I'm a good teacher. Really. I am. I put a lot of thought and effort into my teaching and try really hard to help my students connect with the literature that we read. Right now I'm beginning a unit to teach the book Night by Elie Wiesel.
For those of you who haven't read it. . . you really should. It's a Holocaust memoir that is both brutal and beautiful. I love this book and actually look forward to reading it each year. To prepare my students I give a historical lecture on The Holocaust and the events leading up to it. In years past I've had students tell me that I am a wonderful lecturer and should be a history teacher.
This year, I got a different response. One of my "favorite" students *Whiney McWhinerton came in, shoulders slumped in defeat and told me,
"Miss, your class is really depressing me. I just can't hear about the Jews anymore."
me: "I'm so sorry that hearing about the suffering of others is bumming you out. I'll take that into consideration in the future."
W. McW: "Whew! Thanks!"
I think I need to work harder to teach these kids verbal irony.
*not his real name
9 comments:
I read this book because of you. Actually, to be honest, I listened to this book on CD because of your comments over the years. And while I can see how it is a great connecting, eye-opening, historical novel....
I had a hard time with it. I was educated about the holocaust, learned things I never knew before but I was saddened and left feeling empty when it was over by his complete loss of hope and faith. _jamie
Yes, but you are not in my class, Jamie, and you have the right to pick and choose what you read. In addition, I spend a lot of time giving context for the work and having discussion about the message, literary value, and beyond. I acknowledge it is dark and sad, but that's to be expected. Also, I respect your response to the book, but I've had MANY students who took from this story the idea that they could make a difference simply by speaking up and not allowing cruel acts to take place in front of them. Also, if it makes you feel better, Wiesel still does have faith. The ending of the book is not the end for him. Thank goodness. He's gone on to make a difference in the world and speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Also, the Whiney McWhinerton of my story whines ABOUT EVERYTHING. Everything is hard. He once informed me that because he did not enjoy a particular short story he was assigned, I had WASTED HIS PRECIOUS TIME. Those were his exact words.
after I wrote my post I did remember the strong feeling I took from the book about how his community could have done something to help themselves if they had listened more, opened their eyes and truly been aware rather than complacent in their feelings of comfort and "well, I won't worry about it, it's not affecting me". I think that was an important message.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! Yes, the book is a downer and I recall throwing it across the room when I finished reading it the first time my freshman year of college...NEVERTHELESS, I would have never told my teacher she needed to lighten up the ciriculum. That's funny.
Random quote from Say Anything: "You're bringin' me down, man."
oh, and by the way, I heard "Ironic" on the radio the other day and told Danny, "That's not irony! That's bad luck! Maury taught me that." The kids today probably don't know Alanis or that song, though, huh?
no. . . thank goodness, they don't know that song. It makes for easier teaching of irony.
I'm behind in this, but I would like point out the follow quote from Melissa: "Sometimes, it's exhausting to be aware of your oppression."
I can't really blame Whiney Mcwhinerton.
you could blame him if you knew him. Really. You could.
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