Saturday, July 25, 2009

Beth Ohlsson Language 23-25

Had dinner w/ Mary, a friend of my cousin's, tonight. She teaches grades K & 1 and offered the following during our discussion of story, storytelling, and teaching. (Notice that we had absolutely nothing in common....)

23. Mary was recounting tales of holiday pagents past and described them as "plopping dish towels on their (the students') heads and doing Jesus, Mary and Joseph." Seems this was a way to describe unimaginative, uncreative, and uninspired excuses for a holiday assembly or the obligatory evening program for mom and dad and grandma. The description worked.

24. Mary was recounting a discussion with an adolescent that began, " We're going to have a come to Jesus meeting." She explained that was Appalachian for, "I'm going to get in your face about something," which means, "I need to confront you about something." Certainly couldn't say that in a public school...

25. And in the course of the evening, I was reminded of a Nana - ism; a pet phrase of my beloved grandmother. She often teased us with, "Tonight we're having hummingbird hearts on toast." That was her way of telling us we could have whatever we wanted for supper....no green required.

And now we are done.

No comments: