For those of you just tuning in, "This Guy is Falling" follows the educational exploits of Mr. Birds-Eye, a high school teacher in his third year of teaching, traditionally the make or break year in the profession. Fearing that he has finally reached his wits end, Birds-Eye decides to write a blog in hopes that he can reboot his year by focusing on the positives of the profession.
And I'm happy to report that it's been working.
Spring boarding from yesterdays discussion. My students read a short story written by a gay man about growing up in a household that was none too pleased with his sexual orientation. The story ends with the teenager challenging the "real" men in his family to assert their manliness!
Needless to say, today's discussion was colorful, and we got into what it's like to be a "real man", damn it!
INT. CLASSROOM - DAY
Teacher - What do manly men do?
Student #1 - They play sports.
Teacher - Good. Let's talk about the sports that they play. Now most men are afraid of touching other men because it's a sign that they're gay, but these same men have no problem grabbing other men, throwing them down, and jumping on top of them.
The CLASS LAUGHS.
Teacher - That's football. What happens in wrestling? Men dress up in skin tight clothes and, again. grab each other, pinning them down in all types of suspect positions.
Student - In baseball they slap each other's asses when they make a good play!
The CLASS LAUGHS, and I can see that several MANLY MEN in the class are starting to SHIFT UNCOMFORTABLY.
Teacher - Oh now I can see that some people are starting to feel uncomfortable. They're trying to figure out an un-gay sport that they can play. How about soccer? No hands, guys!
Student #2 - Yeah, but they can play footsie!
END SCENE
And that in a nutshell is why I still like teaching.
Signing off.
Birds-Eye
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