Twenty-Five Things I Miss About Teaching at Harmon Middle School

Harmon Middle School
Aurora, Ohio

Although I retired from Harmon School in January 1997, I still think a lot about that wonderful place, still miss many things about teaching there.  Among them ...

1. The kids.
2. My colleagues.
3. Reading students' papers about finding the Frankenstein monster in the Harmon building.

4. Seeing students' faces when they realize Shakespeare is, you know, all right.
5. The kids.
6. My colleagues.
7. Watching the final night's performance of one of our plays--hearing, when the final lights drop, the great cheer from the happy cast behind the curtain.
8. Hearing in class an unexpected comment that takes us on an unexpected and wonderful detour.
9. Hearing kids read their free writing aloud.
10. The kids.
11. My colleagues.
12. Watching kids' faces as they realize the horror and the wonder of Anne Frank's life.
13. Reading kids' essays about "The Geauga Lake Monster."
14. Concocting stupid vocab jokes.  (see earlier blog)
15. Watching kids' faces when then see the connection between gerunds and sex.  (see earlier blog)
16. The kids.
17. My colleagues.
18. Watching the kids' reactions to Charlie Chaplin in The Gold Rush--especially "the dance of the rolls."  YouTube link to Dance
19.Sitting and listening while kids recite Shakespearean sonnets they've memorized.
20.Hearing kids talk about books they've read and loved.

21. Reading The Call of the Wild with my students.
22. Reading the kids' essays about their hopes and worries about high school.
23. Watching the faces of kids illuminate when they realize they like something they thought they never would.
24. Watching kids play an Elizabethan card game in class.
25. The kids.
25a. My colleagues.
25b. Watching the 8th graders--their last day in the building--hugging, crying, realizing a phase of life is over ...