A Mentoring Moment
One of my best, brightest students told me yesterday that he was being pressured into taking a part time job at McDonald's this summer. He's sixteen years old. In the last 3 years, I've gotten him from "Mary Had a Little Lamb" to playing Khachaturian and Kabalevsky, and I just couldn't fathom the idea of him serving me a burger.
"What kind of grades do you get?"
"A's and B's," he said.
"Have you even been to jail? Been in trouble with the law?"
"No."
"Can you write reasonably well?"
"Well yes, I'm writing a book, actually."
"Are you ready for a pep talk?"
"Sure," he laughed.
I put down my pencil and his practice book for a moment and looked at him.
"People like you and I, people who do well academically, who don't get into trouble, and can read an write with some level of proficiency...WE. DON'T. HAVE. TO. WORK. AT. McDONALDS!!!!"
Granted, 16 year-olds don't get their choice of work, but the smarter ones can at least choose their environment. My first real job was working in a record store, where I basically managed the classical CD department. I was 16 then too. I suggested that he look at job opportunities at the library (our city has the best library system in the country) and check the help wanted ads (what's that? he asked). At any rate, I tried to get across to him that bright people (people like him who rise to challenges) are above babysitting the fryer at McDonalds.
"Okay, pep talk over," I said.
"That was the best pep talk ever..." he smiled.
On his way out the door, I told him that I would be happy to be a personal reference on his job applications. He was estatic.
I feel like a grown-up now.
"What kind of grades do you get?"
"A's and B's," he said.
"Have you even been to jail? Been in trouble with the law?"
"No."
"Can you write reasonably well?"
"Well yes, I'm writing a book, actually."
"Are you ready for a pep talk?"
"Sure," he laughed.
I put down my pencil and his practice book for a moment and looked at him.
"People like you and I, people who do well academically, who don't get into trouble, and can read an write with some level of proficiency...WE. DON'T. HAVE. TO. WORK. AT. McDONALDS!!!!"
Granted, 16 year-olds don't get their choice of work, but the smarter ones can at least choose their environment. My first real job was working in a record store, where I basically managed the classical CD department. I was 16 then too. I suggested that he look at job opportunities at the library (our city has the best library system in the country) and check the help wanted ads (what's that? he asked). At any rate, I tried to get across to him that bright people (people like him who rise to challenges) are above babysitting the fryer at McDonalds.
"Okay, pep talk over," I said.
"That was the best pep talk ever..." he smiled.
On his way out the door, I told him that I would be happy to be a personal reference on his job applications. He was estatic.
I feel like a grown-up now.