Being 21 years old put me right between the ages of my students. Mercy, my youngest student, was 18, and my oldest student was Diana, who was 25. We were able to connect as friends, joking around, laughing, and dancing, but I also felt that I had their respect because I lead them through kindness, not out of forced respect or an age-based power dynamic. I felt deeply respected by them, and I tried to show them my inturn my utmost respect. As a teacher, I felt able to very competently lead them in the course material, and I also learned from them about the sacrifices of motherhood. At times their children had to accompany them to class, and I made it clear that so long as they were attending class, it did not matter who they brought along. When I felt I was losing their attention as students, I made jokes and acted silly because I knew that my similar age put me at an advantage with regards to playing around. But when my students were being unmotivated, I felt comfortable speaking with them as equals, explaining that their work was not only for themselves, but for their children. I always emphasized that their time in the classroom was important, because they were important, and I felt so able to talk openly because of our similar ages. Being of a similar age to my students gave me the social capital to create an atmosphere of fun, familiarity, and mutual respect.
~Crystal
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