Looking Back to Yesteryear

My second day (and third class period) of writing with my students.  This time it's seniors.  The lucky 13 in my first-thing-in-the-morning British literature class.  We're studying Hamlet and, unfortunately, had to take a three-week break right in the middle of it, so today we'll be looking back in order to understand the things that lie ahead (see the quote from yesterday's first entry) in Hamlet's life.  But first, they are writing.

It's interesting to go through a "last semester of high school" with seniors.  They struggle with wanting to get out now and hang on as long as they can.  They are done (or want to be) with high school work, but not necessarily high school life.  Especially in a boarding school environment, I think.  For me, I have to literally look all the way back to my senior year to remember what it was like for me so I can give them my best as we go through this last semester together.  Sometimes, especially as the end nears, I feel frantic that I didn't do enough, that I didn't tell enough, that I didn't take enough time with them--as a class or as individuals.  I don't like having regrets, but that's always one of them every year.

So, what are things that I need to work on?  Using my time better in class?  Using my influence more out of class?  Going back to my thoughts of yesterday about content of character as opposed to content of essay . . . what do I give them?  What do I say and do to help them know they need Jesus more than any single other thing in their lives????

Blessings

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."  --Charles Dickens

This is the second writing prompt of the day for my sophomores.  What are your present blessings?  List and reflect them.  Well, one of my blessings, for sure, is my students.  I feel a great happiness when I think of them and see them learning and growing.  This writing year that we spend together is not easy.  And there's not a lot of "fun" literature because it's more about them as writers than others.  But they have worked hard.  I've not had to struggle to keep them focused.  I've not had to beg or bribe them.  I know they wish it could be more "interesting" at times, but it is always practical.  Even now.  And they get that.  What a blessing!

Another blessing is my family.  I spent almost all of Christmas vacation with them.  This was a longer break than usual, too, so I made the most of it.  I miss my family a great deal.  It's a real challenge to be without them, so any opportunity to be with them is a blessing.

My friends are a blessing, too.  I have many...too many to count, but not too many to appreciate.  Here, at Thunderbird, each one is very different from the other.  There are not many overlaps in interests--or time together.  That's been interesting to me, to virtually have a different friend for many of the interests in my life.  Last night I went and watched Downton Abby with one of those friends and had a great time laughing and enjoying the life of 1920s Britishers.  I look forward to next week's episode and the time to share again.

Semester Reflections

"Sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand the things that lie ahead." --Unknown

I'm writing with my students today.  It's been awhile since I've done that.  Years ago, I did it all the time.  Actually kept a journal in my classroom and wrote whenever I had them write.  I got away from it for some reason and have missed it.  Today, at the beginning of a new semester, I've resolved to get back to it.

So it's 1:10 p.m.  I have 16 sophomores in the room, heads bent over the page reflecting on the past semester.  What are things that worked in your academic life?  What are things that need work this new semester?  What will you do to assure success in 2013?  I love the sounds of thinking!  It's a beautiful thing to see and hear.

And what is it that I saw and heard from them last semester?  And what did they see and hear from me?  We learned to write from the ground up.  Bit by bit, piece by piece, we learned how to build an essay.  For some, it was easy.  The words flowed easily and smoothly.  There was no struggle to let them loose from their mind.  Others had to fight--with themselves, with those around them, with the distractions that are part of an active classroom.  But they learned.  And so did I.

There are always things that I know for sure work.  And then there are those I need to work on.  It's sometimes hard for me to explain something that comes so easily for me.  Not that writing is easy.  But I know how to do it...  So I have to try to remember what it's like to not know.  And sometimes that frustration keeps me from doing my best.  That's what I will work to improve this semester.

Now, it's nearly 2:30 and I have the AP class with me.  This is a full classroom of juniors and seniors.  With them, I want to do more serious academic writing and thinking.  We've had a good semester, and they've done well, but we need to start focusing on the test prep.  I don't like teaching to a test.  Something in me rebels against that.  I don't know what exactly.  I like the freedom to determine what is important for my students and that takes it all away from me.  Which may be what frustrates me.  I am far more interested in the content of their characters than in the content of their essays!  But that makes it a little difficult to take an AP test if all I've done with them is develop who they are . . . and not what others think they should know.