A dear friend recommended The Double Bind and said that when I finish reading it, I was to call her right away—even if I finish reading it in the middle of the night. Indeed, I would have done so if my husband hadn't insisted I turn out the light at 1:30 this morning.
But now I'm finished, and she won't answer her phone. Ugh!
So I will pay it forward. My suggestion to you, good reader, is to read (or reread) these texts in the following order:
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (if you haven't read Gatsby since high school, it's time to revisit it)
The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
...and let me know when you finish reading. You won't be disappointed.
6.20.2008
Basic Instinct
Last week my husband was researching nearby strip clubs for a friend's bachelor party. He noted that the dress code for one club was "business casual." This struck me as odd. A dress code? For a strip club?
When I asked him about it, he told me that the dress code was to help deter riff-raff; this gave the bouncers the discretion to oust anyone who may potentially cause trouble or compromise the integrity of the establishment.
Um, what?
Setting aside my general disapproval of my husband watching other women take off their clothes, I marvel at the industry in general. Many people—mostly feminists—assert that these institutions degrade women. Really, it is the women who take advantage of the men: they are able to elicit many, many dollars from their customers by appealing to the sex drive of man.
We Americans don't like to talk about sex; we hide it from our children by imposing TV Parental Guidelines and make sex something of a social taboo. Although it seems that television and movies have become smuttier in the past few decades, sex has always been a part of culture. Even the literary canon contains sex: Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is wrought with sexual misconduct, and Shakespeare's greatest love story is really just a horny teenager begging for sex ("O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" a love-starved Romeo pleads).
This is not to say that Chaucer or Shakespeare (or Joyce or Lawrence or...) has any less credibility as a writer. On the contrary, each of these authors—as well as the authors of today's TV shows and movies—portray the sexual drive that exists within man. The sophisticated air of a Shakespearean play or the glamorous sheen of HBO's Entourage is life's normal pairing with sex. It shouldn't surprise me, then, that we attempt to masquerade a "Gentleman's club" as something more than a place that appeals to man's most basic instinct.
When I asked him about it, he told me that the dress code was to help deter riff-raff; this gave the bouncers the discretion to oust anyone who may potentially cause trouble or compromise the integrity of the establishment.
Um, what?
Setting aside my general disapproval of my husband watching other women take off their clothes, I marvel at the industry in general. Many people—mostly feminists—assert that these institutions degrade women. Really, it is the women who take advantage of the men: they are able to elicit many, many dollars from their customers by appealing to the sex drive of man.
We Americans don't like to talk about sex; we hide it from our children by imposing TV Parental Guidelines and make sex something of a social taboo. Although it seems that television and movies have become smuttier in the past few decades, sex has always been a part of culture. Even the literary canon contains sex: Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is wrought with sexual misconduct, and Shakespeare's greatest love story is really just a horny teenager begging for sex ("O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" a love-starved Romeo pleads).
This is not to say that Chaucer or Shakespeare (or Joyce or Lawrence or...) has any less credibility as a writer. On the contrary, each of these authors—as well as the authors of today's TV shows and movies—portray the sexual drive that exists within man. The sophisticated air of a Shakespearean play or the glamorous sheen of HBO's Entourage is life's normal pairing with sex. It shouldn't surprise me, then, that we attempt to masquerade a "Gentleman's club" as something more than a place that appeals to man's most basic instinct.
6.12.2008
Commencement
Our high school's graduation was last week. Our principal asks (mandates) that teachers come adorned in academic regalia and sit in the front three rows, facing the graduates sitting on stage.
Brandi spotted me in the crowd, smiled, waved, and pointed to her mortar-board while giving me a thumbs-up. I smiled and waved back.
Between my friend/colleague Emily and I, we have taught almost the entire graduating class at some point in their high school careers. We made a game of determining which students should and should not graduate, based of course on a scale of A to E.
Emily has also taught Kyle, and (if possible) has an even lower opinion of him than I do. Although she did not teach Neal, she has heard enough about him from me and other colleagues to know that the nineteen-year-old is not qualified to receive a high school diploma.
I successfully managed a smile and applause for even these students (and was even able to control my gag reflex). Afterward, a number of faculty members met at a nearby dive bar/restaurant for a few quick drinks.
I wasn't prepared to see so many students and their families. Some of these students I adored, and genuinely enjoyed speaking to them outside of school. I was caught unawares, however, when Neal's mother came and tapped me on the shoulder.
She introduced me to Neal's father, and they both thanked me for my hard work...and Mrs. V. even apologized for her behavior. I remained positive, stating that Neal had done it, and I hope that he learned that he will succeed when he puts forth effort. I of course said hello to Neal, and wished them all the best.
