George Inness (1825-1894)

Autumn Oaks, ca. 1878

ONE YEAR WITH AN ENGLISH TEACHER

Day 25, October 11, 2007

Annie had a very fine English class today. In the first few weeks she's been a bit distracted during class, often gazing out the window or busying herself with things other than the matter at hand. Today, though, her hand was almost constantly up, and her comments were always insightful. We were discussing an intricate quote from Thoreau, and most of the students seemed bewildered by it. Only Annie and one or two others seemed to find the heart of the passage. I wonder…could it be that she is one of those students who only awakens when the work becomes truly thought-provoking and demanding?

* * * * *

I was a patient teacher today. There were some minor difficulties during class (there always are), but I was able to bear them with calmness. I forgot to do a few things I had planned and got a bit behind in my scheduled tasks, but I endured and just kept on teaching. I persevered. I stayed constant in my desire to teach as much as possible, and continued to work with slow and persistent industry. I guess you could say I did a good job of waiting. I didn't force anything, didn't shove the lesson down the students' throats. I just kept doing my best and waited calmly to see what the outcome or result would be. I was neither hasty nor impulsive, two of my most distressing habits over the years. I'm not at all sure how much the students learned today, but I'm satisfied with the way I taught.