The other night I was on my own and I started browsing the movies available on demand on TV. I stumbled across a surprising little gem, a subtitled French film called "Entre Les Murs" ("The Class") about a young teacher in a large comprehensive school in Paris. It is semi-autobiographical, written by Francois Begaudeau, who plays the lead role. Check out the link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1068646/
The reason I enjoyed the film so much is its honest portrayal of teachers and students. It was weirdly comforting to see situations in a classroom in another country that were so familiar! Unlike the "inspiring" films about teaching like "Dangerous Minds", "Take the Lead" and "The Dead Poet's Society", there are no magic wands here. I always finish watching those films on a high, feeling that if I could just find the key, I could transform even the most cynical student into one who will soak up knowledge like a sponge, and start thinking independently. It takes only a day or two back at school to remember that this is not likely.
What comes across strongly in "The Class" is the teachers' passion for learning, along with their all-too-human failings. The apathy of many of the students is real and saddening, as are the glimpses into their personal circumstances, that go some way to explaining their attitudes. At the same time there are endearing moments when the divide between teacher and student is bridged. Some of the kids are genuinely funny too, and very smart. Very humbling, and that is something every teacher out there has experienced.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Spells I would like to cast
The title of my blog is no accident - I wish I were really a witch (a good one, obviously) so that I could bring about some magic for my students.
What spells would I cast? For starters, the Enthusiasm spell - how wonderful it would be if all the students had a love of, and thirst for, learning and knowledge! Just imagine - never having to hear "What's the point of this, Miss?" ever again! It's important to make school relevant to the students' lives, indeed, but then again, if all you ever learn is what you already know, how will you grow - intellectually, emotionally, spiritually?
My second spell of choice would be the Brief Glimpse into the Future spell. I would so love to be able to reassure the kids that, while bad hair days and spots might still occur in adulthood, they will have so little impact on ANYTHING that they are not worthy of all the angst!
With another potion, I would cast a Be an Individual spell. This would allow each student to express his/her unique style, without the fear of being judged by their peers (who are, in reality, so busy worrying that THEY don't fit in that they don't notice anyway!) This spell would need to be used alongside the Respect spell, so that no-one "expresses" their uniqueness to the detriment of everyone else.
A really useful tool would be the I Saw That spell. The next time someone lobs a ball of paper/wad of chewing gum/empty (or full) water bottle at a fellow student's head, this bit of magic would leave a bright red trail of guilty goo from the object to the offender's arm, as telling as the chemical that betrays the pool pisser with a blue cloud! It would also reverse the action, so that, like a boomerang, the hurled item would be returned to sender with satisfying results!
My personal favourite would probably be the Sticky Swear Words spell. Say the F-word (or worse) and potty-mouth's words will turn into vile-tasting toffee, making him literally eat his words. That would be more effective than my usual method, borrowed from Moss in "The IT Crowd" - saying "My ears are not a toilet!"
The ultimate, though, would have to be the I Love Reading spelling. I firmly believe that students who love reading could practically educate themselves - it's all out there, waiting to be discovered. Not to mention the hours of joy that reading provides! What a gift that would be - and I wouldn't even need to resort to writing saucy tales about my students, as one unfortunate teacher in England did!
What spells would I cast? For starters, the Enthusiasm spell - how wonderful it would be if all the students had a love of, and thirst for, learning and knowledge! Just imagine - never having to hear "What's the point of this, Miss?" ever again! It's important to make school relevant to the students' lives, indeed, but then again, if all you ever learn is what you already know, how will you grow - intellectually, emotionally, spiritually?
My second spell of choice would be the Brief Glimpse into the Future spell. I would so love to be able to reassure the kids that, while bad hair days and spots might still occur in adulthood, they will have so little impact on ANYTHING that they are not worthy of all the angst!
With another potion, I would cast a Be an Individual spell. This would allow each student to express his/her unique style, without the fear of being judged by their peers (who are, in reality, so busy worrying that THEY don't fit in that they don't notice anyway!) This spell would need to be used alongside the Respect spell, so that no-one "expresses" their uniqueness to the detriment of everyone else.
A really useful tool would be the I Saw That spell. The next time someone lobs a ball of paper/wad of chewing gum/empty (or full) water bottle at a fellow student's head, this bit of magic would leave a bright red trail of guilty goo from the object to the offender's arm, as telling as the chemical that betrays the pool pisser with a blue cloud! It would also reverse the action, so that, like a boomerang, the hurled item would be returned to sender with satisfying results!
My personal favourite would probably be the Sticky Swear Words spell. Say the F-word (or worse) and potty-mouth's words will turn into vile-tasting toffee, making him literally eat his words. That would be more effective than my usual method, borrowed from Moss in "The IT Crowd" - saying "My ears are not a toilet!"
The ultimate, though, would have to be the I Love Reading spelling. I firmly believe that students who love reading could practically educate themselves - it's all out there, waiting to be discovered. Not to mention the hours of joy that reading provides! What a gift that would be - and I wouldn't even need to resort to writing saucy tales about my students, as one unfortunate teacher in England did!
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Down time
I think it's very important to make the most of any free time you have as a teacher. Here are ten things you can do in 30 minutes to give yourself a well-earned break!
- Read that book you've been saving - preferably with a cup of tea and some chocolate.
- Go for a bike ride somewhere beautiful.
- Have a sauna followed by an ice-cold shower (if you are lucky enough to have access to one!)
- Stroll through an art gallery.
- Browse the latest funny videos on your local news site.
- Look at your favourite photo album - a short trip down memory lane can do wonders.
- Have a chat on the phone with an old friend.
- Lie with your feet up and listen to some music.
- Bake something delicious.
- Watch an interesting documentary on TV - for added benefit, do some yoga-like stretches.
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