Poems

Whenever I teach, I think I learn more than my students. That statement could mean that I'm a really awful teacher, or that I'm a really great learner. I'll let you interpret it the way you wish. This hit home yet again as I taught "Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins and "MacCorporate MacDream" by George Barlow (available as a .pdf from this site). Both of these are poems I enjoy, although I'll refrain from stating whether I agree or disagree with their messages.

Some lessons learned...

• Some students have surprisingly deep thoughts (but I probably shouldn't get my hopes up for the rest of the unit).
• Students are really not awake during 1st hour.
• Removing one person from a social melee can drastically calm down the situation.
• The more you read (some) poems, the more ways you can look at it. I think I read these poems somewhere between 18 and 24 times today, and I was still coming up with different ideas during 8th hour.
• Some students are convinced that poetry can mean anything you want it to mean. I'm convinced it can't (even though I can still find new ideas in poems on the 25th read).
• Poems are meant to be enjoyed in addition to being understood.
• Even though G.K. Chesterton is quoted as saying, "Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese," cheese did come up in our discussion of "Introduction to Poetry" today. (And what does cheese have to do with poetry?)
• Sometimes I just need to laugh with students. (of course I never laugh at them....)
• I discover more insight into a poem when I discuss it with others and not just read it in a lonesome cubbyhole. (Does that say anything about life in general?)

And now, I think I'm done thinking for the day.