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I just finished reading the latest post over at Pedablogue about using theatrical teaching. I'm not sure I would rip a bible in half as I have the sometime misfortune to live and teach in the bible belt, but I definitely like to shock my kids a little. If nothing else, I like to make sure everybody is awake.

I've been teaching Oedipus to the World Lit class, and they've been pretty non-plussed about the whole thing even after I hyped up the murder/incest hook. After they finished working on their vocabulary on Wednesday, I casually took out my computer, went to a cheesy horoscope site, and asked a girl in the front what her sign was. After I read her horoscope for the day, a boy in the back asked if I would read his too. We continued on for a few minutes, all the while me seeming totally unconcerned that we weren't, you know, learning anything. I had 3 new students in my class that day. Suddenly, one of them yelled out, "Is she really reading our horoscope?! Does she do that everyday?!" But, I ignored their confusion and shock and went on with my "lesson."

After I read everyone's horoscope, I connected it to the play. Oedipus struggles with his fortune. Should he, and others, believe the oracle? Is his fate determined by prophecy? If the quarterback of the football team's horoscope warned him about getting injured that week, would he be tempted to skip practice, or even the big game on Friday?

I still don't think they really like Oedipus, but they gave me some pretty good effort that day. They like it when I'm not being "teacherly" and do unexpected things. Now, I feel like I am giving them a less than ok lesson when I don't have something unexpected or super interesting to do with them, and it's hard to make every lesson fresh and fascinating. Sometimes, I just need them to sit down and read the play.

PS. Just after I finished posting, I found a link to this Oedipus film on Boing Boing . Brilliant!

Comments

From my school days, the only thing that made Oedipus interesting was discussing how Frued read it incorrectly.

[Michelle]

Good for you! That was brilliant! You have to build on it...remember that brilliant idea, and next year you'll have another one, and so on. I think it gets better that way...;-)

[Rob Lucas]

"Now, I feel like I am giving them a less than ok lesson when I don't have something unexpected or super interesting to do with them, and it's hard to make every lesson fresh and fascinating."

I felt that way all last year, which was my first year. And as Michelle says, it gets better with time. This year, I've been able to repeat all the successful lessons and replace the bad ones with new ideas. To speed the process along, though, I've recently started a website, The Teachers' Lounge Wiki, where teachers in all grade levels and subjects can post their favorite lessons, handouts, etc. I'd love to have you help get the ball rolling by posting some of your lessons. The horoscope idea is exactly the kind of thing I had in mind when I started the site.

[Aurora]

hey, cool site. and VERY cool that you're using a creative commons license. i'm a big fan of that org.

anyway, i need some advice for my own website. how did you set yours up to come up first on google when you search "hip teacher?" i heard about your site from a friend of mine who works with you (in case you were wondering).

[Mike Arnzen]

EXCELLENT use of horoscopes in the class...your students are very lucky to have you as a teacher. I could see myself doing something like that, only to randomly read a horoscope that said "a person in authority will fall in love with you" or something oddly embarrasing like that.

And hey, thanks for reading Pedablogue, too.

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