This is beautiful--both the photo and the tribute. You've wonderfully captured what in America is a typical Friday night. The colors are incredible.
I wish more people truly appreciated those who spend a good part of their lives teaching, coaching, and helping young people.
Thanks for your comment. I'm seen as a bit different here at my rural southeastern Ohio school. Most follow the textbooks and curriculum religiously--the same worksheets, lectures, tests, etc. each year. The English teacher I replaced set up a curriculum early in her career and stuck by it for her 25 some years at this particular school. She chose certain stories, poems, speeches, etc, from the lit book and didn't veer from them. She felt there was only one interpretation for each of Emily Dickinson's poems and the student had to come up with that. I always wanted to impertantly ask her if she had visited Emily (in her grave) and been told the exact meaning. I respect this woman and she was a great teacher in many ways, but she didn't allow for the student to think much for himself/herself. I do and that's where I butt up against some folks. I had a student who loved Jim Morrison's lyrics. He didn't know that there was a book of Morrison's writings --a journal type book of scribblings and such. My daughter had one, so I brought it to school. You'd thought I'd given him the moon. Charlene later came in and looked through the book and then looked at me and said, "So you consider this poetry." I looked her right in the eyes and replied, "I do." We agreed to disagree. When that boy had her as a teacher, he waited until she was gone for the day and brought a poem to me to be signed off on for a local competition. I loved it and of course signed off on it. It was quite personal and he wouldn't have wanted her to make a 'judgement' on it. How in the world do you make a judgement on someone's soul writing?
I read some of your posts, esp. the ones about the Emilio (?) school (already I forget the full name). A lot of work for the teacher, but that teacher would never be bored or accused of 'cookie cutter' education!
This is beautiful--both the photo and the tribute. You've wonderfully captured what in America is a typical Friday night.
ReplyDeleteThe colors are incredible.
I wish more people truly appreciated those who spend a good part of their lives teaching, coaching, and helping young people.
Thanks for your comment. I'm seen as a bit different here at my rural southeastern Ohio school. Most follow the textbooks and curriculum religiously--the same worksheets, lectures, tests, etc. each year. The English teacher I replaced set up a curriculum early in her career and stuck by it for her 25 some years at this particular school. She chose certain stories, poems, speeches, etc, from the lit book and didn't veer from them.
She felt there was only one interpretation for each of Emily Dickinson's poems and the student had to come up with that. I always wanted to impertantly ask her if she had visited Emily (in her grave) and been told the exact meaning.
I respect this woman and she was a great teacher in many ways, but she didn't allow for the student to think much for himself/herself.
I do and that's where I butt up against some folks.
I had a student who loved Jim Morrison's lyrics. He didn't know that there was a book of Morrison's writings --a journal type book of scribblings and such. My daughter had one, so I brought it to school. You'd thought I'd given him the moon. Charlene later came in and looked through the book and then looked at me and said, "So you consider this poetry." I looked her right in the eyes and replied, "I do." We agreed to disagree.
When that boy had her as a teacher, he waited until she was gone for the day and brought a poem to me to be signed off on for a local competition. I loved it and of course signed off on it. It was quite personal and he wouldn't have wanted her to make a 'judgement' on it. How in the world do you make a judgement on someone's soul writing?
I read some of your posts, esp. the ones about the Emilio (?) school (already I forget the full name). A lot of work for the teacher, but that teacher would never be bored or accused of 'cookie cutter' education!
I second that.
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