"Dr. Nash" Retires
When I taught English years ago at City Colleges of Chicago, I required each minority student to keep a journal. Students were given extra credit points to put tickler questions on the left hand corner of the blackboard. My aim was to create a community of writers as soon as possible.
The first day, I always started out with, “What fears do you have as you enter this class?” and “What is soul?” (a slippery word to define. Pen out a good one, Dr. Nash will award you 4 gold stars.)
Have journaled most of my adult life. Along with my students, I read some of my entries out loud to the class, hoping they’d see how rambly and incoherent, emotional and wild, imperfect and downright nuts their professor can be.
I also included this first day of class journal rap. They were similar to one that follows. (Please forgive its religious overtones, for many of my students were born-again Baptists.)
Oh Yea of little faith, take heed in what my 3rd grade teacher Miss Lawler said way back when dinosaurs were still roaming the earth, smoking Cools and lurking late at Fey’s pool hall. My flame-haired teacher said, “Ronnie, why not tell Dear Diary your many problems? Pretend you are speaking into the ear of God.” Click to continue »