Aye Matey, Education is it?

Well my first summer class is underway. I had them do some audience analysis exercises where they wrote up a list of products they wanted to sell. I then had them pick one from their list, and then I provided the selected audience. I think I'm going to market it as a party game.  Try selling plastic surgery to a professional athlete. How about pushing a power drink to Kindergartners about to take a nap. I liked pumpkin aroma therapy for football players. Oh, and I loved a back pack for farmers riding in their tractors. And then flip flops for one of those groups? I just remember it was REALLY funny.  It's a joy to watch minds freely explore, and then create. Why are we always trying to bind those minds and force them into a well defined comfortable direction? Arn't all of our own best memories related to sometime where we just "let er rip?"

I had a summer announcing class two years ago where one of the culminating activities was to act out an event where a reporter could do a live shot. With no other prompting or urging  from me they came up with a labor strike, and picket of Crispy Creme. They gathered amongst themselves on the lawn and came up with a picket chant. It was, "No Dough? No Dough!" They really got into it and started marching up and down an alley way shouting, "No Dough? No Dough!"

The reporter jumped into the fray with a fake microphone in her hand yelling at the apparent organizer, "What do you people want?"

The organizer looks right looks right into the camera lens.

" I don't think the viewers understand the sticky situation were in here."

No one left character. They were dead serious.

Well their creativity and enthusiasm caught the eye of a campus police officer eating his lunch nearby. Before he could approach us, one of the students walked over to him asking, "can we get you and your car in the shot, like you're here to keep order?" Well he just got this funny look on his face and quietly left his vehicle, and the scene.

We did a couple of other fun things and then dispersed. I didn't get very far before I got a message the Department Chair wanted to talk to me.  On the phone he says, "The registrar wants to know what's going on outside her building. Was that your class?"

"Yeah, we were just havin' a little demonstration. Problem?"

"Are you done?

"Yep."

"Then Nope!"

All this takes me back to a day when I was teaching Parliamentary Procedure to a high school class. I was well passed teaching them, and testing them on Robert's Rules of Order. They were in the stage where I was to watch them put it all into practice. They were debating a resolution of some sort about cafeteria food I think.  It was a hot sticky June day. There was no air conditioning. Even I was getting cranky. Then from the back of the room.

"Mr. Chairman?"

"The Chair Recognizes Bob Stoddard."

"I move we adjourn."

I didn't verbalize it, but I'm sure you know that I thought that time worn prhase that begins, "Oh_____!"

"Is there a second to that motion?"

"I second it Mr. Chairman."

" We have a motion to adjourn from Bob Stoddard, seconded by Jerry Vaughn. Is there any discussion?"

Silence.

"No discussion noted. Unless there are objections we will proceed with a voice vote.  All those in favor of adjournment say AYE!"

The response was eardrum shattering. You couldn't even hear my panicked breathing.

"All those opposed say NAY!"

I waited and waited. There was not a sound. Then I really did utter 'soto voce,' "Oh______!"

"The Ayes have it. The rules are suspended ( yeah, me too, I'm thinking). We will adjourn (they knew they had me) and re-convene in the shade by the Library."

You're not supposed to like being the butt of a joke. At that moment I loved being the butt of their joke, and not for what you might think. You can always get another job. But its not very often you know every single student in your class will be able to go out into the world and know how to adjourn. That's education.

Oh, by the way the Librarian threw a big unjustified fit. Fortunately the Principal told her so.  He didn't tell me about her complaint until a week later.

And today I learned how to sell "pumpkin aroma therapy to tight ends." I love this job.