I talked to my students about the Beastie Boys today, they were very receptive. Which was amazing. They even compared it to how they felt about the loss of some of their favorite performers. I think it was a great connection to make with my students. I'm not sure what they see when they look at me. They could easily focus on the way I look or how I dress. But most students, I like to think, realize that the people standing up in front of the classroom have more to offer than just an educational lesson. Somestimes, little by little, I get to shed the outerlayers of my onion. This was one of those moments. They could have made jokes about white rappers, or laughed at the idea that I like hiphop music, or felt that I was making light of how they react to their favorite entertainers passing. But they didn't. They were supportive, they asked questions, they wondered why I found him to be interesting...all this without judgement.
I also gave them this quote my MCA:
"I give thanks for this world as a place to learn,
and for this human body that I'm glad to have earned."
I will be keeping that quote up around my desk until the end of the year.
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