Classroom Engagement

The other day I was at an appointment with a new doctor, and at one point he asked me what my job was. When I told him that I was a high school English teacher, he replied, "Wow, I don't envy you. That's a tough crowd."

This isn't the first time I've heard a comment like this. And, in my opinion, it couldn't be further from the truth. While there is a lot I could complain about in regards to the field of education (and don't even get me started on unhelpful administrators!), the majority of the time I spend in my classroom with my students is a source of great happiness for me. At the end of a good day of teaching, I am often full of gratitude that my job allows me to read and write and think with young people.

In one of my classes, we recently began working with Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. I have been using the Folger method (created by educators at the Folger Shakespeare Library--the world's largest collection of Shakespeare-related materials located in Washington, D.C.!) which gets students up and acting from day one.

We had spent the class period putting on a twenty minute version of the play, where students worked speedily and collaboratively to create a group performance to gain a basic understanding of the play's plot. It was loud, slightly chaotic, and a great time. The best part was that every student participated and gave speaking Shakespeare's language a shot. 

As they left the before the bell, I had them fill out a quick exit ticket, and even they were surprised at the outcome: that no one tried to bail, that people tried and put power into their performances, and that we all had fun. It was a delightful forty-two minutes. 

And, yes, the play does have a major plot point revolving around a pun on the word "ass."

Every day isn't sunshine and rainbows in my classroom, but the delights definitely outweigh the displeasures.