MICHELLE
When we were in seventh grade, I started making new friends, and she obviously
could not handle that. We had already been drifting apart, I guess because she was
really into sports and I was more of a drama kid. She never called, so we eventually
stopped talking. My new friends were cool, a little bit shallow, but fun and easy to be
around. They were so funny, and everyone seemed to want to know us or be around
us. They never made me feel bad for not calling. They were always up for anything.
They never caused any drama. Then, when a rumor started about how Ally was in
therapy over the whole thing, I just ignored it. But, she assumed I was the person
who started it, and she started writing nasty things on my Facebook because she
was too much of a coward to face me. So, I started writing stuff back and it got out of
control. Honestly, it felt good to be mad at her. I was hurt that she would go that far,
posting stuff on Facebook like that. I was so hurt that she did that to me.
ALLY
At first, I noticed that she would ignore me every time I called or texted, like, out of
nowhere, I wasn’t important to her. That hurt. We had been friends since preschool,
and suddenly, she was like a different person. When I would ask her to come over,
she would act like suddenly I was the most boring person in the world. It was like
nothing we had been through or done together mattered because she clearly just
wanted to be popular. Her new friends were nasty girls who spent their time making
fun of people just because they were bored, and I was disappointed. Sometimes, I
would see them at lunch, just looking over at me and laughing. I felt like an alien,
and I really had no other friends except Michelle. Right around that time, my
grandmother died, and she didn’t even call or text. Instead, that Monday, when I
came back to school, I found out that one of her new “friends” was saying horrible
things about me—that I was pathetic and desperate, and some other really mean
things I can’t even say. I was so upset about my grandma, and I felt so alone. She was
supposed to be the person I could talk to. My parents were fighting all the time. So, I
posted something on her Facebook to let her know how hurt and angry I was. I
know it was wrong. That wasn’t like me, but it got out of control, and now we act
like we hate each other. What I really want is my friend back.
Together, now, let’s discuss the issue with pov and how to solve this problem. Who is
right, in your opinion? How could this situation been resolved appropriately? Overall,
how can two different points of view that say different things both be RIGHT and
TRUE?
Name: _____________________________________________
English 9 H and CP
Directions: After reading both passages, write a brief explanation of how both
perspectives are right and how the conflict can be resolved or fixed. Be detailed and
specific!
PETE
Starting high school was really hard. My parents were the same, really, but
everything seemed different. My old friends seemed more interested in being cool
and getting attention than having fun. I suddenly just wanted to be left alone. I didn’t
want them knowing anything about my life because it was MY life, and they were so
annoying. They always asked the same questions, “How was school?”. I would say,
“Fine.” We didn’t have anything to talk about and honestly, I didn’t want to talk to
them. The only time we really talked was when they were telling me what I wasn’t
allowed to do, and that just made me angrier. So, I would go to my room, lock my
door and tune them out. Sometimes, I just watched TV. I didn’t have a lot of friends,
but I had a few. Only, we didn’t really hang out much in real life. We just talked
online. I didn’t want to join any clubs or do any activities because I thought it was
stupid, or maybe I felt like no one would really like me or I would feel like a loser,
sitting there in a corner or something. I never really felt good about myself. I knew
some kids thought I was weird. If I am really honest about it, I guess I just wanted
people to TRY to get to know me, but how I dressed or the fact that I had a stutter
made it seem like I was weird or something. I don’t know. Sometimes, I think I can’t
wait to get away from my parents and figure out who I am in a world that ISN’T high
school.
PETE’S FATHER
Pete used to want to talk to us. Now, it just seems like the only things he knows how
to say are yes and no. We love him so much, but we feel like we are invisible to him
unless he needs something from us. It’s as if he doesn’t want us to love him, but of
course we can’t help it. Pete used to want to go places with us. We know he is a
teenager and needs his space, but he is our only child, our world. Everything we do
is for him. We both, his mother and I, gave up our college education so that we could
raise him right and take care of him. He was the best kid. He is a great kid. He
doesn’t realize how smart and talented he is. We would love to tell him that, but
every time we go to talk to him, he goes into his room and hides. We don’t know
what we did. We argue all the time, now. We are stressed about money, and our son
hates us. We gave up our dreams to provide for him, and it seems like he doesn’t
care if we exist. There is no pain in the world like that—having your own child, who
used to love you, suddenly stop caring, stop talking. He acts like we are his worst
enemy. We don’t know what to do. It would mean the world if he would just spend
five minutes talking to us. What did we do wrong?
Name: _____________________________________________
English 9GT
Directions: After reading both passages, write a brief explanation of how both
perspectives are right and how the conflict can be resolved or fixed. Be detailed and
specific!
STUDENT
This is stupid. I will never need this in real life. I can learn this stuff in five minutes
when it counts, right? One thing is for sure, I am definitely smarter than my teacher.
She is an idiot. This stuff will never make a difference in my life. I don’t need to read.
Nobody reads anymore. I can always just read Sparknotes. That’s pretty much the
same thing. They say those who can’t do, teach. Why would I listen to someone who
is only a teacher, anyway? My parents say teaching is a low profession, one for
people who can’t make it. I am going to be a doctor. My teacher knows nothing
compared to what I am going to know someday. I’ll figure it out because I am smart
enough. I am just going to tune her out and think about nothing because that is more
interesting than listening to this—when is this class OVER? What is that kid
wearing? What is Sara doing later on? I wonder if my mom will let me buy that coat I
want? When will I ever need to know about reading and literature? I don’t read
anyway. Reading sucks. Honestly, I have way too much going on than to worry about
school. My parents are always fighting, my sister is probably doing drugs.
Everything is just so crazy. All I want is to not think—right now, other things are just
more important.
TEACHER
Two years ago, I had a student who thought she was going to NYU. She wanted to
study science, but her writing skills were so bad that she couldn’t write a decent
admissions essay, so they turned her down. Writing is everything in this world, from
emails to reports to articles. She never cared about her grades, really. She was a C
student, but incredibly bright and talented. So much wasted potential. She was
heartbroken. It was her dream school. Life is so much easier on us when we have an
education, when we can think through and analyze things, and we learn those skills
in high school and college. Reading, research proves, makes us better, makes our
brains better. They don’t see how school is not about what you are learning so much
as what it does to your brain—how it makes you smarter just by trying to solve
problems, to think through things. They assume they will figure it out, but they don’t
know how much they don’t know yet, and they don’t realize how much the choices
they make today will impact their futures. I would give anything for them all to have
happy, fulfilled, wonderful lives filled with learning, family, travel and love, but
sometimes, it seems like they care more about all the other things—twitter,
facebook, sports, friends, and school/learning comes last. I know they don’t do their
best work in many cases, and what they don’t realize is they are only hurting
themselves.
Please use the reverse side of this page for your responses.