Teaching Journal

Day 137, Tuesday, May 5, 2009

 

     Today the 9^th grade classes conducted some highly sophisticated discussions about two poems we’ve been studying. Fortunately, I remembered to review with them the basic principles of good discussions, which I think helped set them up for success. I talked about the importance of sitting up, leaning forward, nodding at the speaker now and then, staying focused, and perhaps occasionally paraphrasing what the previous speaker said. I emphasized that carrying on an intelligent and civil discussion is one of the more essential and difficult tasks a scholar needs to perform, and I told them I expected them to perform with distinction. They didn’t disappoint me. While I filmed them with the video camera, the students conversed about the poems as though they were college students instead of 9^th graders. Their comments showed interest, understanding, and sometimes sheer wisdom. They even opened up some new layers of meaning for me, a veteran teacher who has read the poems countless times. I didn’t participate much, because they didn’t need my help. They talked, I listened – and loved what I heard.