Teaching and Learning
Well, I just finished my month-plus stint as a middle school English teacher. Whooee! I had forgotten what an enervating job this is. Classroom management all day, grading papers for much of the evening.
Strangely, though, I think my writing will benefit from this “lost month.” The students were reading, and writing about, a couple of historical novels unfamiliar to me – but wonderfully written. That’s the kind of bar I’ll strive to reach in my own writing, though I’ll likely never reach it. Also, the kids did oral book reports on a wide range of classics that I hadn’t read; just looking through those books (to prepare for the reports) was enlightening.
You’ve probably heard old sayings about how the best way to learn something is by teaching it. I had a taste of that experience over the past month, and now I’m inspired and raring to write! (Before I start, though, I have a lot of lost sleep to catch up on. Did I mention how much effort it takes to be a good educator? Be sure to thank the next teacher you see!)