Day Fifty-Eight

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.


The year is winding down.


To make things easier on myself, I have my kids working on group projects. While my sophomores stage A Midsummer's Night's Dream, my Juniors are creating their own television commercials using various advertising techniques (bandwagon, omission, family fun, facts and statistics, etc.).


To prep them, my juniors have been dissecting various print ads. Here's an excerpt from a Slim Fast Optima ad which depicts a Slim Fast can crushing two cream filled donuts, sending custard flying everywhere!


INT. CLASSROOM - DAY


A STUDENT presents a SLIM FAST AD to the CLASS.


Student #1 - ...Slim Fast Optima controls your hunger craving for four hours.


Teacher - What's up with the donuts?


Student - The can is crushing them.


Teacher - Yeah, but don't those donuts make you hungry?


Student - Yeah.


Teacher - Why would they put donuts in a Slim Fast Ad?


Student #2 - So you'll get hungry and eat it and get fat.


Teacher - Right. Then you'll need to buy more Slim Fast.


Student #3 - I heard that stuff was bad for your kidneys. Too much of that stuff could kill you. I heard it on the news.


Student #1 - Why would they want to kill you?


Student #3 - You'll still lose weight.


Class (collectively) - Huh?


Student #3 - When you decompose!


END SCENE


And that in a nutshell is why I still like teaching.


Signing off.


Birds-Eye