Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Nerd, Heal Thyself

I play a character when I teach. It's not a dishonest character. Real person is pretty much Ms. Educat, just with less concern for self and more filters. Ms. Educat is also a lot more high energy. I have to sell this stuff I am pushing, so I hype it up.

One of my favorite facets of Ms. Educat is that she is a nerd. She loves technology, she loves to think big thoughts. She wears her keys around her neck!! She knits, for crap's sake!!!

Today, a wee crack broke through in Ms. Educat.

I was a nerd in full bloom. It's the Baroque period in Humanities and we discussed Descartes along with Social Contract theory while I knitted on a lace scarf. I waxed on about the beauty of a society who has the time to think of how best to solve problems and think. It was, as Karina says, some good civics lovin'.

At the end of the talk, we watched a part of a video that highlighted some stuff from our conversation. The film began with "Rondeau" by Jean-Joseph Moret--the Masterpiece Theatre theme. As is started up, I commented that I had played this in Jr. High band. Hang tight, here comes the crack in my armor.

"Gawl, you were in band too?? Geez, you are a nerd! Did you go to band camp?? Do you have any stories from that??"

That's right, the girl who I pulled out from behind her Buffy The Vampire Slayer book called me a nerd.

Thankfully, both Princess Grace and the Leg Wrestler gave her a look.

Does that mean I have a posse?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't knock that Buffy series. It's intense.

You have some weirdo kiddos.

-k-

Anonymous said...

I have many people in my church who love our three year old. I guess some people think you get a god-badge if you give special attention to a minster's kid. One woman in particular, who has raised two boys in the cult (I kid you not) of Shawnee baseball, is working her ace off trying to make sure that Noah is a baseball player, football player, etc.

It's a bit disconcerting because though I have no categorical objections to jocks I have decided long ago, after years of working with teenagers, that the more balanced and well adjusted adults were the kids who were in band, theater, debate. A little nerdy? You bet, but thoughtful and creative and able to see a wider swath of kids as human beings.

I've been trying, in very subtle ways to say to this woman that I hope Noah ends up in band instead of sports. She laughs nervously with a look of confusion.

Anonymous said...

Oops...It me, Tim. Sorry Educat.

Anonymous said...

I probably gave her the Buffy book in our author vist/big book giveaway/have the author sign your book extravaganza last Friday. If the book is by Mel Odom leave her alone. She never met those old dead guys you discuss in humanities and she has met Mel Odom!

educat said...

The book was not a Mel-work. Toothpick Boy was the only kid who saw him, we talked about him. That's for another entry. Back off.

Now, for the charming comment I intended to make.

Tim, I am with you, but that's to be expected. Trust me, I am formulating an entry right now about how you want your child to be a nerd (Kristen, it will be a while). I am all about using the word "nerd" as empowerment.

Band and Debate at Shawnee High are MOST cool, at least when I student taught.