Dancing through Teaching

Ever since the universe crashed a reckless driver's car into mine I have been sucked into a most unfortunate and irksome vortex.

However, this experience may have provided me with an important lesson. This car accident occurred 4 days before I was to begin student teaching full-time. Not only that but I had an awkward rental car, a rejected fafsa, and recently deceased cat on my mind...and I had to teach Huck Finn throughout all of it.

It's hard to teach when your personal life is all upside down and inside out but teaching has become a form of escapism. When I teach, it is just me, my students, and sometimes an author. I have loved every second of it. It reminds me of my past life as a dancer, always hungry for the spotlight and ready to show a new trick, to influence or open a mind.

My latest stint at performing was last week when I filmed a lesson for my teaching performance assessment. I was also being observed. I thought it would be awkward but I was unaware of the camera's presence. We discussed appropriate and inappropriate qualities of speaking. We made a t chart and I modeled poor and positive speaking habits. My students were laughing and engaged. Everyone did well on the assignment. My supervisor could not stop raving. It was even better than a roaring applause before a closing curtain.

Watching the film wasn't so bad either except for one glaring flaw...two letters: OK.

I must have said "ok" 3 dozen times! It was a way to check for understanding, an exclamation point, and question mark all at the same time. Every thought-sometimes even a fragment of a thought-was punctuated with "ok."

As an avid writer and past dancer, I am no stranger to that constant, gnawing criticism, doubt, and regret. However, it might not be so bad to go back and rehearse. The show must go on and I have to give it my best. Like a seemingly insignificant unpointed foot or lazy turn, a misplaced comma or lack of parallel structure, my perpetual "ok" is something unnecessary and distracting. It detracts from the meaning of what I am saying and fills the space with a nothing. I am not banning "ok" but I am retracing my steps and becoming more aware of what I say. I love this gig but it is my job to do my best, and at this point it's pretty clear that I still have some rehearsing to do.

Fun With Outlining?

The honeymoon just might be over.

We are wrapping up The Adventures of Hucklberry Finn and the students must begin working on Junior Ex-a project that involves researching a career, writing a detailed outline, interviewing two sources, and presenting your findings to a panel of three people. The students are stressed as teachers are constantly reminding them that they cannot pass Junior Year if they do not pass Junior Ex.

It all starts on Tuesday and the anxiety mixed with the dryness of the materials is a bit scary to me. My uni supervisor will observe me on Thursday when I must dedicate the entire period to outlining. I really do believe that you can make every lesson fun...but I am at a loss here.