My Top Ten and a Teacher Moment
Finally, after waiting since September for that one teacher moment when I remember all that is good about what we do, the day arrived. One of my seniors, a young woman with a world of baggage she carries around, walked into class today for the fifth consecutive day. She hadn't done that all year. The moment demanded a spot in this blog.
And now to my top ten. In a discussion about why I bother teaching Beowulf, a student asked me to list my favorite novels (I include a play). I may have created a list like this before, but on this day it went as follows:
1. Godric by Frederick Buechner
2. The Tempest by William Shakespeare
3. Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
4. A Separate Peace by John Knowles
5. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
6. Glittering Images by Susan Howatch
7. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
8. The Book of Bebb by Frederick Buechner
9. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
10. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Every one of those stories created a sense of uneasiness and pleasure. I cried at times, and I laughed at times.
posted by Mr. McNamar @ 5:34 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
How did you answer the Beowulf question?
I asked my students if they would rather read novels that we have in the book room or purchase more interesting books.
They voted to purchase more interesting books on their own. But, the book choice was split down the middle. So I will be teaching two books at the same time!
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