We are studying archetype characters in my ELA class this quarter. We have looked at all of the character types you see in literature: the hero, the villian, the damsel in distress, the trickster, etc. This all has me thinking about the archetype characters we see in our classrooms. Every year, there are certain types of students that enter our rooms.
The Disrupter - The student who needs so much attention from his peers, he constantly disrupts class during lessons and indepdendent work. This can range from whistling or burping to just shouting out to get attention.
The People Pleaser -- The student who is well behaved, always does her work, and is always on task. This student asks to come in during lunch to help clean the room or rearrange my book shelves. As teachers, we love this student. However, I always worry about her future -- it’s not good to want to please others all the time. It can get you into trouble if you’re pleasing the wrong people.
The Space Cadet - The student who never knows what’s going on. The kid who, on day 4 of learning about myths, says, “What’s a myth?” He never brings a pencil or notebook to class, never remembers homework, and is generally unprepared for life in general.
The Overachiever -- The student who does more work than is required. If you ask him to find 2 examples of irony in a story, he will try to find 3. In a world of students who do the bare minimum, this student is such a breath of fresh air. This trait will serve them well no matter what they do in life.
The Underachiever -- This student is capable of an “A,” but is happy with a “C.”. I think of all the archetype students, this one makes me most angry. I hate to see potential wasted, and it hurts my soul to see a bright, capable kid who is satisfied with mediocre.
The Questioner -- The student who asks questions that start with something like, “I wonder what would happen if…” I adore this student. The student whose wheels are always turning. They’re not afraid to think outside the box. They look at things from 10 different angles and wonder, wonder, wonder.
The Giggler - This is almost always a girl who is obsessed with boys. She laughs and giggles at everything the boys (especially the bad boys) do and say. They encourage The Disrupter by laughing at everything he does.
Archetypes are not only found in literature. They are found in our classrooms as well.
The Disrupter - The student who needs so much attention from his peers, he constantly disrupts class during lessons and indepdendent work. This can range from whistling or burping to just shouting out to get attention.
The People Pleaser -- The student who is well behaved, always does her work, and is always on task. This student asks to come in during lunch to help clean the room or rearrange my book shelves. As teachers, we love this student. However, I always worry about her future -- it’s not good to want to please others all the time. It can get you into trouble if you’re pleasing the wrong people.
The Space Cadet - The student who never knows what’s going on. The kid who, on day 4 of learning about myths, says, “What’s a myth?” He never brings a pencil or notebook to class, never remembers homework, and is generally unprepared for life in general.
The Overachiever -- The student who does more work than is required. If you ask him to find 2 examples of irony in a story, he will try to find 3. In a world of students who do the bare minimum, this student is such a breath of fresh air. This trait will serve them well no matter what they do in life.
The Underachiever -- This student is capable of an “A,” but is happy with a “C.”. I think of all the archetype students, this one makes me most angry. I hate to see potential wasted, and it hurts my soul to see a bright, capable kid who is satisfied with mediocre.
The Questioner -- The student who asks questions that start with something like, “I wonder what would happen if…” I adore this student. The student whose wheels are always turning. They’re not afraid to think outside the box. They look at things from 10 different angles and wonder, wonder, wonder.
The Giggler - This is almost always a girl who is obsessed with boys. She laughs and giggles at everything the boys (especially the bad boys) do and say. They encourage The Disrupter by laughing at everything he does.
Archetypes are not only found in literature. They are found in our classrooms as well.