I'm a total masochist.

I'm a total masochist.  I simply need to come to terms with this fact.  I've been sitting here reworking lesson plans for the last two hours in an attempt to "freshen" up my courses.

I'm heading into one of the most difficult terms of my teaching life so far.  One would think I would make it easy on myself and simply use what I've already got.  Well, I can't.  There are lesson plans in there that aren't as successful as I would like so I need to make new ones.  

I'm not content to rest on my laurels and simply reproduce less than stellar lesson plans.  I want to reach my students.  I feel I owe it to them to always be bringing my A-game when I'm in that classroom.  I understand that I'm making it hard on myself, but I think this is what is best for them and I can't deny it.

I've had some pretty spectacular teachers over the course of my lifetime:  Mrs. Robinson (who made stories come alive), Mr. Mohr (who encouraged me to read everything I could get my hands on), Mr. Geddis (who was an example of a teacher and an artist at the same time), Mr. Sanvitale (who allowed me to take part in the literary magazine and "produce" something), Mr. Schaub (who nurtured the little dramatist in me), Mr. Dage (who taught me that I should write about something that wasn't me), Nellie Haddad (who told me I should never quit writing), John Rember (who slowed me down and taught me to focus), Pete Fromm (whose editorial voice never stops talking in the back of my head), Jack Driscoll (who tied the concepts of love and art together for me so I could create as an act of loving), and Claire Davis (who encouraged me to take the next step and launch myself as a professional while teaching me what it truly meant to revise). 

There are more, but these are the ones who did it in the classroom.  These are the ones I will never forget.  I emulate them.  I teach as a result of their teachings.  I want to be as good as they were and I want to give my students the lessons they were able to give me.

So, yes, I may be a masochist, but the pain brings joy when a student learns something new, when their writing improves, or I get that rare student who goes from hating writing to loving it.

So, back to the lesson plans.