You call the sub registry to say that you will be out sick. No, out for personal reasons. No. “Out sick…with a cold.” You hang up. You e-mail your sub plans. You go back to sleep.
Two hours later and go to the diner. Eat breakfast. Read the paper. Then you walk to the hospital. You don’t like hospitals. The old people make you conscious of how young and healthy you are and how those things are ephemeral. You try not to imagine yourself being wheeled around and gumming pureed meat, but you can't. You walk through the sliding doors, realize that your third period class is being given a grammar worksheet about semicolons. You imagine their complaints. You aren’t sure if you would rather be there with their complaints or here in the hospital.
You walk past security, take the elevator up to the tenth floor, and walk past two nurses’ stations and into her room without anyone asking you any questions. Sit down next to her bed and she stares at you. Ask how she is feeling. She stares at you. Asked if she is eating. She stares at you. Ask if she wants a drink. A beer? A martini? A vodka gimlet? She stares at you. You start to cry. She stares at you. Then she startes to hum a tune. You don’t recognize it.
When you look at the clock, you realize it is the middle of sixth period. Your class is in the computer lab with the sub. They are probably checking their e-mail and updating their facebook accounts instead of doing research. You wish you could check your e-mail. Look at her and realize that she never had e-mail. You imagine yourself in the bed. Staring. Humming. Receiving no e-mails.
A nurse comes in with a tray of pureed beef, pureed carrots, and pureed potatoes. The nurse has to feed her. You don’t want to watch. You walk past the two nurses' stations and take the elevator down ten floors and walk past security and out the sliding doors. It is the start of eighth period. Walk away from the hospital quickly. You don’t look back.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
why do we read?
I think most of my students read because they have to. If they don’t, they’ll fail a quiz or a seminar or a response. It would be nice if students read for pleasure, but they usually don’t get to choose what they are reading. It’s so much harder to enjoy something when you don’t get to choose what it is. I know what music I like. I find it hard to enjoy a song when I’m forced to listen to it, especially if it’s not a style I enjoy. I know what food I like. I can’t imagine going to get Chinese takeout and not getting to choose what I want to eat off the menu. Even if I like Chinese food, I don’t want to be forced to eat something for dinner. Luckily, this class gives students a choice of what they want to read. That’s a good first step.
I read for pleasure, but it’s so hard to find the time. Just like my students, I feel overwhelmed with grad school, grading, planning, and seeing my friends. Again, I feel like this class helps to solve that problem because we spend several days a week reading. I also think that when you read regularly, it’s easier to jump into a book at home when you have some free time. It becomes more comfortable and natural to read.
My poster is quite simple. READ OR DIE. I mean this figuratively of course, but reading helps us see language in a new way, helps us see ourselves in a new way, and helps us see the world around us in a new way. That’s important stuff. Maybe if we don’t read - our minds will die, or our spirits, or our culture. It helps us relate to each other and the world around us. So I’m going to read because I want to live.
I read for pleasure, but it’s so hard to find the time. Just like my students, I feel overwhelmed with grad school, grading, planning, and seeing my friends. Again, I feel like this class helps to solve that problem because we spend several days a week reading. I also think that when you read regularly, it’s easier to jump into a book at home when you have some free time. It becomes more comfortable and natural to read.
My poster is quite simple. READ OR DIE. I mean this figuratively of course, but reading helps us see language in a new way, helps us see ourselves in a new way, and helps us see the world around us in a new way. That’s important stuff. Maybe if we don’t read - our minds will die, or our spirits, or our culture. It helps us relate to each other and the world around us. So I’m going to read because I want to live.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tattoo
Tattoos, magic, and high school girls seemed like an interesting mix. I’m not a Harry Potter fan, but this book seemed like it might have an edge, and I wanted to get a feel for what some of my students were reading. Now that I’ve finished the book, I have mixed feelings.
The story was fun and easy to follow. The characters were well developed, and I easily connected each of them to students I have known. I really appreciated the fact that these were typical high school girls (not students at a magic school) and being a high school teacher I can attest to the realism of their banter and their personalities. While I found some of the plot predictable, there was definitely an element of mystery as the girls tried to figure out what their powers were and what they had been called upon to do. The end was actually surprising.
That being said, I didn’t love the book. Part of it was that it was about four high school girls, and while I can appreciate their banter and their friendship, it was hard for me to relate to four high school girls. I also found some of the novel to be repetitive, but I would definitely recommend it to any high school girl, whether or not they like magic. Especially if they’re thinking about getting a tattoo.
The story was fun and easy to follow. The characters were well developed, and I easily connected each of them to students I have known. I really appreciated the fact that these were typical high school girls (not students at a magic school) and being a high school teacher I can attest to the realism of their banter and their personalities. While I found some of the plot predictable, there was definitely an element of mystery as the girls tried to figure out what their powers were and what they had been called upon to do. The end was actually surprising.
That being said, I didn’t love the book. Part of it was that it was about four high school girls, and while I can appreciate their banter and their friendship, it was hard for me to relate to four high school girls. I also found some of the novel to be repetitive, but I would definitely recommend it to any high school girl, whether or not they like magic. Especially if they’re thinking about getting a tattoo.
How to Become a Responding to Lit. Student
Finish reading Lorrie Moore's "How to Become a Writer." Figure out why it is a short story. Figure out why you read stories. Figure out why you are in this class. Write your own story. Question why it is a story. Post it to your blog. Try to make the teacher happy. Secretly hate the teacher. Wonder why he makes you read and respond to stories. Wonder why he has a beard. Maybe he is cold. Maybe he wants to cover acne. Maybe he lost his razor.
Read other people's stories in your class. Wonder why they are stories. Write them comments. Tell them why you like certain lines. Tell them what you find confusing. Try to make the teacher happy. Secretly hate the teacher. Wonder why he drinks so much coffee. Wonder why he likes wearing ties. Wonder why he teaches English. Wonder why he makes you read and respond to stories. Then read and respond to stories.
Read other people's stories in your class. Wonder why they are stories. Write them comments. Tell them why you like certain lines. Tell them what you find confusing. Try to make the teacher happy. Secretly hate the teacher. Wonder why he drinks so much coffee. Wonder why he likes wearing ties. Wonder why he teaches English. Wonder why he makes you read and respond to stories. Then read and respond to stories.
Friday, February 6, 2009
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