How good was my day? Let me tell you.
My AP class gave speeches today. Usually, this is a chore for both them and me. Kids who don’t take Speech or Debate typically don’t want to speak in front of the class, but they muddle through the assignment and I try to be as merciful as possible in grading them.
But today my mercy was not in high demand, because those kids gave some of the best speeches ever. The topic was “My Favorite Things.” One particularly clever fellow, knowing my disdain for passive voice, cited it as one of his favorite things and for 45 seconds, spoke in passive voice. It was hilarious.
That alone would have been enough to make my day, but there was more.
In my Pop Culture Studies classes, we started the film production unit where we evaluate the different responsibilities of film crews: producer, director, cinematographer, editor, and screenwriter.
Today was screenwriter day, and I showed them a couple of clips from “Tales From The Script”–a great documentary about the screenwriting process. They questions they asked me were insightful and challenging, and I loved every minute of it. They were thinking! They were curious! It was so awesome.
So on this last day of November, I am grateful for days like these that remind me what I love so much about teaching–the kids.
I need more of these days.
