I remember watching this video in Bible School about good learners. It informed us that good learners make connections in their minds with other knowledge. They hear something and say, "That's like..." Anyone remember that video?
Anyway. My students are GOOD LEARNERS! And here are some examples.
Example 1
I just heard from one of my no-longer-at-our-school students, who related to me a recent conversation (which I'll take some liberties with, but leave the relevant part word for word). I will call my student "my kid" and the other kids (who are important only in that they are the backdrop against which my kid shines) "kid 1" and "kid 2."
Kid 1: Dude, practice is at 3.
Kid 2: No way, it's totally 3:30!
Kid 1: Were you even listening?
My Kid (putting his hand on kid 2's shoulder): There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophies.
Kid 2: ??????
YESSSS! My kid quotes Shakespeare to his buddies!
Example 2
In class we were talking about Chaucer's Knight's Tale, and the part where Arcita sneaks across the border dressed as a servant, and serves willingly for 7 years to win his love (sounds vaguely Biblical, eh?). One of my students - just a regular one, not a super-brilliant one - piped up and said, "That's like Odysseus coming back to his country." WHA--? You are remembering such a small detail. And from LAST YEAR? Glory be!
Example 3
In another class we are reading Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," and I was assigning parts and writing each student's name on the board next to his part. One of my less-enthusiastic-about-literature students said he didn't want to be anyone. So I put his name on the board and then wrote "no one" next to it. One of my other students suggested that he be Kent, from last year's The Next Fine Day, since in that book he describes himself as "no one." YESSSSSS!
Example 4
Also in "Much Ado About Nothing," a different kid raised his hand when I brought up the idea of stoicism. "Isn't that kind of like Jane Eyre's cousin? The one who was too much on the side of reason without having the balance of emotion?" Ay ay ay! Who even knows Jane Eyre's cousin?!
I'm pretty sure half of my kids are smarter than I am. But I try not to let on.
2 comments:
HAhahaha
Wow!
Those are pretty insanely awesome. They would never have made those connections without a fabulous teacher who gets excessively excited about such connections when she teaches :)
Also, how cool are classical schools?!
How thrilling to have them learning and making connections and even remembering things you've forgotten...I LOVE that!
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