A couple teaching moments on a spring day
Today is the first official day of spring. And I must commend north Moravia for cooperating with the festivities. The sun is shining, unabashed, and buds are peeping out like shy children at a family gathering. My last three lessons of the day consisted of two literature and one English. More and more I get concerned by the amount of time sitting or merely spent inside by youth, so I took the students outside. The walks to and from the suitable teaching space afforded time for casual conversation.
Superheroes entered a conversation about levitation--as a result of considering swimming the river, of course. "But I haven't been taking time to practice levitation . . . maybe I should practice it in my sleep, like Superman," I pondered.
"But Superman's lame," replied my student with a smile on her face.
"Everybody knows that Batman's better," I returned.
"I like you," was the unexpected reply.
Everyone can use a good high five. (Maybe you need one right now.)
I don't care if someone is 5, 15, or 50. Just try not to smile after receiving one. Sometimes when my students raise their hands to speak, I high five them, finish what I have to say, and then call on them.
Today in an English lesson, I had divided out questions to students and asked them to raise their hands when they'd finished. After each student finished his or her task, pencils went down, hands went up, and I dutifully checked the answer before finishing the transaction with a high five. In reply, a smile appeared on each fifteen-year-old face. One student (who always seems to glow with some inward sunshine), beamed at me and said, "You're perfect to giving high fives!"
I'm not quite sure if he meant "you're perfect at giving high fives" or "you're perfect for giving high fives." Probably the former, but does it really matter?
(And, yes, being his English teacher, I should probably teach him the difference in meaning.*)
You're perfect to giving high fives! This sentence means nothing, unless Giving High Fives is a person. Then it means that I treat the person well or it could mean that according to Giving High Fives, I am perfect.
You're perfect at giving high fives. This means that I have great skill in giving high fives.
You're perfect for giving high fives. This means that I am perfect. And why am I perfect? Because I give high fives.
Superheroes entered a conversation about levitation--as a result of considering swimming the river, of course. "But I haven't been taking time to practice levitation . . . maybe I should practice it in my sleep, like Superman," I pondered.
"But Superman's lame," replied my student with a smile on her face.
"Everybody knows that Batman's better," I returned.
"I like you," was the unexpected reply.
***
I don't care if someone is 5, 15, or 50. Just try not to smile after receiving one. Sometimes when my students raise their hands to speak, I high five them, finish what I have to say, and then call on them.
Today in an English lesson, I had divided out questions to students and asked them to raise their hands when they'd finished. After each student finished his or her task, pencils went down, hands went up, and I dutifully checked the answer before finishing the transaction with a high five. In reply, a smile appeared on each fifteen-year-old face. One student (who always seems to glow with some inward sunshine), beamed at me and said, "You're perfect to giving high fives!"
I'm not quite sure if he meant "you're perfect at giving high fives" or "you're perfect for giving high fives." Probably the former, but does it really matter?
(And, yes, being his English teacher, I should probably teach him the difference in meaning.*)
***
*Caution: mini grammar lesson to follow.
For those readers who aren't sure what the difference in meaning is between these three sentences, let me explain:
You're perfect at giving high fives. This means that I have great skill in giving high fives.
You're perfect for giving high fives. This means that I am perfect. And why am I perfect? Because I give high fives.
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