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What it is like teaching your own novel....
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Yes it certainly was...truly the most intriguing experience in my 24 years of teaching!
First, the opportunity to see my characters and story through the eyes of my students has been incredibly illuminating. Obviously I am intimately acquainted with my work, but I have never looked at it through the lens of the classroom and curriculum. Much to my delight, the feedback I have received from my students has helped me to see that the construction of the story and the development of the characters is indeed successful. It is so gratifying to hear students make observations about imagery, characterization and motif -- comments that an author only dreams about experiencing. And what a rush it was for me to learn that so many of the girls in my class loved the book too -- many finished it in just three days!!
The value for all students lies in the unusual opportunity to “ask the author” what he was thinking or attempting to accomplish throughout he novel. How many times have you heard the question “Mrs. Jones - how do you know that the author meant to use the flower as a symbol of life?” So many of these young folks are incredulous and unwilling to accept the idea that author’s pay attention to craft as much as they do the actual story that they are unfolding. Teaching your own novel takes care of that! This atypical engagement between reader and author is so helpful with regard to demonstrating writer’s craft and also becomes fodder for so many wonderful discussions.
And the questions are so endearing...despite the fact that it is still “just a book” and that reading remains fairly low on most adolescent things to do, they are all amazed that their teacher actually wrote the book they are reading and discussing in class. It reminds me that there is hope and that teenagers even today can still appreciate books and creativity.
The most humorous exchange thus far.....
Student: “Mr. Nappi, are you famous now?”
Teacher: “Famous? No, I wouldn’t say that.”
Student: “But your book is a movie, and you just wrote another one too.”
Teacher: “Yes, that’s true. But I’m not exactly in the same league as F. Scott Fitzgerald yet.”
Student: But people know who you are, right? LIke if you died, would your picture be in the newspaper?”
Teacher: “I’m not so sure - possibly - but let’s not test it, okay? I’m not ready to find that out just yet.”
Now that Sophomore Campaign (the sequel is out) - maybe next year I will give both books a try!