Ep. 84 Zooming In on Middle School with Anna
Transcript
Melissa Milner 0:08
Welcome to The Teacher As... podcast. I'm your host, Melissa Milner, a teacher who is painfully curious and very easily inspired. This podcast is ever changing and I hope with each season, you find episodes that speak to you in your work as an educator. This is the fourth season of The Teacher As... and it's exciting to see the growth in how many educators are listening. Episodes are released every other week. If you enjoy The Teacher As please rate it on Apple podcasts and leave a review. It helps the podcast reach more educators. Thanks for listening.
Anna 0:40
Hi, I'm Anna, and I am a thrower for track, and I like to cook, and I'm a middle school student. I'm in eighth grade and I'm about to go to high school. So that's like, that's pretty exciting.
Melissa Milner 0:56
Very exciting. So where do you want to start? You want to start with just talking about middle school? And do you feel prepared?
Anna 1:04
Yeah, this year has been like it's been pretty good. Like, my grades are pretty consistent. My teachers, they're okay. They're pretty fun. But I had a really good teacher last year, she was really cool.
Melissa Milner 1:18
What class was that?
Anna 1:19
That was science. She was really, really good teacher, she was just like, really relatable. We watched a lot of like, informational videos. We did a lot of like doodle notes, though. They're super fun. And she did a lot of stuff like that, which was, it's always fun. She really inspired me to be a good student.
Melissa Milner 1:37
Oh, good.
Anna 1:38
And if I ever end up a teacher, then I want to be a teacher like her. She really tries to like, like, this year. I wasn't I wasn't really in class with my friends last year. And this year, I am at the beginning of the school year, she asked me like she remembered she was are you in classes with your friends? Like? Who's gonna remember that? Unless they're like someone who's actually paying attention?
Melissa Milner 1:59
So she had you last year and this year?
Anna 2:01
No, I just saw her in the hallway.
Melissa Milner 2:03
So how did she know that you didn't have friends in your class?
Anna 2:07
Because I said, I said you were last year like, all my friends are on the other classes.
Melissa Milner 2:12
Wow, that's impressive.
Anna 2:14
Yeah. She remembered that which like that makes you feel really good about yourself that someone is willing to remember. Yeah.
Melissa Milner 2:21
Yeah. I hope teachers are hearing that. That's so true. That it's you know, sometimes it's the littlest thing. That means a lot to kids, right?
Anna 2:29
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 2:30
Yeah, totally. What makes the perfect middle school teacher?
Anna 2:35
They need to like, understand that everyone's different. Definitely, you got to be good. You have to take everyone's learn, everyone learns differently, you have to understand that and, like, take that into consideration. And the good teacher that I had, she would, she would like tailor our seats. So we would be socially like in a place where she knew that we would learn better. Like if you're super chatty, she would put you near her. So she knew we would learn better that way. We got to pick our seats most of the time because we were the honors classes, but like, that's the kind of stuff that I think makes like a better teacher.
Melissa Milner 3:10
Yeah. And what makes you a good student? Like, what, what about you makes you do so well in school?
Anna 3:18
I think I've always had some sort of like natural like, oh, it's easy. But also, I try really hard. Like, it's grades are super important to me. Like it's definitely, I really want to go to a good college, which seems a little early to think about that. But like, it's not a competition like it's a competition like, everyone's good. But it's just, it feels good to get good grades.
Melissa Milner 3:47
What's your favorite subject?
Anna 3:49
English. I really I'm pretty good at it. I like I like writing essays and that sounds silly, but I like writing. We read a lot of we don't waste you don't read a ton, but we read like a lot of short stories. Which is fine. And we're gonna start a book tomorrow, I think.
Melissa Milner 4:08
Oh, what book?
Anna 4:09
I don't remember the name of it. But we are reading a book.
Melissa Milner 4:12
But you... you read books on your own though.
Anna 4:15
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 4:16
Yeah. What books do you like?
Anna 4:18
I definitely more fantasy. Like a lot of dystopian, like sci fi kind of stuff.
Melissa Milner 4:25
Yeah. Yeah. That's cool. So what do you like about essay writing? Just the structure of it, or...?
Anna 4:31
Well, like once I get going, it's just it's easy. And it's fun. And not like fun. But like, it's quick. Like, I can do this. I can get through the whole thing. And it looks nice. I'm proud of the fact that I just did a five paragraph essay in 40 minutes.
