Your Greatest Fears...

We are watching "The Fall of the House of Usher" in American Lit. Why, you may ask, are we watching it? Google it and read about a paragraph, and then imagine trying to help a group of teens, the majority of whom don't speak standard English, understand what the heck it means. So we're watching it. The premise is that the protagonist is consumed by the fear that he will go insane. There's more to it, but for our purposes today, that's all you need to know.

As a warm-up today, I had the kids write about their greatest fears. They looked at me like I was crazy. Then they thought about it. Then they started writing. One asked, "What's yours?" I said something about arriving at the time of my death and realizing that my life hadn't been enough. I hadn't been a good enough wife or mother. I hadn't made a difference in the world. I hadn't done enough for others. One kid said, "You're teaching us. I'm learning. Isn't that enough??" Aww...

But the answers were interesting. A lot of them fear death. Totally understandable for a group of sixteen-year-olds. But others were more original. Here are some that piqued my interest:

• Not being able to support my family. -T, whose family is currently homeless
• Growing up and having to support myself. I'm terrified. -L
• Never seeing my mom again. -I, whose mother is still in the country she and her father immigrated from
• Getting old. -R
• Not graduating from high school. -Y, who is currently failing several of her classes. Again.

Wow. I feel so inadequate. And blessed. And overwhelmed.

I think I should stop doing warm-ups. They keep me up at night.