Home Sweet New Jersey

I thought it was high time I taught my students a little bit about my stomping grounds, so today in class I presented them with some info about New Jersey. I gave them a role-play activity, in which several students were the travel agents, and they each had information about a particular New Jersey location they had to share with the other students, the travelers. It was a simple lesson, really, but I can't tell you how it made me smile. As I walked around the classroom listening in on their conversations, it was funny to hear my students talk about the places that I know, for example, "Seaside Heights is a great place to go. You can sit on the sand, sunbathe, or go surfing."

But what got me the most was when I heard Cyril's voice above all others. Cyril, though perhaps enjoys attention a little too much, is really a bright and creative boy who is very sweet beneath his sometimes clownish exterior. As he was speaking about Newark, I heard him say somewhat dramatically, with an arm raised in the air, "And here is where you can meet our teacher as she comes in from Europe." Perhaps I am just foolishly emotional, but I both laughed and teared up at the same time. I laughed because it was funny; I teared up because I am keenly aware that these precious moments will not last too much longer... and how I want them to!