out of high school and joined the Army. It was only after he was discharged that he picked up the pen. Before he passed away in 2014, Myers had written more than 100 books. He is best known for his young adult literature, but he also wrote picture books and nonfiction. He was the recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award for African-American authors on five different occasions.
Maybe one of the bad boys in my class right now will pick up a pen and become the next generation's Walter Dean Myers. Maybe not. Writing is not for everyone. But I can encourage them to read and write, for literacy opens many doors. I can help them overcome their own anger and feelings of rejection and find the self discipline to settle in and "get the job done," even when it's not what they want to do. I can recognize the good in each of them, and encourage them to find the one thing that is their passion. My bad boys might grow up to be auto mechanics, ranchers, businessmen or teachers. Perhaps there's a lawyer, doctor, or truck driver in the bunch. They may not all become writers, but these bad boys can all become good men.
