Back in the Game

Is it Friday already? Time flies when you are having fun. This first week of teaching has gone better than I expected. After the initial first class for my ENG112 students, we really got the ball rolling on Thursday. I mentioned that I was going to try including Twitterature into my lesson plans somehow, and it actually worked! I thought they were very attentive and prepared for the beginning of the lesson. Then when we moved into analyzing the Romeo and Juliet and Twilight twitterature, they were having the best time! I could tell some of them were feeling awkward or a little uncomfortable because some of the language in the twitterature is "not appropriate" - one young man said "I think the authors are assuming Romeo is a pervert because of the line below this one..." He couldn't bring himself to quote the actual line because it had the word "titties" in it lol. I think they did a good job of enjoying the two stories while maintaining a level of professionalism with me. They have only had two classes with me, but I think they understand already that I am not your typical teacher with a stick up my bum. I am trying very hard to make it interesting and relevant to them. Those of you who teach - I recommend using twitterature for modes of analysis. I focused specifically on how we can read "modes of culture" and "value assumptions" from those two retold stories.
I find that I am taking more pleasure in lesson planning than in times past. I can probably attribute it to the freedom I feel now that I have the basics down...I don't feel like I have to follow the books (which are not very helpful or well-organized). I also am more aware of ways outside the curriculum that I can use to make my lessons more fun for me and for them. I hope this continues! I am teaching my Friday class (3 hour class that meets once a week) for the first time. Knowing myself very well...I had to spend at least a couple hours this week planning enough material and group work to fill the time. At the same time, I did not want it to appear to the students that I was just "filling time." I think I did a good job. We shall see tonight.
It is time for your weekly cocktail tidbit! You must all have a cocktail for me this weekend since I will be babysitting several smallish children and sadly forgoing any delicious cocktail parties. This week's tidbit is about a funny little book called 101 Places Not to See Before You Die by Catherine Price. I don't know about you, but I own several books about where to travel and more specifically...where I need to travel before I die. This is the flip-side to those recommendations with some sights you should rather skip before the end including the Montana "testicle festival" and the wall of gum in Seattle. Some of her suggestions are dead on - like the prison turned hotel in Italy where they will abduct you from you workplace or home for an extra fee. Some I do not agree with like Italy's Museum of Anatomy. Grotesque as it might be, I find museums of this nature interesting, but that is just me. Perhaps can come up with your own list of destinations best left unseen at this weekend's cocktail joints. Here is wishing you a happy Friday and a fun weekend.