A Quote From a Favorite

When I am trying to avoid grading essays, folding laundry, or any other tedious chore, I find myself perusing the gargantuan time-suck that is Pinterest. While I get much enjoyment from the hair tutorials, kale recipes, and paper towel roll crafts, one of my favorite things to pin is quotes. From inappropriate humor to fitness inspiration, I can always find something worth saving and today's quote is no exception.

The reason I selected this quote as my first is because, with his prescient novel Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury has given me the tools to be a better teacher. While I have not necessarily instilled in my students a love of writing as the quote suggests, I have managed to make them aware than not all assigned reading has to be excruciating. As we tore through the pages, students would stay behind after the bell to discuss the relevance of this dystopian tome. When we would focus on other essentials such as grammar, they would BEG me to read, instead. But it was when my department put dilapidated copies of Fahrenheit in the recycle bin to make room for newer copies and I saw my sophomores RESCUING them that I knew I had them hooked on the escapism of reading. Today's adolescents have instant access to whatever their hearts desire. As far as I am concerned, the fact that the words of his novel from the 50's can engage a student in this day and age is proof enough of his wisdom.  If writing is not your passion, then "stay drunk" on something.