By: James Knowles
Staff Writer
It has been rumored that the freshman at Westford Academy feel that their eighth grade teachers have been misrepresenting facts about the high school experience.
Eighth grade teachers express that they do not exaggerate things about high school life at WA, or at least try their hardest not too.
Eighth grade social studies teacher Natalie Blake-Weber states, “ We tell the kids to be aware of what to bring to class a class b etc because in high school you can’t keep running back to your locker.”
However sophomore Jennie Natusch states that she can go to her locker in between every class.
Patricia Hartig, an eighth grade English teacher states that the said rumors are based on the “telephone game” in which that one person says something and by the time every one hears about it, the statement is nowhere near the same as where it started at.
Hartig goes on to say that any misconceptions the incoming freshman have are based on their personal fears.
Students at WA feel differently. Freshman Craig Johnson says that his teachers told him he would have a lot more homework then he actually is receiving.
Another freshman Jack Collins agrees, stating that he also feels like his teachers exaggerated.
As a whole, the students at WA feel like they arrived at WA their first day with “facts” that turned out not to be true.
Being a Freshman, I completely agree with the sentiment that high school is not at all what I thought it would be. Based on comments from my eighth grade teachers, such as Ms. Hartig herself, my classes in high school would not only be more difficult and entail more work, but they would also be more strict and less fun. She also said that the class would laugh you out of the room if you conducted yourself inappropriately.
I realize now that my teachers were just trying to get us to mature as individuals. They really didn’t want to psych us out about high school at all. I really haven’t been laughed out of a class, nor have I seen that happen to anyone. Maybe that story shouldn’t get spread around. Maybe it’s the little comments like that one that spread into huge misconceptions about high school life.
High school in terms of academics and class life is really liberating. Now, teachers stop giving you responsibilities and start thinking that you are responsible. The atmosphere in all of my classes isn’t laid back per say, but it really is warm and inviting -which is not at all what I had expected.
The only downsides to high school life are (a) the maturity (or lack thereof) of your fellow classmates and (b) your “friends”.
I loved how I could personally connect to this article. (:
very nice =)
Great article James. It really spoke to me.
good job dude! i thought your info was solid.
this was very good. i throughly enjoyed reading and learning more about this issue. your video was amazing!