Brandi spotted me in the crowd, smiled, waved, and pointed to her mortar-board while giving me a thumbs-up. I smiled and waved back.
Between my friend/colleague Emily and I, we have taught almost the entire graduating class at some point in their high school careers. We made a game of determining which students should and should not graduate, based of course on a scale of A to E.
Emily has also taught Kyle, and (if possible) has an even lower opinion of him than I do. Although she did not teach Neal, she has heard enough about him from me and other colleagues to know that the nineteen-year-old is not qualified to receive a high school diploma.
I successfully managed a smile and applause for even these students (and was even able to control my gag reflex). Afterward, a number of faculty members met at a nearby dive bar/restaurant for a few quick drinks.
I wasn't prepared to see so many students and their families. Some of these students I adored, and genuinely enjoyed speaking to them outside of school. I was caught unawares, however, when Neal's mother came and tapped me on the shoulder.
She introduced me to Neal's father, and they both thanked me for my hard work...and Mrs. V. even apologized for her behavior. I remained positive, stating that Neal had done it, and I hope that he learned that he will succeed when he puts forth effort. I of course said hello to Neal, and wished them all the best.
Small Victory No. 5
Last year (2006-07) I taught a student named Luke in my GT English 9 class. Luke wasn't "GT material" on two counts: he lacked analytical reading/writing skills, and he didn't work very hard. Even when he began to apply himself more, he did not have the foundation to do well. He scraped by most quarters with Cs and Ds.
When he had a D as a final average at the end of the year, I spoke with Luke's father about Luke dropping down into Honors English 10 for the following year. He didn't like the idea of his son not being in GT English, but he agreed that it was better for Luke to not continue drowning. He had, however, made a deal with Luke that they would not go on their family hunting trip to Montana that summer if he didn't pull at least a C for the year. Luke's dad canceled the trip.
Whenever I ran into Luke in the hallways this year, he seemed to ignore me whenever possible. On Tuesday, however, he came into my classroom brandishing a stack of papers. He said, "Mrs. Casey, I knew you'd want to see this."
Luke handed me the papers: they were his placement test score results for the community college. His English scores were high enough for him to enter English 101 as a junior (whereas many students need to take more remedial classes first). I told him how proud I was of his accomplishment, and even emailed his mother about it later that day.
Before he left, Luke said he was really glad he took Honors English 10 this year because he was actually able to keep up with the work. I'm sincerely pleased that Luke has matured (academically and personally) enough to realize that he needs to establish goals and do whatever he can to reach them.
When he had a D as a final average at the end of the year, I spoke with Luke's father about Luke dropping down into Honors English 10 for the following year. He didn't like the idea of his son not being in GT English, but he agreed that it was better for Luke to not continue drowning. He had, however, made a deal with Luke that they would not go on their family hunting trip to Montana that summer if he didn't pull at least a C for the year. Luke's dad canceled the trip.
Whenever I ran into Luke in the hallways this year, he seemed to ignore me whenever possible. On Tuesday, however, he came into my classroom brandishing a stack of papers. He said, "Mrs. Casey, I knew you'd want to see this."
Luke handed me the papers: they were his placement test score results for the community college. His English scores were high enough for him to enter English 101 as a junior (whereas many students need to take more remedial classes first). I told him how proud I was of his accomplishment, and even emailed his mother about it later that day.
Before he left, Luke said he was really glad he took Honors English 10 this year because he was actually able to keep up with the work. I'm sincerely pleased that Luke has matured (academically and personally) enough to realize that he needs to establish goals and do whatever he can to reach them.
6.10.2008
Not Alone
An article about the state of public schools in Florida:
http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article610874.ece
Special thanks to T.E., who brought this article to my attention.
http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article610874.ece
Special thanks to T.E., who brought this article to my attention.
6.04.2008
Not so much brain as earwax
It amazes me that students who are in class when we read Romeo and Juliet TOGETHER still haven't a clue about what's going on.
A sixteen year old freshman's quote identification response for “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet”:
Speaker: Romeo
This quote is important because... you wouldn’t have a clue at which he/she is talking about.
This is his response to a short essay question that asks students to include the literary device used in a passage and explain how it applies to the rest of the play:
The literary device that he used is good, nice words that are bad words refrased. And that’s how it applies to the rest of the play.
A sixteen year old freshman's quote identification response for “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet”:
Speaker: Romeo
This quote is important because... you wouldn’t have a clue at which he/she is talking about.
This is his response to a short essay question that asks students to include the literary device used in a passage and explain how it applies to the rest of the play:
The literary device that he used is good, nice words that are bad words refrased. And that’s how it applies to the rest of the play.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)