Now, Willie (I found out today that that's how he spells it, now) has been at NE for a week and 2 days. His first day was my first day. He seemed well mannered, shy, intelligent, and had a particular style. His style is one I 'd expect to see in the suburb he moved from. Baggy, but not too baggy jeans, no hat, some kind of silver neckless, a button down shirt, skate shoes. He looked nice, but not dressed up. He acted the same way. Relazed and put together. He held himself high those first few days. He looked handsome and confident.
That's not how the majority of boyst look or act at NE. They look sloppy and thrown together. Some look thugish and act that way too. Their minds are anything but together. They yell, act out of control, and rude to make ease the uncomfotableness of adolescence.
Today, I noticed that the teasing about his name and the placement in a math intervention class is starting to change him already. I sat down in the extra chair at Quicy and Willie's table. Previously, he always had at least one question and welcomed (as welcoming as any middle schooler is) my questioning to aid him. Today, first thing, he blurts out, "We don't need your help. We got it. I already know it. I did it," all obnoxious like.
I ignored his resistance to help like I always do with kids that do that. I kept questioning, probling, aiding, ya know, teacher stuff. He kept on about it. "We don't need your help. I got it. Go over to the other table."
This isn't the same Willie.
So I guess he'd putting on his hard face for the other kids now. It breaks my heart. He's only doing it because he's hurting. He is starting to build this huge sheild that he'll carry into highschool. He'll refuse to let teachers in in fear of looking a certain way. He'll start to be looked over by teachers and they'll make assumptions about him. He'll fall through the cracks. Maybe he'll be added to the percent of African American men that don't graduate. I just wanted to strangle Quincey (and the others I don't know about) that are doing this Willie name equals penis thing.
What is Willie suppose to do? He just takes it. he sits there and says "You got a sick mind, dude." That's all, even though he could beat the crap out of Quincey. I don't think he shuold, but he could, and many people would...
I want Willie to prove them all wrong. He has a wonderfully logical mind that can think algebraically and proportionally to problem solve. He gets it. It doesn't take much to get his to recognize conjectures, find patterns, make conclusions, and transfer skills. Now he plays it down. He isn't answering as much. His facial expression reads, "I don't care...what??!"
There is hope, though, I know it. Quincey was asked to provide an equivilent fraction to 5/6 in front of the class. He responded by saying fifty sixtieths instead of 50 out of 60, or 50 over 60, like the rest of the class usually does. I heard Willie say to Quincey softly..."That's tight...I didn't know you were smart and shit..." You tell him Willie!