Kids say the darndest things . . .

Here are some reasons why I keep teaching, despite the political nonsense that oozes out of Washington, D. C.

Last Thursday, during a lecture on California artists, I mentioned that one particular artist was based in Oakland and studied at Cal. A soon-to-graduate-in-June senior piped up and asked why this person was considered a California artist if he was from the city of Oakland! Once I caught my breath, I assured her that, last time I checked, the city of Oakland was indeed within the boundaries of the state of California. She still wasn’t convinced.

Yesterday, fresh from a four-day holiday, I was confronted with these gems.

In my ceramics class, the kids pay for the clay used in their projects if they want them fired in the kiln. The clay costs fifteen cents per pound. The students weigh their projects and calculate the cost. A modest proposal. Jennifer (not her real name) weighed her beautiful creation. It came in at a whopping 1.5 pounds. She stared at me blankly. I knew immediately what the problem was. She was another soon-to-graduate-in-June senior who still, despite passing the Exit Exam, could not solve the simplest of math problems. Luckily for her, a classmate helped her with the calculation. I mentioned to her that she might need to know this stuff in the real world. She posited that she would not! The reason she is getting out of high school is because she “won’t have to do this kind of stuff again.” I hope to god I’m there the day she figures it all out!

And then, a brief English literature lesson. The book, Beowulf, was resting on a table. One student picked it up and wondered aloud what came first, the movie or the book! He was certain the movie came first. The book was basically the screenplay. It was at this moment that I reconsidered eliminating my nightly dose(s) of Zinfandel from my diet.