Extra-Curricular Adult Academia

It's no secret that I've always been a bit of a nerd. (Yeah, yeah--pipe down everyone out there yelling "Wait, a BIT? Is that supposed to be a pseudonym for, like, 'colossally'?" Your protests are noted...) I always loved school--and learning in general--even more so now that I'm all grown up, and have the freedom to choose educational opportunities that capture my interests, on my own time, with no pesky strings attached, like tests, or projects, or grades.

Yep, no stress, all fun--that's how I prefer my "classes" these days. So, there's a teacher at the boys' High School who offers an evening lecture series several times a year, for whoever wants to sign up and pay the nominal cost. I've always been intrigued by this, but never pulled the trigger, for whatever reason...perhaps mainly because Derek never had Mr. M, so although I knew him by reputation and community esteem, I'd never gotten an insider's glimpse, as it were, of what he might be like in the classroom.

However, this year Riley happened to end up in his section for AP World, and began coming home with stories almost from the first day of school. For instance, Riley raved about how great Mr. M was as a lecturer, in terms of imparting information in a manner both clear and compelling. But he also relayed highlights of Mr. M's apparently riotous tangential anecdotes; according to Riley, much like a sports broadcast's Color Commentator, Mr. M injected the dry play-by-play of people, events, and dates in history with lesser-known details that tended toward the scandalous or hilarious, thereby making the material deeper and more real, and bringing it to life for the students. (And according to Riley, also providing them breaks from note-taking, in the midst of intense lessons. Brilliant!)

Then I met Mr. M at Back to School Night in the Fall, and encountered the combination stand-up comedian/gifted speaker/veteran educator in person...and quickly decided that I did, in fact, need to experience his unique brand of instructional mayhem for myself. Thus I registered for the first 4-week block, focused on the War Between the States, with presentations entitled "Causes of the Civil War", "Portraits of Leadership", "Shiloh: Waking America Up to War", and "Lee Rises to Power: the Peninsula Campaign".

Seriously, I could NOT have been more excited. Not only would I get the chance to gain knowledge and understanding of an important topic...but I've always been utterly fascinated by this particular period in our country's development. (It's a well-documented contradiction in my personality: I'm vehemently anti-violence and opposed to armed conflicts in general...yet am somehow also enamored with battlefields and cemeteries, having driven all over the East Coast to tour and photograph them. Make of it what you will--I've never been able to figure it out...)

Really, the only remaining question was: given the fact that I would absolutely want to recall key ideas from the 90-minute talk, would I completely geek out and bring my laptop? Or just go the old-fashioned route and use a lower profile notebook and pen? (Either of which made me feel slightly self-conscious...but not nearly enough to consider foregoing the process. Hey, the struggle of...an over-aged student...is REAL!) I couldn't resolve my dilemma beforehand, so I ended up bringing both, and making my choice in the parking lot--with the less obvious paper and ballpoint winning the mental coin toss.

As it turned out, I needn't have worried about feeling conspicuous--or even anyone noticing me at all--since Mr. M's hallowed hall of learning was bursting at the seams, with approximately 40 people filling every available seat. It was a crowd buzzing with palpable anticipation and excitement...and the veteran showman/historian at the front of the room did not disappoint. He led us through the roots of slavery...the Missouri Compromise...the Underground Railroad...the Abolitionist movement...up to the sowing of seeds that would grow into the ultimate bitter separation between the Northern and Southern states. Aaannnd It. Was. RIVETING.

(How rapt was his audience during all this? At one point he was describing the plotline of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and became so animated that he yelled and banged on a desk with his fist...causing all of us hanging on his every word to jump in our seats. I swear, the whole session was like a dramatic performance, wrapped up in a continuing education course...good stuff!)

Anyway, it should surprise no one that I scribbled 7 pages' worth of notes. It was actually exactly what I was hoping for--while I feel like, growing up where I did, I received a pretty thorough exposure to the Civil War, Mr. M both refreshed my memory on things I'd long since forgotten about the era and the conflict itself, and added to my comprehension with tidbits and nuances I hadn't picked up the first (or second, or whatever) time around.

In short, it was a highly satisfying...and super-entertaining...way to spend a Wednesday night. When I came home, I converted my questionable handwritten sheets into a neatly organized electronic format, so I'm all ready for the next installment. But this time, I'm planning to arrive early...bring my computer so I can type as I go...and mentally prepare myself for those occasional extra-thrilling and/or loud moments! Week 2: Bring it!