The first day on my journey to becoming a teacher...

Today was my first "official" day of what is sure to be a fun-filled year and a half. I'm in CSUS's acclaimed Single Subject Credential Program. Apparently, after 3 semesters of instruction/student teaching, I will be more than prepared to enter the classroom of a California high school and teach the leaders of tomorrow something about literature, grammar, and maybe, if I'm lucky, art history.

I'm not convinced there is a "program" that can actually prepare anyone for what today's high schoolers can bring to the table. Times have changed y'all and things are NOT like they were when I was in high school. I mean, they just aren't.

However, I'm armed with plenty of useful resources and I'm totally prepared to bribe them. Plus, I'm going to be a whiz with powerpoint, and I plan on wowing them with my ability to teach across the curriculum by infusing, oh say, The O.C. and The Great Gatsby...or what if I put a soundtrack featuring Kelly Clarkson behind a killer powerpoint depicting life in The Grapes of Wrath...I mean, Kelly wants to "Breakaway" just like Tom Joad.

Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window
Dreamin' of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray
Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanting to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I prayed I could break away
[chorus]
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change
And break away
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And break away
Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean
Get on board a fast train
Travel on a jetplane, far away
And break away
[chorus]
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change
And break away
Out of the darkness and into the sun
I won't forget all the ones that I love
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And break away
Buildings with a hundred floors
Swinging round revolving doors
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me
But, gotta keep moving on, moving on
Fly away, break away
[chorus 2]
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye, gotta
Take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And break away
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And break away
Break away
Break away


Actually, this song would work for so many, many examples in literature. Everyone's always dreaming of getting away. Pip, Nick, Oliver, Holden, Tom...I guess Scout and Jem didn't really want to go anywhere--they were content walking up and down the same street.