When she transitioned from elementary school to middle school, Alexa Sorden's attitude changed, from quiet and compliant to angry and restless. By high school, she considered dropping out.

"But it was the law, so I had to go to school — or my mother would be deported," said Sorden, whose mom was an immigrant from the Dominican Republic. "At least that’s what she told me!"

The anecdote got laughs from an audience of her fellow public school principals, gathered Tuesday for a "Story Slam" modeled after those held regularly by The Moth. 

Sorden was one of seven principals coached by Tim Manley, a writer, illustrator and storyteller. The event at the New York City Department of Education headquarters culminated the year-long Showcase Schools program, which brought principals from around the city to compare notes and improve their schools.

The stories all hinged on moments from the past when principals learned something pivotal about themselves and the world around them, and provided an insight that would later help them at the helm of their current schools.

Principal Denise Watson-Adin, from P.S. 32 in Brooklyn, told about being a newly minted teacher, trying to figure out what to do with a surly 15-year-old who slept in class for hours.

(NYC Department of Education/Pearl Gabel)

For Sorden, what got her to shake off her adolescent surlies was being put in a program for "the tough kids." Teachers made her do community service, including tutoring a boy named Carlos. In her story, Sorden wasn't enthusiastic about the assignment and didn't think she or Carlos were making any progress — until one day he introduced her to his mother.

"And he tugs at her and tells her, ‘That’s her!’ and she comes up to me and says, ‘I just want to say ‘Thank you,’ you taught my son how to read," Sorden said. "And it was then that I started to think — think about my future and think about how I could make a difference in the world."

Afterwards, she said if her fellow principals got one thing out of her story, she hoped it would be to think of students like the one she used to be — ones who are quiet and well-behaved — not as ‘good students,’ but as students who need as much attention as the rambunctious, disruptive ones.

"We are always thankful for the child that doesn't cause us havoc," she said. "We shouldn't be grateful they're being silent and not interrupting. We shouldn't be celebrating that. We need to remember that child needs an outlet, that child needs to communicate."

To hear three 'Showcase' stories from school principals, click on the play button.