Melissa Milner 4:48
Right. Are you a good studier? Just like, you know, when it's time to study for a test. Do you know how to study?
Anna 4:55
I don't study really. I know it's probably bad but I don't like I'll look over notes or I'll look over... like if it's math, I'll do a problem. But other than that, I don't really study a lot on this. I'm like, oh my god, I have no idea what I'm doing.
Melissa Milner 5:11
And that doesn't happen a lot. No. So, what will you do when it gets harder?
Anna 5:18
I'll probably start being better about that when it gets tougher.
Melissa Milner 5:22
So do you know how to study? Do you think you know how to do it?
Anna 5:26
For now, if I really, really need to, like, if I get to high school, I'm probably just gonna be like, oh, I need to look over my notes. For stuff like that.
Melissa Milner 5:33
Like memorizing things?
Anna 5:35
Definitely. We do a lot of vocabulary.
Melissa Milner 5:38
Yeah, that can be yikes, sometimes, right? Especially as you get, as you get go. I mean, if you, you know, decide, it depends on what you decide you want to do. But for college, I mean, you know, if you go into medicine, you have to know how to study, you know, and come up with mnemonics to remember things and all that kind of stuff. So do your teachers teach you how to study?
Anna 6:03
No, no, they always, they always say, there's just too much stuff to get through in a year. And that just, I guess, doesn't make the cut of like stuff they have to get in.
Melissa Milner 6:11
It's sort of related to everything that they're doing, though. So you know, if they say study for this tonight, even, you know, all it takes is rolling out a couple ideas. So you could do this, and you could do that. Right? It doesn't take that much.
Anna 6:26
Yeah, I mean, I guess they can do stuff like that. But they're not like, okay, these are techniques that you can use.
Melissa Milner 6:32
Right.
Anna 6:33
Like at the beginning classroom, like these are techniques you can use for tomorrow's test.
Melissa Milner 6:37
Yeah. Do you have open book tests sometimes?
Anna 6:40
Not really anymore?
Melissa Milner 6:42
No?
Anna 6:42
No. Well, actually, we use like, a lot of online stuff. So I guess, like, kind of open book. But yeah, like, we took a test yesterday. And we were able to use the test. But I guess that is open book then.
Melissa Milner 6:56
Have you learned from your parents how to study or how to have a good work ethic?
Anna 7:02
Yes. Both of my parents worked super, super hard in everything I do. And that's really, it really motivates me to be better.
Melissa Milner 7:11
Yeah. And how about your siblings? Do they motivate you?
Anna 7:15
I want to be better than them. I probably shouldn't. I probably shouldn't be like, I want to be better than them. But I want to be, I want to be the best. Can I say that?
Melissa Milner 7:26
That's a healthy competition. Yeah. Yeah. So you want to do better in school? You want to? Yeah. Well, you know, they do pretty well. So you have something to live up to?
Anna 7:43
Definitely.
Melissa Milner 7:45
From elementary to middle school, what were your extracurricular because I know you were in some of the plays. Right? Or you did stuff play? And did you play Oh, do you play an instrument now? Like, so did middle school open you up to new extracurricular activities?
Melissa Milner 8:05
Definitely. Like, I played a French horn, and I'm in jazz band. So it's not the usual jazz band instrument, but it's. And I play field hockey now, I played field hockey a little bit when I was younger, but like, I'm gonna play in high school and stuff. And I only started throwing in middle school.
Melissa Milner 8:22
Yeah, but you love that, right?
Anna 8:24
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 8:25
Is that better than field hockey? Even though you love field hockey?
Anna 8:28
I do like field hockey. I definitely like throwing better. But there are different seasons. So it's like, it's just stuff to do.
Melissa Milner 8:34
So tell us about throwing. Why do you like it so much?
Anna 8:37
I'm good at it?
Melissa Milner 8:40
Like what do you do? What what is throwing? For people who maybe don't know?
Anna 8:43
Well, there's different kinds. There's discus, which is basically like, it's kind of like a Frisbee like a heavy Frisbee.
Melissa Milner 8:49
Which one is the spinning and then throwing?
Anna 8:51
Discus.
Melissa Milner 8:52
Okay.
Anna 8:53
Yeah, that's the one where you spend but you can also you can spend for other ones, most people don't, which is kind of confusing, but. And then shotput is literally just a big metal ball.
