Happy school year!!
My kids are already off to a running start with making me laugh intentionally (or unintentionally) in class. I have a feeling that we are in for an interesting and fun-filled year.
English II is required to do a semester of Speech. Rather than let them stress about it for a semester while trying to do literature and writing, we start right off with it. Last week, during our first week, they did impromptu speeches. For the speeches I drew names out of a hat, then the student drew a topic out of another hat. Complicated, I know.
The faces of the students when they drew the topics were hilarious. The topics were all over the place, and when you're given less than a minute to think about what to say, it can be a little overwhelming. I do have to give it to my kids, though, they were great sports about it!
Anyway, one of my students came up to draw her topic and gave me a panicked/confused/what the heck? kind of face. The topic she drew was "Plants have feelings too."
Student: I'm not one of those PETA people, I don't agree with this. What am I supposed to say?
Me: PETA is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, not plants...but okay. I got you. You can say you disagree and explain why.
She pauses, weighing her options.
Student. When you rub a plant's leaves or stem it feels really soft. (After she finished, her classmates and I agreed that this is where we thought she was going with it. The physical feeling of a plant.) This also makes the plant feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. (She continued on...ending with...) You know how sunflowers turn their faces to the sun? It's because they're thinking about their bright futures.
Nailed it. Fantastically done, English II student! A great example of how to go with something, even when you weren't 100% sure about a topic, and do a great job.
I have to say, I'm pretty proud of my English II students.
