Assignments from a High School Teacher

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kaile

Member Ascendant

since 2000-02-06

Posts 5146
singapore

0 posted 2003-03-30 11:34 AM

Dedicated to the teacher-student Miss Ginger-Kellie Cantrell

Assignment 2--If I Could Meet a Star

I have always been fascinated with stars. One of the first things I internalised from science classes is that the sun, which gives us life, is actually a star. Fancy that! I began to question why we are to draw the sun as a circular shape (with lines around it symbolising rays) when it should be drawn in the shape of a starfish. Shouldn't all stars look the same? Why should the sun be different? And how can scientists even have found out its actual shape when it is supposed to be scorching hot and melts everything in its path? As a wildly excitable boy obsessed with mystery and adventure, I rationalized that it's all a conspiracy hatched by these devious scientists to cover up their ignorance and hence generations after generations of children are doomed to draw a round sun, without ever realizing the truth. How brilliant of me to expose such hypocrisy! I spent years bloating my ego, smug in my belief that I am indeed special, that only I have the brains to uncover the conspiracy

Then one day, I just stopped thinking about inventing special anti-hot suits so that i may travel out in a rocket to meet the sun and solve the mystery once and for all. Perhaps the discovery of girls distracted me. Geez, I can't really remember the follies of my childhood and thank God for that.

Or I can approach this assignment from a different angle and tell of how I associate cliches with the way-too-familiar analogy of how teachers are bright stars that shine the way to glowing paths in their charges' lives. Or how I have read enough poems about loss that conclude with the character declaring how he is empowered to move on because he will be reminded of his beloved family/friend/relative whenever he gazes out at the stars at night. (And secretly jest about how this reader is emotionally scarred for life)

Experts say that we become disconnected from reality, from our society if we spend too much time nurturing our presence online. But I think they are wrong in this instance. I got to know you, Miss Ginger, when you unfortunately died in your prime and your father narrated stories about you in an online poetry forum. And it is via the net that I read the touching tributes of your student Kellie Cantrell who clearly misses you very much.

As a future teacher, I have watched movies that depict the lives of teachers in order to steal tips from these on-screen characters who seem to have impeccable grace dealing with the trials of gaining respect from students and rescuing wayward kids. Music of the Heart, Dangerous Minds, Dead Poets' Society, even to a certain extent The Emperor's Club. How do these people leave their mark? Why does making a difference come so naturally to them? And most importantly, can i do the same?

Well, my doubts still linger and my opinion about poems that relate loved ones to stars still remains. But now I live on in hope that someday when I pass away, one of my students will feel attached to me as to keep me in his thoughts whenever he star-gazes. Call me a narcissist if you wish. I'm not too ashamed to admit that YES, I wish to leave behind a legacy. I wish to be remembered as someone who tries to show his best to his students and to bring out the best in them.

Although if I get to meet you, Miss Ginger, just to say hi in Heaven, I'm sure I will also spend some time complaining about how my student (if there is any) does not take the extra effort to remember me in a less pedestrian way. I trust you won't be deceived by my bravado though?

[This message has been edited by kaile (03-30-2003 11:42 AM).]

Kellie_Cantrell
Senior Member

since 2002-05-22

Posts 1667
New York

1 posted 2003-03-30 11:43 AM

I enjoyed reading this

(¨`·.·´¨) (¨`·.·´¨)
  ·.¸(¨`·.·´¨)¸.·´
     *`·.¸.·´*
    Love Always
       Kellie

I TAWT I TAW a puddy CAT!

Larry C

Member Patricius

since 2001-09-10

Posts 10286
United States

2 posted 2003-03-30 12:56 PM

kaile,
I think that you have an early start on your legacy and are well qualified to leave an excellent one. Kind words so well received by the damaged heart. Thank you...

If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again.

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean

since 1999-11-16

Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA

3 posted 2003-04-04 05:46 AM

Nice writing...James

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