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beandelphikiSo, here I was, in Gr. 9 English class.
And our assignment had been to write Russian fairy tales. (Or, you know, not really fairy tales in Russian, just a story in the style of Russian fairy tales.) And that class we had to present them orally.
So, this kid was reading his out. But it wasn't actually his - everyone recognized it. He thought no one had the same books read to them as kids, stupid idiot. The teacher's face was just priceless.
So later, when we had to mark him (peer marking, y'know), everyone was discussing how low a mark the would give him - most people said they were giving him a very low mark, which I didn't agree with.
And when someone asked me what mark I was going to give him, I stood up and said "Zero." Boy, that go everyone's attention! They all stopped what the were doing, and turned the focus on me. That was a little startling - I'm used to people not listening to me, and not giving a damn about anything I have to say. But here they all were, looking at me, frozen. And some inner instinct compelled me to my feet, and I said, with such intensity you would have thought it was a courtroom drama, "There is no way I'm giving him ANY mark for plagiarism."
There was a split second of silence. And then everyone dove for their white-out and erasers.
I sat down, feeling a little giddy. For the first time ever, it felt like, I had said something, and someone had listened. Someone HEARD me. And not just ONE someone, but several someones. I influenced them - something I SAID influenced people to choose a course of action they wouldn't normally take. Feel the POWER, baby!
From that, I learned three things:
1. People WILL actually listen to me.
2. They're more likely to listen to me if I say something they're not expecting, or go against a commonly held idea.
3. They're most likely to listen if I present my ideas with dramatic flair; not just, "well, this is what I think," but, "our world is CRUMBLING around us..."
(Well, THAT'S not my typical style, but that point was too obviously in need of that reference.)
And since I'm talking about jr. high, has anyone noticed how many sentences I started with conjunctions?
And our assignment had been to write Russian fairy tales. (Or, you know, not really fairy tales in Russian, just a story in the style of Russian fairy tales.) And that class we had to present them orally.
So, this kid was reading his out. But it wasn't actually his - everyone recognized it. He thought no one had the same books read to them as kids, stupid idiot. The teacher's face was just priceless.
So later, when we had to mark him (peer marking, y'know), everyone was discussing how low a mark the would give him - most people said they were giving him a very low mark, which I didn't agree with.
And when someone asked me what mark I was going to give him, I stood up and said "Zero." Boy, that go everyone's attention! They all stopped what the were doing, and turned the focus on me. That was a little startling - I'm used to people not listening to me, and not giving a damn about anything I have to say. But here they all were, looking at me, frozen. And some inner instinct compelled me to my feet, and I said, with such intensity you would have thought it was a courtroom drama, "There is no way I'm giving him ANY mark for plagiarism."
There was a split second of silence. And then everyone dove for their white-out and erasers.
I sat down, feeling a little giddy. For the first time ever, it felt like, I had said something, and someone had listened. Someone HEARD me. And not just ONE someone, but several someones. I influenced them - something I SAID influenced people to choose a course of action they wouldn't normally take. Feel the POWER, baby!
From that, I learned three things:
1. People WILL actually listen to me.
2. They're more likely to listen to me if I say something they're not expecting, or go against a commonly held idea.
3. They're most likely to listen if I present my ideas with dramatic flair; not just, "well, this is what I think," but, "our world is CRUMBLING around us..."
(Well, THAT'S not my typical style, but that point was too obviously in need of that reference.)
And since I'm talking about jr. high, has anyone noticed how many sentences I started with conjunctions?
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I don't understand, EITHER
Date: 2002-11-07 08:06 am (UTC)Yeah, I think what I learned is wrong, because...well, I'm sure that mild shock tactics are always the best way to get people to listen to you. And sometimes I think it's best to voice your views in a more subdued way, but I don't seem to always be able to tell when that is.
k, I see your point...
Date: 2002-11-07 10:04 pm (UTC)I guess sometimes we learn some lessons a little too well, then they're hard to unlearn later...
I've got almost the same problem, but in reverse. I know too well how to blend into the woodwork, and I can't get myself to stand out, at all. But... heh, you knew that already.
We should get together sometime... I could give you subtlety tips and you could teach me how to be assertive. :)