Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Warm & Rainy

Last night, since I was tired, Adam chose a short movie for us to watch. The Red Balloon is a French classic. As we watched (on a laptop, via Netflix of course), and Peter watched ("those boys are gonna burst his balloon!"), I couldn't help thinking how great it would be to use it as a tool to teach symbolism in World Literature. Sigh. Even sitting with my husband on the couch in the evening, I can't get my brain away from work.

Adam's had a hard day, a hard week, a hard month. The middle schoolers are crazy-acting, especially the boys, especially in the spring when the sap is rising in their young veins. Naughty boy behavior is one thing; lack of support from the administration in disciplinary attempts is another.

The drought we've had this past year makes me long for rain, and even though we've gotten plenty lately, I still find myself gazing, mesmerized, out the window at it, as it pelts down, sighing contentedly as it drums the roof. I sit here with Lacey-dog lounging on the floor, Julia and Peter reading books in the living room. Quiet and contentment.

My semester is really going well, and I can't complain. My classes are easy, the students well-behaved. The material is very familiar and requires little preparation. The grading is under control. I find myself wanting to gradually increase the difficulty level on them, testing to see if they've developed enough academically to handle a little bit more.

Today we welcomed into our extended family a new baby, Abraham. My brother and his wife have been very blessed. We're happy for them, thankful for him.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

MK,
Let me send you William and you teach him in Literture. He has a teacher now who has gotten them to read the classics, which he loves, but assigned goofy projects to go along with them. Like, making a movie or writing a play. I want her to make him write, write and write some more. You can keep him for while and then send him home.

Love,
Beth

M.K. said...

Will do, Sadie B. Send him along; Peter would be blissfully happy. I generally make my students write many short essays, each based on a single thesis, with supporting evidence from the literature they're assessing. After a few, they get the hang of it :)

Anonymous said...

That is exactly what I think his class needs to be doing! It is the best way to learn how to write and become a good writer. I took a class like that my first year in college and I learned so much from that class.

Love,
SB