Damn but it’s the rare ed-blogger who can write the classroom anecdote well. TMAO’s got it. Jackie’s got it. Granted it’s something of a disgraceful genre (cousin to the airport paperback thriller) but I don’t know many bloggers on my reading list who can put me there, who don’t default to the overly-familiar indicators of happiness and frustration.
“It can’t be 7:14 a.m.,” I thought to myself. “It’s too light outside.” I re-read the clock, correctly this time. 7:44 a.m.
Stupor over. I threw on yesterday’s shirt, socks and pants, and rushed out the door.
As I told a friend of mine this story, she looked at me with a look on her face that said, “I’m polite and pretending to pay attention. This is boring, but I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”
I gave her an out. She took it.
It’s kinda disappointing once you realize that the excitingest, heart-thumpingest part of your day is realizing you didn’t set your alarm the previous night.
Dunno if this month-old blogger’s ready for the big show but he’s worth reading, certainly, and, depending on your tolerance for airport paperback thrillers, a subscription, maybe.
Other Awaiting Tenure Posts:
- Classroom Technology As An Expensive Distraction. (Okay. None of y’all are gonna like that one.)
- Though Flying Blind, Neither Crash Nor Burn. (On the first day of student teaching.)
- Teaching Government in an Election Year. (Better compel this guy towards tech with something more persuasive than “you’re boring your kids.”)
7 Comments
Benjamin Baxter
January 30, 2008 - 9:40 am -Thanks for the link. I’m still experimenting with style and all, in both teaching and blogging.
In the posts’ defense, so people aren’t completely turned off:
* “Expensive Distraction” argues that technology training as in my credential program doesn’t teach how to teach well with technology, or even with any tools, which should be the priority.
* The “Government” lesson plan began with the pretty good multimedia clips — Gravel, Ron Paul, Obama, Huckabee — before we bothered with the drier press releases and news articles.
As in many things, it’s all in the timing.
http://awaitingtenure.wordpress.com/
ken
January 30, 2008 - 11:23 am -Maybe people default to the “overly-familiar indicators of happiness and frustration” b/c they are sharing a sense of universal experience. Maybe they just want to assure themselves that they are not alone.
There are only so many times a person can carp at the copier and feel supported. Nothing dries out the emotional toner cartridge as quick as face-to-face contact.
And sharing happiness with a co-worker is cheap vanity press. Most people would rather you climb a mountain, grab a stone, and find another lot of willing listeners. The ones you’re talking to just want to use the copier.
dan
January 30, 2008 - 12:32 pm -Pretty words, Ken, but all I’m sayin’ is that the way people experience these things and the way they write about them (from my observations) are very different.
Jason Dyer
January 30, 2008 - 3:52 pm -I’d put it on the big show. Full bars.
ken
January 30, 2008 - 4:42 pm -@ Dan…fair enough, your point that is. I’ve learned I’m better at reacting to things (commenting on the blogs of others) than I am at creating my own stellar anecdotes.
I used to think I was a good storyteller.
JackieB
January 31, 2008 - 12:14 pm -Wow. Huh. Thanks Dan.
No pressure now…