I'm sitting with you all in the balcony of a large, modern, beige theater. (Why I am reminded of The Unconsoled?) You're all there, in two neat rows, and the graduation ceremony is about to take place. I distinctly remember Sylvia smiling this big beaming smile and Caroline looking at the stage with a very serious and concentrating expression.
There is a black charcoal grill at the end of our second row, and I have the sense that the goals are already heating up. I also know that even though we're indoors, the end of the row, where the grill is, is outside. We'll pour out of our two rows straight into our party!
There's one glitch. In the program, there is a listing of all the honors students who've won prizes of various sorts. At the top is a name I've never heard. I think to myself, "Did I go through two entire semesters without realizing this student was in the course? Is this possible?" I conclude that I must have and wonder what this says about me, as a teacher and a person. (I'm reading this book, What the Best College Teachers Do, and I felt it peering over my shoulder at that point.)
I managed to shake off the feeling of perplexity and anxiety, and we started to file out of our rows. That's where the dreams end.
Comments (3)
I'm doin' my best impression of John here---Hey Teach: Students are overrated!
Posted by Marwan | May 29, 2007 1:13 AM
Posted on May 29, 2007 01:13
That's an interesting slip you make in the second paragraph, because even though I think you meant to say that the coals were heating up, you say our goals are heating up, and I think that is a good metaphor for graduation. This class was really a large project, not only for us, but I guess for you as well, and you invested a lot of your energy into it (which we thank you for!). It sounds like in the dream almost as if you have some graduation day jitters, now that you're looking back on the year and re-evaluating. Don't! You did a great job, and you did all the things that the best college teachers do. The class was interesting, engaging, informative, fun, challenging, a learning and growing experience, and something that we all benefited from. You put a lot of work into designing and facillitating it, and keeping us movinng along throughout the entire year, and it was a great experience for all of us. Graduation is now the easy part. I feel my goals heating up in life, and I'm ready to throw some steaks on the grill!
Posted by Mr, Mxylplyx | May 29, 2007 3:32 AM
Posted on May 29, 2007 03:32
Is that a metaphor I smell a'cookin?
Posted by Marwan | May 31, 2007 11:29 AM
Posted on May 31, 2007 11:29