I have been enjoying my brand-new Medieval Lit class SO MUCH! Partly because it is a class with my best students, so the discussions are top quality, and partly because said discussions revolve around such profundities as those of Boethius and Augustine, and lead to conclusions such as this one by Boethius:
"We have concluded that both happiness and God are the supreme good; wherefore that which is highest Divinity must also itself necessarily be supreme happiness."
And such definitions of happiness as this one of Augustine's: "the full possession of all that the heart can long for," which is so obviously met in God alone and God in His fulness.
As Augustine put it so profoundly, "Thou has made us for thyself, Oh Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee."
Teaching this class is like going to church every day!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Funniest Moments of Today
Funny Moment #1: Teacher Devotions
Our high school science teacher, John, is a tech-savvy kind of guy, who has many of the latest gadgets. His latest gadgets collection includes a Nook (or a Kindle... I'm not sure which), which he uses for teacher devotions in the morning, instead of bringing a Bible. The headmaster tells us the reference, and we all diligently go "flip flip flip flip flip" while John goes "click click" and is there.
Well, this morning it went like this. The headmaster said the reference and we all began flipping. "Aw man," John said, "I hit a wrong button!" There was a little silence, and then, ever so softly, a little "naa naa a boo boo" song came floating from Steve's seat. And the second grade teacher followed that with a smug little, "I'm there already." A win for the old school among us!
Funny Moment #2: First Drama Class
Since we're planning to put on a performance of various Shakespeare scenes at the end of the year, we were reading snippets of several of the Bard's plays during drama class today. We soon came to the wonderful scene in "The Merchant of Venice" in which Shylock demands his pound of flesh. Shylock, read by my student Rob (in a fabulously evil voice), had just finished his bitter diatribe in which, despite what anyone said, he was going to stand for LAW, and would NEVER give in to the demands that he forgive Antonio. And then it was time for Portia to speak. She began her wonderful, page-long soliloquy about mercy. But this time, instead of a 15 minute speech, she got as far as "The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath," when Rob's evil voice broke in with the shrugged: "Oh, okay." Now there is some abbreviated Shakespeare for you!
Our high school science teacher, John, is a tech-savvy kind of guy, who has many of the latest gadgets. His latest gadgets collection includes a Nook (or a Kindle... I'm not sure which), which he uses for teacher devotions in the morning, instead of bringing a Bible. The headmaster tells us the reference, and we all diligently go "flip flip flip flip flip" while John goes "click click" and is there.
Well, this morning it went like this. The headmaster said the reference and we all began flipping. "Aw man," John said, "I hit a wrong button!" There was a little silence, and then, ever so softly, a little "naa naa a boo boo" song came floating from Steve's seat. And the second grade teacher followed that with a smug little, "I'm there already." A win for the old school among us!
Funny Moment #2: First Drama Class
Since we're planning to put on a performance of various Shakespeare scenes at the end of the year, we were reading snippets of several of the Bard's plays during drama class today. We soon came to the wonderful scene in "The Merchant of Venice" in which Shylock demands his pound of flesh. Shylock, read by my student Rob (in a fabulously evil voice), had just finished his bitter diatribe in which, despite what anyone said, he was going to stand for LAW, and would NEVER give in to the demands that he forgive Antonio. And then it was time for Portia to speak. She began her wonderful, page-long soliloquy about mercy. But this time, instead of a 15 minute speech, she got as far as "The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath," when Rob's evil voice broke in with the shrugged: "Oh, okay." Now there is some abbreviated Shakespeare for you!
Friday, September 09, 2011
A Sigh of Relief
The first day of school usually comes about three days after I become wildly excited about starting back. This year, however, excluding a couple little moments of cheer, the excitement was noticeably at bay. In fact the morning of my first day dawned and I felt... dread. I just wasn't ready yet. Not an awesome feeling.
But off to school I went, knowing that it would probably be better when kids actually started walking through the door. And it was. And then it was more, and then more, and then it was awesome.
And finally came that moment where I breathed a sigh of joy as I felt, yet again, that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I was made for teaching, and there is nothing greater than doing what you were made for!
So this night, as I sit down to write this blog, I am quite blissful. Silly me, when will I ever learn that the transition is hard, but once past it's good again!?
