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Seeing the Difference
Teachers share the differences they see about freshmen and senior classes By Analiesa Hollowood Staff Reporter Freshmen and seniors are very different classes. Many people assume that they know what to expect but whether it’s common misconceptions or stereotypes, there is a lot to get wrong when profiling an entire grade. Let’s peel back the curtain of mystery as teachers who specialize in teaching one grade over another share what they have learned to bridge the gap between grade levels, and show why this divide isn’t all that it seems. There are many positives to teaching a freshman-heavy class. Life Sciences teacher Jessica Rowe talks about her favorite things with the freshmen class. “Freshmen have so much potential and they come in with such a sense of wonder. Like wondering what high school will be like. ‘I wonder what I will get to do. I wonder who I will meet and what I will learn,’” Mrs. Rowe said. Mrs. Rowe, who teaches Pre-AP biology and Medical Interventions, talked in depth about how people tend to underestimate freshmen’s abilities. Many think that they are incapable of overcoming the fast-paced high school environment. The science department is known to limit labs. “It’s wrong to assume that because they’re freshmen, they don’t know how to be responsible or critically think or ask great questions,” Mrs. Rowe said. Freshmen are not the stumbling baby deer they are stereotyped to be, a freshman level classroom is far from herding cats. They often
just require extra help with adjusting to the high school environment. English teacher Kathryn Mastarokas speaks about this extra guidance. “Freshmen across the board, definitely need a lot more guidance in terms of, how to be organized and keep track of everything and just all that basic, how do you do high school kinds of things,” Mrs. Mastarokas said. While freshmen may require extra work, seniors are no walk in the park either. Mrs Mastarokas may love her senior classes but senioritis is rampant no matter what a teacher does. “[Seniors] are more, much more Mr. Reed holds wood in his Zoology and Botony class. This chill, sometimes too chill. They’re class, composed of primarily Juniors and Seniors, explores getting lazy because they’re seniors. the biology of plants and animals. Photo by Aniya Sparrow Senioritis is real,” Mrs. Mastarokas said. levels. Mr. Patrick Reed, Zoology and “I think freshmen are caterpillars. They come Botany and Human Anatomy and Physiology in and they’re just crunching and munching. teacher, feels right at home with his senior They’re eating and they can be sloppy. They can classes. be like this barge all the way around the plant “Seniors are my comfort zone,” Mr. Reed said. eating everything all the time. By the time you “I walk into my ZoBot or HAP classes and feel guys are seniors, you are butterflies. You come right at home. I feel like seniors know what they out senior year and it’s like, I’m ready to fly. Like need and I can be more sarcastic with them. Like let’s go,” Mr. Reed said. they are ready to receive all of my wisdom.” The differences, though they are stark in Freshmen with their newness and seniors contrast with one another, make sense once with their lack of motivation, there is no perfect you just view highschool as a circle of life. grade level. Freshmen and seniors are just in Every student was once a caterpillar and will all different parts of their journey. Seniors are eventually become a butterfly. Teachers just do ready to move on from high school while the what they can to lead and help their students freshmen are just beginning. Mr. Reed has the along on this journey. perfect analogy for describing these grade
Mrs. Katie Mastarokas is focused as she teaches her Pre-AP Eniglish I class. Her supportive teaching style doesn’t just help in the classroom but it also helps freshmen adjust to the high school environment. Photo by Brock Slinkard.
