Tuesday, September 09, 2003
90% PREPARATION- 10% EXECUTION
Today was a satisfactory day. I can't complain. I lectured the whole period and gave notes via power point; power point makes life so much easier- I don't have to write on the board, which takes forever, and I just give the kids an outline to follow. Everyone has identical notes and there are no excuses come exam time.
Today I'm proud of myself because I timed the lecture perfectly. It ended a minute or two before the bell rang signifying the end of the period. Perfection.
Speech was the highlight of my day today. We're just taking notes this week, before the major speeches begin, but even giving note in that class is fun. I feel the class respond to what I teach. I feel their fears relieved. Finally, I see them making correlations between the textbook, the quizzes and the notes- it's rewarding. The beauty of it all is that it's nothing I'm doing. I just make sure I'm ready for class, show up, and they take the class to the zenith of feel-good fun. Every teacher should be so lucky. I love to know that I rarely have to remind them of class rules- they're upperclassmen- I treat them like young adults, command respect and they step up to the task of giving me the same respect. I trust them. This is a sign that I'm growing as a teacher; I relenquish complete and anal control, the class relaxes and 55 minutes goes by before we know it. They're smiling, they're laughing, they're making jokes, they're teasing me and I know that it's all good.
I fully anticipate some amazing speeches this year. The hardest part of speech class has been working with the guys. They're just "too cool" to practice speech techniques. But a few weeks ago we did our monologues and these boys absolutely amazed me!! They were all over the place with volume, rate, inflection (the beginning basics of public speaking). They even moved around the room a little and I never told them to. There was eye contact, enthusiasm, and almost a competitive edge that took over the room. I have never seen this before in my speech classes. This is definitely a great sign. Just thinking about the whole thing makes me giddy. Next week they will present their first speech. It's a Pet Peeve Speech. I told them I want passion, emotion; just tell us what absolutely pisses us off. Yell if you have to. I can't wait to see what they create.
My #1 rule in speech class is that everything must live up to this statement: 90% preparation, 10% execution. The word execution is synonymous with delivery and presentation, to explain a bit further. I will be able to tell in an instant who has heard me bark this rule every day and truly take it to heart.
Sigh. I outwardly and freely proclaim to all who inquire that I despise my profession, but deep down inside I know it's the beat of my heart.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
After school there was a faculty meeting. This is all I have to say about that:
F(*&^%%$!@#$%^&*)_)(**&^%$$#@!k!! What is wrong with people? Does every single faculty member need to accompany each point on the agenda with an anecdote and personal illustration?? This is not summer camp! Keep your kumbayah singing- marshmallow s'mores toasting- hiking boot loving- gotta badge for "archery" wearing -suck up to the camp director having- selves locked in your classrooms!
I leave you with this ever fabulous piece by my precious namesake. Chew the fat.
Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.
We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.
We passed the school where children played
At wrestling in a ring; 10
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.
We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible, 15
The cornice but a mound.
Since then 'tis centuries; but each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.
Emily Dickinson (1830-86). Complete Poems.
Today was a satisfactory day. I can't complain. I lectured the whole period and gave notes via power point; power point makes life so much easier- I don't have to write on the board, which takes forever, and I just give the kids an outline to follow. Everyone has identical notes and there are no excuses come exam time.
Today I'm proud of myself because I timed the lecture perfectly. It ended a minute or two before the bell rang signifying the end of the period. Perfection.
Speech was the highlight of my day today. We're just taking notes this week, before the major speeches begin, but even giving note in that class is fun. I feel the class respond to what I teach. I feel their fears relieved. Finally, I see them making correlations between the textbook, the quizzes and the notes- it's rewarding. The beauty of it all is that it's nothing I'm doing. I just make sure I'm ready for class, show up, and they take the class to the zenith of feel-good fun. Every teacher should be so lucky. I love to know that I rarely have to remind them of class rules- they're upperclassmen- I treat them like young adults, command respect and they step up to the task of giving me the same respect. I trust them. This is a sign that I'm growing as a teacher; I relenquish complete and anal control, the class relaxes and 55 minutes goes by before we know it. They're smiling, they're laughing, they're making jokes, they're teasing me and I know that it's all good.
I fully anticipate some amazing speeches this year. The hardest part of speech class has been working with the guys. They're just "too cool" to practice speech techniques. But a few weeks ago we did our monologues and these boys absolutely amazed me!! They were all over the place with volume, rate, inflection (the beginning basics of public speaking). They even moved around the room a little and I never told them to. There was eye contact, enthusiasm, and almost a competitive edge that took over the room. I have never seen this before in my speech classes. This is definitely a great sign. Just thinking about the whole thing makes me giddy. Next week they will present their first speech. It's a Pet Peeve Speech. I told them I want passion, emotion; just tell us what absolutely pisses us off. Yell if you have to. I can't wait to see what they create.
My #1 rule in speech class is that everything must live up to this statement: 90% preparation, 10% execution. The word execution is synonymous with delivery and presentation, to explain a bit further. I will be able to tell in an instant who has heard me bark this rule every day and truly take it to heart.
Sigh. I outwardly and freely proclaim to all who inquire that I despise my profession, but deep down inside I know it's the beat of my heart.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
After school there was a faculty meeting. This is all I have to say about that:
F(*&^%%$!@#$%^&*)_)(**&^%$$#@!k!! What is wrong with people? Does every single faculty member need to accompany each point on the agenda with an anecdote and personal illustration?? This is not summer camp! Keep your kumbayah singing- marshmallow s'mores toasting- hiking boot loving- gotta badge for "archery" wearing -suck up to the camp director having- selves locked in your classrooms!
I leave you with this ever fabulous piece by my precious namesake. Chew the fat.
Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.
We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 5
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.
We passed the school where children played
At wrestling in a ring; 10
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.
We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible, 15
The cornice but a mound.
Since then 'tis centuries; but each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.
Emily Dickinson (1830-86). Complete Poems.
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