Ode to Facebook (or, I am newly inspired to blog again now that I teach at a new and improved school that actually approves of this kind of thing. Can I hear a WHOO HOO?)

Subject: It doesn't look like you are teaching anymore, but...

a very long time ago, you did this lesson that, for whatever reason, had a major impact on me. You played this clip of NYPD Blue, just the crazy urban noise music of the intro, and related it to an Auden poem.

I was a complete reject in high school--not much of a student for reasons beyond my control--but I snapped to attention that day. I fell in love with Auden, with poetry, and the idea that teaching didn't have to be completely mundane. You could develop a creative way of presenting information and actually reach your students.

My class was full of duds, so I'm sure we didn't show much appreciation. I'm pretty sure one of the only things I did that year was try to teach the College Park-transplant-football-player-dude who sat behind me how to read. Probably while you were talking.

So, I wanted to tell you that even though you may not have known it at the time, you planted a little seed that took a good while to grow, and now I am a kick ass high school English teacher with a couple of degrees under my belt. And I'm published.

Pretty cool, huh.

-hipteacher

Comments

WHOO HOO! I enjoyed reading so many of your older postings, so I am glad to hear you are revived! Feels good, doesn't it?!!

Posted by: Marie Olsen | 20.09.2009 at 07:26 PM

It feels amazing. I'd forgotten how much I needed this outlet. Thanks for reading--it's been so long, you're probably the only one out there!

Oh, and I hear ya about the access thing. I had my kids set up Google Sites the other day. The main Google Sites page was DENIED, but if the kids made Gmail accounts and logged into them, then they could access the Google Sites. Bizarre!

Posted by: hipteacher | 20.09.2009 at 11:08 PM