Monday, August 27, 2007

Repairing the Damage of the Day

Oh how I wish to be sitting in my Power Wheel retracing my path through the cul-de-sac or drinking toxic green Hi-C and eating Oatmeal Creme Pies under the shade of a Sycamore! Times they are a-changin,' whether I am ready or not. If any of you know exercises that bearded wise men used to strengthen their souls in times of trouble then please, tell me. My times are troubled and I need to toughen up, because I am not ready.

This weekend I spent four hours too many in a coffee shop, with a red pen in hand, vacantly staring at papers full of disconnected thoughts wondering, "how can I fix this?" I realized that I didn't feel very confident marking these kid's grammar errors. I studied Literature in college. I read novels, searched poems for secret truths, wrote papers, and participated in discussion. I was pretty good at all of that. During my time in school I took one grammar class. One. I made an A, I think.

I don't remember much from that class because it seems that every grammar rule has an exception at the right time and place. I just look for writing worth reading. Writing that is engaging. I want to hear my student's voices coming through their words. Maybe they will use fragments, but I want them to know how to use them effectively! Give me real writing, small writing, writing that is from the heart, and I will give you a break.

I picked up The Kite Runner Saturday morning and was sucked in for a few hours. I do not consider myself to be a fast reader, but I read 1/3 of the book in one quick sitting! It is an emotionally challenging book, one that I am probably not equipped to read right now, but maybe it'll make me stronger. I am also picking up Virginia Woolf as often as possible so I can take my lead from her...her pen painted masterpieces! She was an unforgiving, firebrick of a woman who makes me stronger each time I study her eloquent finger-pointing techniques.

Tomorrow should be fun. Today was interesting. Each day is new, that's for sure.

I leave you with something good,

"Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known only to him by his heart, and his friends can only read the title."

-V. Woolf

2 comments:

M. Jay Bennett said...

Hi C,

You wrote:

"If any of you know exercises that bearded wise men used to strengthen their souls in times of trouble then please, tell me. My times are troubled and I need to toughen up, because I am not ready."

I know how you feel. It took me a while to get over the perceived bliss of youth. For a while I found great comfort in the poetry of the English Romantics, Wordsworth in particular. I still appreciate their work deeply and read it often. I think their historical situation, just this side of the Enlightenment, gave them great insight into the longings of the human soul. However, their diagnosis of the problem always seemed a bit skewed to me, which naturally led to unsatisfying answers.

Overall, the Bible has been the greatest source of strength and wisdom to me. It doesn't always say what I want it to say. Usually, quite frankly, it hurts to read it. But it is also a source of great comfort when it points me to the Lord Jesus Christ. I wouldn't know how to make sense of the world apart from him.

I pray you find your new adventure of full-time work to be thrilling. What a joy to teach the next generation how to think!

Blessings to you,

Jay

drc said...

Just keep remembering that all those grammar corrections don't mean squat...that's not how people learn to use grammar correctly, stylistically, poetically...keep looking for a little flame you can add fuel to.

dc

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