The conversion begins
“Good morning class! I’m going to just get started right away because we have a lot t to go over today. As you may have guessed the creative assignment that I gave you was a start to a new unit. We will now be studying some of the great writers and then we will write short pieces based on a prompt that I will be giving you. Sometimes the prompt will have to do with the writer that we are studying and sometimes it will be just something that I pull out of the ‘Prompt Jar,’” I said showing the students the jar of prompts I had made the night before, “any questions?” I looked around and saw the lone hand of Sally McDonald. “Yes, Sally?”
“Umm, Ms. Harding, who will we be studying?” Sally moved nervously whenever she spoke. I felt badly for her, she seemed so shy.
“I’m glad you asked. We will be looking at Shakespeare, Thoreau, Emerson and Dickens. I might bring in a few others for some short lessons, but I think that these four will give us more than enough to study. Anyone else?” The classroom remained silent. “Well I’ll start by handing back your papers, most of which impressed me.” I said while walking around the horseshoe of desks. I looked at the students’ faces as they got back their papers to try and see if anyone was crushed by a grade. “I understand that this was the first creative assignment I have given you and I understand that it can be hard so if you need any help or inspiration, let me know and I’d be happy to help you.” I saw Zach Manitol raising his hand. “Yes, Zach?”
“So we’re just gonna be writing creative stuff. We aren’t reading or anything?”
“You aren’t just writing stuff no, no, no. Just writing stuff is easy anyone can put words down on a paper. It’s about making what you write mean something to someone else. Writing is about sharing in the human experience, pointing out tragic flaws and making your world more accessible to someone else. You will be writing pieces that mean something. They aren’t just words, they are much more than that. In short, Zach, you will be writing and there will be a little bit of reading. Anyone else? Nope, okay then. Let’s start with this great writer.” I then passed around the lyrics to the song If Today was your Last Day by Nickelback. “Now I’m sure that some of you know these great writers. Now I want us to go around the room and read the entire song one line at a time. Okay Zach, you start.”
“My best friend gave me the best advice,” Zach said.
“He said each day's a gift and not a given right,” George said.
“Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind,” Eric said
“And try to take the path less traveled by,” Seth said.
“That first step you take is the longest stride,” Kelly said.
“If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late,” Joey said.
“Could you say goodbye to yesterday,” Nikki said
“Would you live each moment like your last,” said Jamie.
“Leave old pictures in the past,” said Penny.
“Donate every dime you had, if today was your last day,” said Tracy.
“What if, what if, if today was your last day,” said Vanessa.
“Against the grain should be a way of life,” said Eli.
“What's worth the price is always worth the fight,” said Waltie.
“Every second counts 'cause there's no second try,” said Mike.
“So live like you're never living twice,” said Drake.
“Don't take the free ride in your own life,” said Marc.
“If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late,” said Maureen.
“Could you say goodbye to yesterday,” said Rose.
“Would you live each moment like your last,” said Lauren.
“Leave old pictures in the past,” said Henry.
The rest of the class continued the song in the same monotone pattern of the student before them until we had reached the last line of the song. I then looked up from my copy of the lyrics and asked, “Who can tell me what this song is trying to say?” I searched the room for a hand and found one lone hand in the back right corner of my class. The hand belonged to Seth. I was surprised. Seth was not one to do a lot of talking as he was a shy boy. “Yes, Seth?”
“It’s trying to say that time is short and that we should live while we still can,” said Seth in a shaky voice.
“That’s right. Exactly. Okay class there are only a few minutes left so the prompt for today is the apocalypse. What would you do if you found out you had 24 hours to live? Please think about this before you write. Now I’ll let you go a few minutes early. Seth, can you stay here for a few minutes?” The class then joyfully busted out of the room. Seth then approached my desk, a look of fear on his face. “Seth, I was moved by your paper. I wanted to know how long you had been writing.”
“What do you mean how long I’ve been writing?”
“I mean this can’t be your first story.”
“It is. Honest. I’ve never written before.”
“Well I’m impressed. I’m excited to see your next story. That’s all, go have fun at lunch.”
“Okay, thanks Ms. H.”
I watched him walk off and I wondered what he was thinking. What was he going to write tonight? I couldn’t wait to get inside his head. Just then Clark Mason walked in dressed in black dress slacks, a blue button down and a red tie. He had his unruly dirty blonde hair just sitting on his head and I noticed that he had recently shaved. His green eyes seemed to have an unusual sparkle in them. He was cute, to say the least. He was also my best teacher friend. He was the only one on staff who didn’t call me Charlotte. He and I were the youngest teachers on staff so we bonded together over new teaching techniques. I hadn’t yet told him about Seth or my new creative writing ideas, but I was eager to make him privy to my recent discoveries.
“Morning Charlie,” he said while walking towards the chair next to the desk I was on. I was happy to have him with me, he had a way of cheering me up even when I was perfectly content.
“For your information it’s lunchtime so good afternoon,” I said in a surly tone that I would only use when joking around with Clark. He was always a good sport about that stuff and the only teacher on staff who knew what sarcasm was.
“Oh well aren’t we grumpy this morning. Bad date last night?” He loved to poke fun at my recent misfortune with blind dates.
“No in fact, I didn’t have a date last night. I do have some exciting news for you though.”
“Oh?”
“Yes well, I’ve started this new creative writing thin-”
“Hold on. You started a new unit altogether and you didn’t tell me? This must be huge!”
“Oh it is. I’ve discovered a natural writer among the cookie cutters.”
“Oh is that what we’re calling them now? Cookie cutters? Really Charlie they aren’t that sweet.”
“Oh haha. But, seriously I found a real talent here. I really want to encourage him.”
“Well then do it. I know you can.” He said with a pearly smile. He then kissed me on the cheek and said, “Gotta go. Are we still on for coffee after school?”
“Of course! See you.” My heart fluttered as he left the room. I couldn’t wait for coffee.
