This has been an incredible week!  As a teacher one thing you hope happens is that you are able to earn the respect and trust of the students and that the students earn the respect and trust of each other, because once that happens real learning can take place.  The other is that we can overcome the constant battle against apathy.  Many times when what is being taught is not relevant to the students, they can tune out and not care. This week all of us made huge strides towards both goals.

The surest sign of this is when everyone is listening, not because someone told them to, but because they want to.  That magical moment happened several times this week.  The first time was on Monday when Molly and Amy, from Kaiser Permanente showed the film, “Killing us Softly” about how body image is portrayed through the media.   Not only was everyone attentive, but it created very strong reactions which were then great fodder for discussion.  The only negative about Monday was that we didn’t have more time to break into smaller groups to discuss the film; an natural progression from the film and a desire from the students. One of the challenges with the structure of the class is that just as we are getting rolling, the short 58 minute class is over.

Tuesday.  What an incredible day.  The students were to perform monologues that they wrote based on an interview they had had with one of their oldest living relatives.  They were to interview them, turn that interview into a monologue and then perform it as if they were their relative when their relative was their age.  Talk about supportive.  Everyone was very interested in each of the performances and learned something more about each of the students who performed. Not only did it take a lot of courage to perform in front of the class alone, but to reveal something about their relatives made it more personal and that much more challenging.

Thursday and Friday.  You See, I am.  Grace and Anya did a great job creating and facilitating a very vulnerable and challenging project for the students.  On one side of a piece of paper the students were to list as many things as they could think of beginning with the words, “You see. . .”  For example, “You see a short person.  You see an artist. You see someone who doesn’t listen.  You see someone who doesn’t dress very well.”  This is the student’s perception of how others see them. On the other side of the paper they were to list as many things as they could think of beginning with the words, “I am. . . ”  For example, “I am not tall nor short, I am my height.  I am an artist.  I am a listener but I react to everything I hear.”

On Friday they presented these in front of the class.  Magic!  For the first time we saw each other for how we really were, not how we perceive each other to be.  Everyone shared. Everyone listened and supported each other.  The dynamic in the class that day changed.

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” Helen Keller.