Sweet Sixteen

Occasionally, I get the opportunity to spend a day substitute teaching at one of our local junior high or high schools. Contrary to what you may believe about substitute teachers, I actually really enjoy these days.

On Friday, I substitute-taught five classes of junior English at a high school near my house.

JUNIOR English. Juniorswhoaresixteenandshouldbeexcitedaboutbasketballgamespromanddrivingtheirfirstcars.

During first period, a student in the front row smoked an electronic cigarette while I called roll. As I butchered my way through a long list of Shaneequahs, Taneekahs, and Lashauns, I thought to myself, Should I stop him? It's not tobacco.

He proudly explained to me that he has a habit that he just can't break.

A student to my right offered to teach me how to play Black Jack. I told him I already knew how. He begged me to play a couple of hands with him.

I felt compelled to decline.

A couple of the students seated near the teacher's desk refused to work on the day's assignment and instead they talked with me me about their favorite music (M&M and Korn) and about the babies that they are expecting this spring.

Babies.

"D" is expecting his girlfriend to give birth within the next two weeks. It's a girl. They have yet to agree on a name.

"J's" girlfriend is expecting twins in June. He is very excited and really hopes that at least one of them is a girl. He swears that he will not let his daughter spend hours in front of the mirror when she grows up.

A girl in the back-row with a clearly visible cleavage tattoo told me that I looked, "Young and fresh."

I'm guessing that's because, compared to these students, I really am. Next to them, I am inexperienced and naive.

High tech nicotine, black jack, babies, and chest tattoos are far cries from the high school experience that I had.

I listened to these students and thought about what hard lives they have in front of them. But they don't think any of this is hard or unusual. This is their reality and they are experiencing things that are normal and expected within their families and amongst their friends.

To them, being sixteen means being grown and ready for all kinds of responsibilities.

For their sake, I really hope they are.