“When I was in high school, I was the girl who talked too much.
Teachers were not a fan. While my male counterparts were labeled as class clowns, jocks, or just ‘boys being boys,’ I apparently needed to be quiet.
Weekly, my teachers called my parents letting them know how disruptive I was—despite having good grades. I was sent into the hallway—a lot. My report cards stated just how bad my behavior was, too. And one time, my government teacher accused me in front of the entire class of being high. ‘We can get you tested, ya know!’ He shouted as he kicked me out of the classroom.
The truth is, yes, I was talkative. However, I also wish those teachers saw me—past my loudness.
I did have two teachers who viewed my chatty nature as leadership. Yup, those female teachers looked to me for my strong skills. In my leadership class, I was encouraged to run for class council. In peer counseling, my teacher told me I had strong problem-solving skills and I ended up being the youngest peer counselor because of her.
These teachers took the time to see me as a young woman who was more than just ‘loud.’ Because of them, I was able to grow confident—and later, become a teacher myself.
Today, I have a daughter who mimics me in the loudness department. At age 6, she’s already been called too talkative. Many kids and adults will try to hush her as she grows up. But I know as long as she has a few teachers who believe in her for the girl she is, with those leadership skills, she just might change the world.
Perhaps BECAUSE she talks too much.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Angela Anagnost. You can follow her journey on Facebook. Submit your own story here and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.
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