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For this Canadian teacher, 'The Shire' (aka his classroom) is a place of adventure, where students enjoy light-bulb moments of discovery and deep conversations about humanity.
I arrive at school early: early enough to greet my neighbouring colleagues as they arrive, early enough to boot up the class computer and open the files needed for the day, and early enough to meet students before teaching begins.
My classroom, nicknamed "The Shire", is like a second home to me. I have brought in lamps, art, student supplies and bookshelves that, to me at least, hold the promise of discovering new worlds. A highlight of my job is creating unexpected instances of learning for students - a "light-bulb" moment when the brain makes a new and meaningful connection. Often this occurs through literature but more usually it happens during our classroom conversations.
I teach three courses - two in advanced English with the 11th and 12th grades (ages 16-18) and a 12th-grade film and video production course...