Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Three Beautiful Things 06/05/07: The Tempest, Classroom Anarchy, Potato Salad


1. I spent all evening reading my Shakespeare students' magnificent papers on Prospero's Epilogue in relation to his develop as a character throughout the play. I'm always a bit concerned with papers that students will simply feed back what they've heard me or classmates say in class. No way. Not these papers: they were replete with indendent and creative thinking. I learned a lot about the play as they focused on things I either hadn't thought of or had put away deep in the recesses of my Shakespeare memory.

2. I strive to develop an anarchistic classroom where power is de-centralized and students take over discussion and I become, to some degree, unnecessary as students pursue learning, discussing things freely among themselves and follow their own trails of thought, not looking to me to blaze the trails for them. This happened today in Working Class Lit./Research Writing as we discussed Raymond Williams theories of class and W. E. B. Dubois' concept of double consciousness. It was one of my most satisfying days of teaching. Students were teaching each other. I tried to stay out of the way.





3. I love potato salad. We are having a student/teacher potluck party this Friday and out of the blue Reba said she thinks she'll bring the potato salad she makes. I can hardly wait to try it.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is what I love about you! Your passionate unselfish way, that doesn't need to be the center of the universe to derive pleasure from an experience. You find joy in the guidance and step back for the exploration. To find such pleasure in others understanding.

myrtle beached whale said...

wow, I didn't get that from your blog. I just figured Snug ate your lesson plan and you had to wing it.

MarmiteToasty said...

Your students will remember you for a lifetime :)

and I LOVE spudatoe salad, except ours dont look like yours LOL

x

myrtle beached whale said...

yes Marmite, we peel the potatoes first. LOL

Anonymous said...

Oh, boy, I do love potato salad. And as one of the aforesaid students, the anarchist classroom discussion was extremely gratifying to be a part of.Thanks-Victoria

MarmiteToasty said...

LOL@mytle.... smartarse.....I was thinking we cut our spuds up into bigger chunks and we dont have them dark bits that I can see or that dust stuff on the top lol.... :)

x

myrtle beached whale said...

Marmite:

I don't think that is dust. I am guessing paprika. Any dark bits probably slithered in unnoticed. Your assessment of me as a smartarse is definitely unfounded.

MarmiteToasty said...

Cripes...... sorry myrtle..... it was said as a joke :( it was not meant to offend .... we call our maties 'smartarses' over here all the time....... sorry matie.....

:(

Anonymous said...

OK, So I may have gushed a bit but having experienced one of his classes before, it all comes from the heart.

Annie said...

Yum! Potato salad is the perfect food. I could eat it daily in the summer.

myrtle beached whale said...

Marmite:

You have read enough of my drivel to know I am not the serious type who is easily offended, sorry if you got that impression. Not sure where you derived that from.

Anonymous said...

Potato salad will not be arriving...
sadly.