I just assigned my students a massive research paper, due in about a month. All they have to do for Monday is come up with the idea. This afternoon, my one student handed me a complete outline of his central idea plus his three pieces of supporting evidence, with detail. I goggled at it, deeply impressed because he's usually not this proactive, and he then told me,
"My TV was broken last night, so I did this instead."
After I laughed for about thirty seconds, I responded that I hoped it never got fixed and said, "See? See what can happen when you focus on other things???"
On that note, as I've tried to define situational irony for the kids, this little episode came up: I've decided to give up extraneous TV for Lent, the channel-surfing, time-wasting type that I too often succumb to. I figured I'd start this past Monday. My resolve would remain firm! Then I hurt my lower back so badly yesterday that all I did was lie on the floor with either a heating pad or an ice pack for the entire afternoon. And what was the easiest distraction? Right.
Hey, hey, I read for a little while BUT MY ARMS GOT TIRED. Go away. At least the kids now get the concept.
2 comments:
Man, I HATED doing outlines. Imagine what that kid could do if there was NO tv.
Isn't most tv watching extraneous? What are the rules for your Lenten sacrifice?
I may watch my "regular" shows, like LOST and Heroes and Battlestar Galactica. I need to get out of coming home and turning it on "just for half an hour" to unwind. That's where all those books I never get to read come in.
Post a Comment