The following is from Beyond Good and Evil. It was written by Freddie Nietzsche in 1886 and was his last book of aphorisms. I have found it helpful when applied to teaching. “He who fights monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into the abyss the abyss also gazes into you.”
I’m not altogether sure why I like the preceding quote so much. Perhaps, it’s something about staring into an abyss or dealing with adolescents that I find appealing about it. Whatever it may be I have found it comforting.
On another note I’d like to take the time to finally come out and say it -F teacher movies. From the producers to the cast –f ‘em. Nothing has been more of a pain in my ass than that Freedom Writers. I haven’t seen it, but nearly every student in my Freshmen English class has. They all stare at me bewildered at the fact that I haven’t grown into a challenging, personable, angry young woman. I’m not sure what to tell them. I haven’t seen the movie yet so I don’t know exactly what I need to do to become more Hillary Swank like. Maybe if I just shot for Michelle Pfeiffer or took a stab at being an Olmos. I don’t know which one would be easier for me to accomplish. Olmos drove a beetle. Pfeiffer had a leather jacket. I already own a leather jacket.
I’d also like to take the time to say that teachers, like firemen and policemen, should have uniforms. Maybe gold plated suits with top hats. I want to walk down the street and have people know why I have lines in my forehead. I don’t just want them to think I fret over things I can’t change.
While I’m ranting, Annhieser-Busch just put out a commercial that caught my eye. One that matter-of-factly make me almost vomit. Cops helping people. Firemen rising from ashes triumphant –three babies and a liter of kittens under each arm. The caption read Annhieser-Busch salutes those who serve. No trash men. No meter maids. No teachers. WTF? I wasn’t naïve enough to go into this teaching gig expecting accolades. I knew that it would be both thankless, physically tiring and emotionally taxing. But I’ll be damned if I sit back and watch my favorite beer company salute firemen and policemen and not even mention a teacher. Two weeks after teacher appreciation day. Oh well.
All in all. You’d think that teacher movies would ward off people from teaching altogether, but the stubborn and strong willed head forward –without gold plated uniforms. Humming Nietzsche phrases like the following.
“He who is a teacher from the very heart takes all things seriously only with reference to his students –even himself.”
(1) I drink it all the time and I still don’t know if this is the correct spelling
1 comment:
"I want to walk down the street and have people know why I have lines in my forehead. I don’t just want them to think I fret over things I can’t change."
Taken in a poignant way, I really liked reading that sentence. But that is probably far off from the snappy smug line you intended it to be.
Isn't that the point of all the movies and perhaps what Fred is pointing to in his last quote there? Change will only happen at small levels, within the individual. Stop whining and hop to.
Post a Comment