My students learned yesterday that the major theme in Romeo and Juliet is not romance, and in fact Shakespeare, though he wrote many love sonnets, didn’t write romance plays. I tried to make it very simple for them. If the main characters die at the end, it’s a tragedy. If they don’t die, it’s a comedy. If it bores you to tears, it’s a history. I ignored the comments of a few that all Shakespeare bores them to tears, and they agreed to watch the movie “O” with me on Thursday, provided, of course, I bring cookies again. This week’s request is Snickerdoodle.
I must admit, I’m surprised at how quickly I’ve grown attached to these students. I feel as if we’re all on this endeavor together. Their gains are my gains; their frustrations are mine as well. My driving force for waking up early every morning now is not the paycheck, but the assurance that they will be there waiting for me, ready to take the next small step in their educations and their lives. What a great privilege it is to be there walking beside them.
2 comments:
I bet you being yourself helps.
Snickerdoodles. Blech.
Dagney,
Great post! I wake up every morning to live and not to die, not to worship a god or someone and not submit myself to someone's glory.
I think you are heading somewhere - the purpose of life is what you want it to be. Not someone else.
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