This week, I finally realized something: I can do this.
This of course being teaching. It was the first week that my teacher had me take aside one of the classes and actually act as a teacher for them, and frankly, it was incredible. We were studying Oedipus Rex, (and let me tell you, they were very interested in that). We went through the script and I gave them the tools to read poetic dialogue and helped to translate the somewhat archaic language and mythological references. It was also pretty funny to watch a bunch of 15 year olds find out what Oedipus Rex is about too.
I left the classroom that day with a spring in my step. There wasn’t a single kid in that class who didn’t seem thirsty for understanding. I was in a room full of teenagers and every single one of them had a curious light in their eyes that just thirsted for knowledge and understanding. I know not all teenagers will be interested in what I’m teaching, and sometimes I’m going to have full classes who don’t want to be there, but it was encouraging to realize that I do know what I’m doing, and how to explain new subjects in a way that makes sense to the students.
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