Melissa Milner 9:07
Yeah. How do you... I mean, it's heavy, right?
Anna 9:11
Yeah, it's like eight, or Yeah, it's like eight pounds, I think.
Melissa Milner 9:14
So how do you train for that?
Anna 9:17
Well, I weight train. So that definitely helps. And just like being in good physical health, and being strong as it's super important for throwing, but like even more than that, it's really skill based. Like if you don't, you can be as strong as you want. But if you don't have the right techniques, then you're not going to throw well.
Melissa Milner 9:36
Yeah. The form of how to throw with the arm and everything, you mean?
Anna 9:40
Yeah. You also you have to have the right shoes. Like, if you're wearing the wrong shoes, you won't get enough power like...
Melissa Milner 9:47
Wow! So, it's the whole body.
Anna 9:50
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 9:51
That's fascinating. I do. I do wonder about that sometimes because, I mean, my upper body is so weak and you have to have a strong upper body to do that, right?
Anna 10:03
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 10:04
So how often do you work out with weights and stuff?
Anna 10:06
I go to the go to the gym twice a week. And then I do I'm doing a lot of throwing at track, which makes it stronger.
Melissa Milner 10:14
Yeah.
Anna 10:15
But like, when I go to the gym, it's really like, full body workouts. So it's definitely helping strengthen my legs, my arms, my core, and all that's like important.
Melissa Milner 10:25
Great. So between the field hockey and the track stuff, the throwing, do you see yourself... I think you mentioned you're going to do both in high school. Right? So is that something that you want to pursue?
Anna 10:39
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 10:39
You know, past high school, would you...?
Anna 10:42
I really want to get a throwing scholarship for college. I think that would be so cool. And then I can go to an Ivy League. That'd be really cool.
Melissa Milner 10:51
What are you excited about? And what are you nervous about for high school?
Anna 10:55
I'm nervous, because it's a it's a really, really big school. There's gonna be so many people there. I'm not going to know anybody. Oh, yeah. Not really going to know many people. And it's just like, it's just a lot. And then I'm just super excited to go. It's just, it's something new. It's something a lot bigger, which I know it's like nervous and excited about that. But...
Melissa Milner 11:17
Yeah.
Anna 11:17
And I know my sister really wanted me to go too. She said, she asked me, she was like, Can you please because like, I really want you to be there with me.
Melissa Milner 11:25
That's pretty cool. Did she do the business track?
Anna 11:29
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 11:29
Okay. So has she shared with you what you'll be learning about?
Anna 11:34
Yeah, I think I'm gonna be doing like, I know. She took like, personal finance one year. I know she's taking I think she's taking accounting this year, I think that's the business class.
Melissa Milner 11:44
Wow.
Anna 11:45
Yes. And stuff like that.
Melissa Milner 11:47
Cool. Do they do any stuff with running a business, public relations and advertising and stuff?
Anna 11:55
I think they did something like, like, you have to come up with something and like, put it like, make a pitch for it. I think I think that's what it was.
Melissa Milner 12:03
Very cool. So I know, when you were younger, you started having this love of baking. And you you're still doing that right? You're still baking at home?
Anna 12:15
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 12:16
Is that something you still are thinking of pursuing as a career eventually? Or you're not sure.
Anna 12:22
Definitely. Like, if I don't go to a good college, I'll go to the Culinary Institute of America.
Melissa Milner 12:27
Which is a good college. Right. You mean, if you don't go for something...
Anna 12:32
If I don't go for like throwing, then I'll go there.
Melissa Milner 12:35
So if you go for throwing, what do you think your major is going to be?
Anna 12:41
I don't know. Like, when I think about that, I'm like, I have no idea what I want to be. There's just there's so there's so many things. There's so many like pads, I just like...uh...,
Melissa Milner 12:52
Yeah, there's a lot of paths you can take. And you have a lot of interests, too, you know.
Anna 12:58
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 12:58
So that's kind of cool because if you enjoy English, you could study English further and be an English professor. You know, your mom's a professor, you could be a professor.
Anna 13:09
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 13:09
You could totally, totally get into the baking and the cooking. Yeah. You like baking more than cooking though, right?
Anna 13:20
Definitely. Although, cooking is fun, but like, baking is very, like scientific based. It's very much like numbers. And if you mess up, then you get kind of have to start over.
Melissa Milner 13:30
And you like that?
