Support
The support I’ve been getting from friends, family, and (former) co-workers has been phenomenal. When I tell them I’ve quit, the most common thing they say is “congratulations.” The second most common response is “wow.”
In fact, one of those former co-workers just called to say I will be missed. I miss them, too, I even miss a few of the kids, but I’m better off taking Ralph Waldo Emerson’s advice: “Whoso would be a man must be a non-conformist . . . What I must do is what concerns me, not what the people think.”
The more I kept repeating those quotes to my students (which was everything we read of “Self-Reliance”—and even that seemed to be too much) the more Emerson seemed to be speaking to me. On March 16, I finally listened.
When I was packing up my things during 8th period, one of my good students, D, said to me “You know you’re just teaching me to run away.” I wish I’d been quick enough to quote Emerson to him. Or perhaps Thoreau: “The only obligation I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think is right.” I was really looking forward to teaching “Civil Disobedience,” but I probably would have been more frustrated than elevated. I still got my fix, though: “Civil Disobedience” was my “comfort reading” this weekend.
In fact, one of those former co-workers just called to say I will be missed. I miss them, too, I even miss a few of the kids, but I’m better off taking Ralph Waldo Emerson’s advice: “Whoso would be a man must be a non-conformist . . . What I must do is what concerns me, not what the people think.”
The more I kept repeating those quotes to my students (which was everything we read of “Self-Reliance”—and even that seemed to be too much) the more Emerson seemed to be speaking to me. On March 16, I finally listened.
When I was packing up my things during 8th period, one of my good students, D, said to me “You know you’re just teaching me to run away.” I wish I’d been quick enough to quote Emerson to him. Or perhaps Thoreau: “The only obligation I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think is right.” I was really looking forward to teaching “Civil Disobedience,” but I probably would have been more frustrated than elevated. I still got my fix, though: “Civil Disobedience” was my “comfort reading” this weekend.
posted by Christopher at
6:57 PM
3 Comments:
Dear Chris
I will miss you. I was the former principal at Fenger who was removed before you arrived. It has been good to read comments from the ranks; true experiences.
I always thought this blog was the draft of a book you were writing. If you haven't thought of that maybe you should.
Good luck to you.
By
Anonymous, at 10:19 AM
While this may be the end of your teaching career at Fenger, it is only the beginning of the rest of your life! Great things are still going to happen. . . best of luck.
By
Anonymous, at 6:44 PM
You know, sir, there's a movie directed by Ed Harris, and which stars the same fellow. The title of the film work is Appaloosa. There's a page about the film, over at IMDb, should one would be interested in finding out more about the film.
There's a section in the script of that movie, when the lead character, Virgil, is reciting the text you'd quoted by Emerson. I searched about it, and exactly two hits came up, sir. The other, I'm afraid, was written either by someone who was playing the plagiarist, then -- however quizzically it could be -- or either, by someone who just wasn't anyhow good about citing references. That being as it is, however, I don't suppose it's much but anecdotal to this.
Sir, I see that in fact you have cited the title of the work that that quote is from. That would be exactly what I was looking in about.
Considering the particular nature of this visit, I thought I might proceed as to leave a comment about the matter.
Though I have not previously read any of the works of Emerson, but I am intrigued as to the character of the prose, which was indeed read aloud by the character named Virgil, that prose to whom Emerson was accredited, in the film -- albeit indirectly, the accreditation -- as the author.
I don't suppose there's much more I could say. I will admit, however, that I admire the work of the serious teacher of matters related to the English language -- and the work of the librarian, as well.
I think that teachers of the English language have been the teachers whom I've been most glad to be a student of, honestly speaking.
I think it is fair time that I will look up this work by Emerson. I would wish you good fortune in your endeavors, sir. Good day.
By
Sean, at 7:45 PM
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