Yes

"Miss, how is this Theatre class gonna prepare me for college?" "What do you think, Keandre?" "I dunno. You're making us stand in a circle and say 'yes' to each other. What's the got to do with college?" "Good question, Keandre. What do you think?" "I dunno. I'm gonna do my work at college, not talk to people." "Why don't you think you'd talk to people, Keandre?" As a first year teacher, I am being told to ask questions of the students and encourage them to do the thinking and talking. I feel pretentious responding to a question with another question. And I'm sure Keandre thinks I'm really dumb. But, if I did give him the answers on Week #1... there would be nothing left for him to discover himself. I wouldn't be saying "yes" to my student. But to answer your question, why am I having you say "yes" to your classmates? We stand in a circle, and one person makes eye contact with someone else and calls their name. Person #2 responds by saying "yes." Person #1 then moves into their spot. Then Person #2 calls someone else's name, and Person #3 responds by saying "yes" before moving spots. "Yes" I hear you. "Yes" I accept your call. "Yes" you can take my spot. "Yes" we can work together in this class. Because when you go to college Keandre, you will need to say "yes" to new experiences: being open and comfortable to making new friends, taking challenging courses, perhaps moving out of your neighborhood and away from your family. You will need to say "yes" to the work asked of you and present it in front of your peers and professors. Or maybe you will need to say "yes" to the responsibilities of a new job. "Yes" I can earn my own living. "Yes" I can take care of myself. You will need to say "yes" to yourself as you discover what it is your are passionate about and letting your voice can be heard. So I have my students say "Yes" and I know that it's silly. It's artsy and idealistic, and poetic and playful ... weird for my Brooklyn seniors. Maybe I'm the one who needs to hear "Yes." Because if I, as a first year teacher, get lost in thinking about how hard their lives have been, how difficult it is to stay above water in their community, how silly it is to play a circle game with seniors, how much paperwork I have to do ... I would not be saying yes to what I believe in. In their neighborhood, making eye contact is an uncomfortable thing and a source of conflict. In theatre, it is the first step. I believe that theatre has the power to make these kids believe in something, believe in humanity, and believe in themselves.I believe that these kids are capable of being empowered and heard by working together to put on a play. I am optimistic and excited. Taking my hour and seven minute commute each morning to Brooklyn, I look confident and put-together, with my lesson plans in place. But this ingenue has a confession: I am faced with a challenge this year, and I have butterflies. My challenge is much bigger than me and a little word "yes." So the goal is to just keep swimming, keep saying yes when I want to say no, and keep asking the questions. I think I will learn and discover a lot this year along with my students. And hopefully we will find out that this Theatre class doesn't just prepare them for college... but for anything they go on to face in their adult lives, such as riding an hour and seven minutes on the A train each morning to teach a bunch of teenagers a little three-letter word.