Teach Me, Sam I Am

Feeling a tad sleepy after an already busy week, I brought in an old classic to read to my kids to dramatize and discuss. "Green Eggs and Ham". A book consisting of under fifty words.

Sure enough the kids ate it up (get it?) and greeted the book like an old friend they hadn't seen in a while. Hugs and kisses included.

My first class loved my choice to make the character who hates the idea of green eggs and ham a tearful, at times, fella. During my reading, they continued to yell, "make him cry again!" over and over. Thinking, I had really nailed my voices and intentions and emotions, I came into the next group confident and excited to wail the words. Of course, this group thought my reading was off. They stopped me to say, "be angrier!" and constantly questioned, "why aren't you yelling more?" before letting me continue. By the end of that session I had exhausted myself in a fury of trying to prove to my kids that I should be cast as that role in my imaginary production of "Green Eggs and Ham". Luckily for me though, no one ever questioned or complained about the voice I assigned to Sam. Guess even my old tired book choices and old friendly characters deserve time and consideration. Lesson learned.