I've been at it for three days now, and already have some award-winning moments.
Cuteness award: This award is given to the tiniest seventh graders I've ever had. They are just so wee! They walk into my room and I want to pat their little baby heads! I'm not growing anymore, so I don't think it's just a perspective thing. They really are exceptionally small. I don't think they've hit five feet yet. Is that possible? Maybe not. But it feels like it.
Growing Up award: My 8th graders get this hands-down. They were one of my biggest challenges last year, and this year they are noticeably more mature. What a relief. They are going to be a joy to teach!
Epiphany award #1: A freshman boy! My students have these epiphanies in literature every once in awhile, much to my delight. Today's epiphany came unexpectedly in my 9th grade Classical Literature class, which I'd been worried about. The students are still a bit junior-highish, and therefore afraid to take any risks for fear of how their classmates will perceive them. I was concerned that getting them where I wanted them to be would be a bit pulling-teeth-ish. But today's discussion topic was "What is a true hero?" and they were excellent. We used Perseus, Theseus, and Hercules as a springboard. By the end of class we had a compelling list something like this on the board:
1. Buff (haha - of course!) 2. Saves people 3. Human 4. Overcomes his failures 5. Doesn't save for personal benefit, but for the benefit of others 6. Self-sacrificial (yes, 5 & 6 are a little redundant - think of 6 as a fine-tuning of 5...)
And THEN I asked them who is the best example of a hero, and they quickly arrived at the person I wanted them to, which was Jesus! But the epiphany came when we were kind of glossing over #4 because Jesus didn't have failures. It was then that my 9th grade boy came out with "yeah, but he overcame everyone ELSE'S failures!"
It seems like a kind of small thing, but for me it was a huge moment, because it was a daring, original thought to pipe up with, and to me it represented the salvation of a class. They are going to be great after all!
Then we went outside to try our hands at throwing my awesome Atlanta Olympics practice discus that I got from Nate, because we'd been studying Perseus who accidentally killed his grandfather throwing a discus. They had fun and didn't kill anyone. Definitely a successful class!
Epiphany award #2: My big kids, in their Medieval Lit class. You should have HEARD them discussing Augustine today. OH MY WORD. They were getting SO into it as we contrasted Medieval writing, in which authors were striving to portray the true nature of the world, with modern writing, in which authors are striving to portray themselves. They were making comparisons to art, and how it is inaccessible today because it's all about the artist, not the art. And they were getting more and more animated until one broke out with "We should publish this! Has anyone even said this stuff before?!?!" I had to break it to him that yes, others had thought this. But never in that classroom! And probably never in quite the same way, since we were assimilating several different things into one big picture....... which, by the way, is EXACTLY what the Medieval writers were doing! Ohhhhh the beauty of a discussion coming full circle :)
Awesomeness award: Goes to two of my kids who, when one of my papers fell from the podium onto the floor, both dove for it so vigorously that they ended up crumpling it. Such an almost-helpful moment. It definitely made me laugh.
Last-minute award: ME! I get this one! Remember how I was feeling unprepared when school was starting up? Well it was for good reason. I walked into school on Thursday, knowing I was going to be teaching music 6th period (and for the rest of the year) and NOT knowing WHAT I was going to be teaching. Not comfortable. I had a free period before class in which I needed to quickly figure out the year. And guess what. I did! And I came up with an idea that I really like! It combines some music appreciation, some music theory, and some music history in a (if I do say so myself) clever way that keeps the kids moving from one to the other before they can get bored:) AND I walked into school without knowing what play I was going to be doing for Drama (what were you doing all summer? you may ask. A TON! I will respond. These things moved rapidly to the back burner and for one reason or another found it difficult to emerge). But last night I found the PERFECT ONE ("Much Ado About Will" - a fabulous conglomeration of scenes from various Shakespeare plays, put together in an inventive and captivating way). Ahhhhh the relief of FINALLY having my ducks in a row.
It was definitely an award-winning first week of school, that's for sure. And this evening, as I sat down, I found myself looking forward to Monday. Truly I am where I'm meant to be.
But off to school I went, knowing that it would probably be better when kids actually started walking through the door. And it was. And then it was more, and then more, and then it was awesome.
And finally came that moment where I breathed a sigh of joy as I felt, yet again, that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I was made for teaching, and there is nothing greater than doing what you were made for!
