"You want me to put on a costume?!"
"Um, do I look like I'm 7?"
"Ms. Shafer, I am not singing in front of the class."
Such positive (cough, cough) comments could be heard this morning as the Jr. English class I am teaching for two weeks climbed off the bus and onto the property of Woodlawn Farm, a stop on the Underground Railroad. Determined to make this a useful and enjoyable experience (and understanding how embarrassing these sorts of tasks can be for a 16 or 17 year old in a group of his/her peers), I smirked and told them to give it a shot.
Hand to God, they were hooked within five minutes. When portraying runaway slaves, they tussled over costumes to look the part. One girl stood in front of the class with the historical interpreter and sang a spiritual. The group whittled soap, snuck through the darkness, and Red Rovered like there was no tomorrow.
Education is already proving to be a challenging field; I never quite know what I will encounter when I walk in the classroom. But I do know this -- I can never underestimate these kids and what they will do. It seems like when I keep an open mind, they keep an open mind. I know I taught them something today, and it feels really good.
It also felt really good to be seven again!!
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2 comments:
That's a lovely story. I remember my high school experience and know that the teachers that had open minds always showed themselves to be the teachers we students worked for. Kids can smell a rat, yes?
I'm planning a road trip this summer to check out some Underground Railroad spots in Ontario this summer and looking forward to it!
That's great, Tracey. Have a wonderful trip!
As for smelling a rat...I know from experience that the teachers who get the most work out of their students are the ones who put the most work into their students. That's the kind of teacher I intend to be.
Thanks for stopping by...come back often!
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