Hyphenated Modifiers... and Pizza.

Ugh. I knew it would be a difficult lesson before I even started; but the blank stares of death nearly smothered me today. I thought I'd try spicing up the class with some challenging concepts, like implicit/explicit metaphors, hyphenated modifiers, commas when preceeded by an introductory phrase... The interruptions to the lessons were plentiful-- a student started singing in the middle of the lesson, a freight train blasted its horn for three straight minutes, we had an unexpected fire-drill... It took all the self-discipline I had to let it go without nailing home the lesson.

I've come a long way since my first year teaching. Back then, I would have just felt bad about myself and fed a cycle of negative self-talk. Nowadays, I'm realizing that I'm always going to have some days like this, when I'm doing everything wrong and my lessons are horrible.

And here's how it relates to the big picture: who cares what a hyphenated modifier is? Yeah, English is important; but I hope that in all our collective successes and failures as a class, I will never teach kids that English is the most important thing. Failed English lessons become good character lessons and a reminder to keep perspective. I am here to point people to Jesus Christ; and if I trade that birth-right for a pottage of good English lessons, then shame on me.

After a walk and a deep breath, the rest of my classes today went well. I played catch with my advisory, and made pizza with my culinary arts class (yes, I teach cooking!!!). I always try to remember that they'll remember more about the kind of person you were than what kind of lessons you taught.