Talking Back

Wow! And what in the what what? I just said to a student, "Please put your name on your paper." He replied, "It is on there." I handed him the paper. No name. No name. This, after talk talk talking while I was trying to give instructions to launch class. I stopped. Waited. Started instruction again. Talk talk talk. I stopped. Waited. Started again. I said, "Please, do finish what you have to say. It is rude to talk while other people are talking, so I will wait for you to finish." He talked back, "I didn't say anything."

Talking back. It makes me see purple, I get so frustrated. My own son is the King of talking back. He's at the end of eighth grade and is asserting his power these days. I say "white", he says "black". "Up". "Down". "Yes". "No". No matter... he will say the opposite of whatever I say... unless he wants something. Then, he is sweet and light. Agreeable. Kind. Otherwise, I face a talking-back monster.

The irony of all of this? I was the Queen of Talking Back when I was a kid. Seriously, I was the worst smart aleck you'd ever meet. However, I don't remember talking back to teachers. Just to my parents. And oohh... could I talk back.

I just got up and walked through my class to check their work. The child who talked back turned around really quickly, almost expecting me to maybe spank him. Of course, I wasn't even going near him... but that was a very telling moment. I wonder if he talks back like that because he doesn't have much power and control at home? Could that be? Or is talking back a rite of passage for kids maturing into young adults? I know I'm not a strict authoritarian at home and my own son talks back. Now, I'm wondering. Why do some kids talk back and others "yes, ma'am?"

And look at what I found for an image for this essay (see below). Is that right? Is talking back merely explaining? I guess it's all about the tone, really.