Week 34: Fighting for My Life
Before I begin this post, I want to provide a blanket apology regarding my poor professional decisions this week. After all, how can I be held responsible for this temporary lapse in judgment when the fumes of the saltwater are luring me like a siren-call to think more of summer than my vetted- teaching certificate? Perhaps, a confession will pardon me.
We have been reading Romeo and Juliet for the last three days in the original Elizabethan text, might I add. Parents, if you are reading this, before you judge me too harshly, I want to ask you a very probing question. "Have you ever sat in a room for fifty minutes per class period for six class periods in a row listening to fourteen year old's read Shakespeare for the first time?"
You think Laurel and Yanney are driving you bonkers. Try hearing Mercutio's name butchered no less than 463 times in one day, or listening to the eloquence of Shakespeare's famed balcony scene littered with commentary…."Hark...[hee...hee...hark...what does that mean Mrs. Bell?] what light from yonder window breaks [read at a snail's pace of fluency]? 'Tis [Does that say 'tis Mrs. Bell? What does 'tis mean?] the east and Juliet is the sun...[Mrs. Bell, I do not understand this crap.]
Anyway, as I was saying, I was on the verge of taking a little nip of Romeo's poison myself when I got the bright idea to break up the monotony of stutter-camp 101, by acting out the fight scene between Mercutio and Tybalt complete with nerf swords. As you can imagine, I had lots of volunteers...surprisingly all boys...and one girl who played Romeo.... poor Zayda. Zayda, you were a a good sport and added much humor to Romeo's line regarding the fact that Juliet had made him effeminate and unwilling to fight.
If you think I am the only one who found the humor and irony in her line, then you are wrong. There was me...and now there is you...ha!
All of this to say, they did indeed act out the scene, and as you can imagine the swashing blows did become more physical than I had anticipated...first time teaching freshmen. However, I am proud to report, we only had two minor injuries, (none of which drew blood). Keaton and Michial, I hope you are both recovering well, and for the record, you two will forever go down in my book as heroes who fought valiantly. I will never, ever forget your bravery in jousting. Truthfully, I don't think I have seen my students laugh this hard the entire year, and one thing is for certain, nobody was nodding off from boredom.
Thanks for making each day a fun one (even late May) and for inadvertently learning in the process.
Really Hoping I am Still Employed,
Mrs. Bell