So this night, as I sit down to write this blog, I am quite blissful. Silly me, when will I ever learn that the transition is hard, but once past it's good again!?
I've been at it for three days now, and already have some award-winning moments.
Cuteness award: This award is given to the tiniest seventh graders I've ever had. They are just so wee! They walk into my room and I want to pat their little baby heads! I'm not growing anymore, so I don't think it's just a perspective thing. They really are exceptionally small. I don't think they've hit five feet yet. Is that possible? Maybe not. But it feels like it.
Growing Up award: My 8th graders get this hands-down. They were one of my biggest challenges last year, and this year they are noticeably more mature. What a relief. They are going to be a joy to teach!
Epiphany award #1: A freshman boy! My students have these epiphanies in literature every once in awhile, much to my delight. Today's epiphany came unexpectedly in my 9th grade Classical Literature class, which I'd been worried about. The students are still a bit junior-highish, and therefore afraid to take any risks for fear of how their classmates will perceive them. I was concerned that getting them where I wanted them to be would be a bit pulling-teeth-ish. But today's discussion topic was "What is a true hero?" and they were excellent. We used Perseus, Theseus, and Hercules as a springboard. By the end of class we had a compelling list something like this on the board:
1. Buff (haha - of course!) 2. Saves people 3. Human 4. Overcomes his failures 5. Doesn't save for personal benefit, but for the benefit of others 6. Self-sacrificial (yes, 5 & 6 are a little redundant - think of 6 as a fine-tuning of 5...)
And THEN I asked them who is the best example of a hero, and they quickly arrived at the person I wanted them to, which was Jesus! But the epiphany came when we were kind of glossing over #4 because Jesus didn't have failures. It was then that my 9th grade boy came out with "yeah, but he overcame everyone ELSE'S failures!"
It seems like a kind of small thing, but for me it was a huge moment, because it was a daring, original thought to pipe up with, and to me it represented the salvation of a class. They are going to be great after all!
Then we went outside to try our hands at throwing my awesome Atlanta Olympics practice discus that I got from Nate, because we'd been studying Perseus who accidentally killed his grandfather throwing a discus. They had fun and didn't kill anyone. Definitely a successful class!
Epiphany award #2: My big kids, in their Medieval Lit class. You should have HEARD them discussing Augustine today. OH MY WORD. They were getting SO into it as we contrasted Medieval writing, in which authors were striving to portray the true nature of the world, with modern writing, in which authors are striving to portray themselves. They were making comparisons to art, and how it is inaccessible today because it's all about the artist, not the art. And they were getting more and more animated until one broke out with "We should publish this! Has anyone even said this stuff before?!?!" I had to break it to him that yes, others had thought this. But never in that classroom! And probably never in quite the same way, since we were assimilating several different things into one big picture....... which, by the way, is EXACTLY what the Medieval writers were doing! Ohhhhh the beauty of a discussion coming full circle :)
Awesomeness award: Goes to two of my kids who, when one of my papers fell from the podium onto the floor, both dove for it so vigorously that they ended up crumpling it. Such an almost-helpful moment. It definitely made me laugh.
Last-minute award: ME! I get this one! Remember how I was feeling unprepared when school was starting up? Well it was for good reason. I walked into school on Thursday, knowing I was going to be teaching music 6th period (and for the rest of the year) and NOT knowing WHAT I was going to be teaching. Not comfortable. I had a free period before class in which I needed to quickly figure out the year. And guess what. I did! And I came up with an idea that I really like! It combines some music appreciation, some music theory, and some music history in a (if I do say so myself) clever way that keeps the kids moving from one to the other before they can get bored:) AND I walked into school without knowing what play I was going to be doing for Drama (what were you doing all summer? you may ask. A TON! I will respond. These things moved rapidly to the back burner and for one reason or another found it difficult to emerge). But last night I found the PERFECT ONE ("Much Ado About Will" - a fabulous conglomeration of scenes from various Shakespeare plays, put together in an inventive and captivating way). Ahhhhh the relief of FINALLY having my ducks in a row.
It was definitely an award-winning first week of school, that's for sure. And this evening, as I sat down, I found myself looking forward to Monday. Truly I am where I'm meant to be.
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