Great job, Zach. I wanted to post this question so folks might see it and comment:
I saw so much sex in Blake and on the wall today--naturally, ha! (hope my poet-partner, Robin, wasn't too uncomfortable with my rather personal readings, lol)--but, how do you (do you) approach this issue/topic with HS students? I mean, "romance" is one thing, but then you have "blissful coupling" . . . Tonya's demo danced around sexuality as well . . . it certainly is quite a huge social issue that may, er, engage young minds . . .
Any thoughts? Or do we want to open that can?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I totally saw the sex also. The one post on the far left corner translated to me that just because you were born with the genes of an adulterer it was not your sin.
ReplyDeleteGenes and sexuality certainly are a hot topic for folks right now--do we bring that reading to the piece or did the author intend it? Does that question even matter??
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jodi--you have been GREAT to work with these past few weeks and it's been a real pleasure getting to know you & having such analytical conversations with you. I hope we stay in touch!!
Interestingly, I believe high school students steer clear more that one would expect. I read Romeo and Juliet last year with my drama class (9-12) and I don't remember many discussions about sex, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think at times students and teachers have a silent agreement not to "go there."
Good question.
I noticed, after posting, that I didn't answer your question about approaching this issue/topic. I'll think on it.
ReplyDeleteHey, Deb, a great topic to put out there...one of my favorites, but talking only goes so far, right? (Everything I think of writing seems to have those double meanings. Oh, well, so be it).
ReplyDeleteI dance around the topic with freshmen by inviting them to interact with poetry as a pleasurable experience. I use a group of poems that present metaphors for reading poetry, and one is the (in)famous "How to Eat a Poem." (I've always thought there should be a Congressional Medal of Honor for any 9th grade teacher willing to tackle that poem with freshmen). Opps, out of time. Must break to fill out that survey. Bye.
Did you really just throw out "How to Eat a Poem" and then, "Opps, out of time"??? Lol!
ReplyDeleteI think it might be harder, somehow, for a male teacher in HS to dance w/that topic than a woman, too.
Wow, Deb, I never thought about how the gender of the teacher would play into it, but you are so right! And how about age of the teacher? I can share with my students a "guided experience" with a set a poems that I have put together with certain tentative ulterior motives,and I can set them up to realize, "Gee, eating fruit is supposed to be pleasurable but this poem is making me think of some other things that are supposed to be pleasurable," but no parent or administrator is going to go ballistic because I am pushing 60 and therefore "safe." Get the same lesson coming from a first year teacher of either gender, and there might well be fireworks (dang, the double meaning again).
ReplyDelete