I Heart Libraries

My summers have always been irrevocably linked with Willy Shakes but while writing my previous post I realized that my childhood summers are tied to other nerdy things: like libraries.

Summer meant no bed time, or at least a greatly belated one. When we were finally ordered to our rooms I could stay up as long as I wanted, without my mother's threats. You see, my years in school never taught me how to spread out my reading. If I can not read a book in 2-3 sittings, it will never be read no matter how well-written or enthralling I find the novel (i.e. East of Eden). During the school year, my parent's would threaten me with the wrath of God to turn out my nightlight and put my Nancy Drew books away. Unless I wanted the ten plagues unleashed upon the Earth, I could only read on the weekends. But not in the summer.

The Play's the Thing

I can feel the rumble of anarchy bubbling in my students' breasts. They are ready to be out of school.

Oh Summer. For most school children, summer is synonymous with freedom, summer camps, and family vacations. My summer was synonymous with Shakespeare.

An Actual Conversation

Me: Now read your paragraph aloud for me, please.

Student: So as soon as Boo saw that Scout and Jem were in trouble, he went balls to wall  because he wanted to protect his kids...

Me: Stop reading. Did you just say "balls to the wall?"

Student: Yeah.

Me: This is considered a formal essay.

Student: So?


Me: That means we should refrain from using slang. (dumbfounded look) Like "balls to the wall."


Student: But it's not slang, it's a quote from a song.


Me: Take it out of your essay.


Student: (grumbling) Okay,fine. But it just won't sound as cool.

I LOVE teaching.