Anna 13:31
Yeah. Cooking is more just like throw stuff in. And hope it turns out, well.
Melissa Milner 13:36
What are you zooming in on right now with your day other than school?
Anna 13:42
I just got back from track like it had an hour and a half go. So yeah, that goes until four which is just pretty good. And I went to jazz band this morning, which means we have to leave at 6:45 in the morning.
Melissa Milner 13:55
Wow.
Anna 13:56
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 13:56
So when does school start
Anna 13:58
home or the homeroom Bell is at 745. But then we like we sit in the cafeteria for a little bit and like just talk waiting forever when you get there. The jazz band starts at seven and we stay in the band room until homeroom.
Melissa Milner 14:11
Oh, wow. So tell me about jazz band. Can you talk about your band conductor or teacher?
Anna 14:21
So, he's pretty cool. He plays all the instruments. He really likes to talk about like scales. He loves to talk about all the different kinds of scales and all the different like, modes of like, notes and stuff. And it's it's kind of confusing, but he likes to talk... so
Melissa Milner 14:40
It sounds like he's talking about some theory. Some music theory.
Anna 14:43
Yeah. We don't really play a lot of music in actual class. But yeah, he does. He likes to talk about like music theory and that kind of stuff.
Melissa Milner 14:52
So the morning is actual practice.
Anna 14:57
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 14:58
And then during the day, how often do you have band during the day?
Anna 15:02
Well, it depends because we have like a six day like rotating schedule. Yeah. And every three days is swaps between your music class and your gym class.
Melissa Milner 15:10
Oh, okay.
Anna 15:11
So this week I have it three times.
Melissa Milner 15:15
Favorite school lunch?
Anna 15:18
Oh, um, probably the pizza. Like the big slice of pizza.
Melissa Milner 15:24
Nice. Favorite movie that you've watched in school.
Anna 15:29
We watched his movie called Johnny Tremain in history. And it was it was pretty cool. He was a silversmith and he like he like had to cut his hand off. And then he became like, he became part of the army. It was like, right at the beginning of the American Revolution. And that was that was pretty cool.
Melissa Milner 15:47
Yeah. Favorite extracurricular activity?
Anna 15:52
Ooh, there's been a lot. So probably throwing now.
Melissa Milner 15:57
Yeah.
Anna 15:58
I just I really enjoy being good at stuff.
Melissa Milner 16:00
You're good at doing it. And you feel good doing it?
Anna 16:04
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 16:05
That's great. And you probably have people go whoa. Right?
Anna 16:09
Yeah, when I throw like really well, in a meet and then everyone starts clapping. It just it feels really, really good.
Melissa Milner 16:16
Nice. Favorite thing about a friend, one of your friends.
Anna 16:22
Probably, I think loyalty and having friends who will just like stick by me and just be my friend.
Melissa Milner 16:30
Yeah. And here's one more favorite thing to do on the weekend?
Anna 16:36
I don't know. I don't really I don't do a ton on weekends. I have I have a really fun. Like, I have different workouts for different days. And I have a really fun workout on Saturdays. And I really liked doing that. That's fun.
Melissa Milner 16:49
Tell us more.
Anna 16:50
Well, one of my friends. I work out with one of my friends. She's pretty cool. And like, we do like a lot of hardcore lifting. Which it's fun. It's really fun. Like we do deadlifts. It's like where you're literally just picking up a weight for using kettlebells.
Melissa Milner 17:05
How much weight?
Anna 17:07
The one I'm using is 24k
Melissa Milner 17:09
Oh my gosh.
Anna 17:10
So yeah, it's it's pretty heavy. It's not like, oh my god, I'm about to fall over. But it's like, oh, this hurts.
Melissa Milner 17:17
And it's like, Are you like squatting? Picking it up? And then...
Anna 17:20
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 17:21
So your legs and oh...
Anna 17:22
Oh, yeah.
Melissa Milner 17:24
Well, and I want to thank you for taking time out because I know how busy you are. Between band and school, and track and life. Right?
Anna 17:39
Yeah.
Melissa Milner 17:40
...that I really appreciate it.
Anna 17:42
Thank you for having me.
Melissa Milner 17:44
For my blog, transcripts of this episode, and links to any resources mentioned, visit my website at www.theteacheras.com. You can reach me on Twitter and Instagram @melissabmilner and I hope you check out The Teacher As... Facebook page for episode updates. Thanks for listening. And that's a wrap