My approach has always been to add humour to my lessons. A few weeks ago I discussed a very simple poem about a boy’s first day at a new school. In the poem there was a line where a shoe was hurled past the new boy and this sparked an idea to tell of an event that occurred earlier this year:

I took my one class outside for a physical education lesson. The learners were sitting on the stands while I explained the rules of the game they were about to play. In the corner of my eye a saw a mysterious black object hurtling towards me. I moved out of the way, but unfortunately for one boy sitting beside me, he did not…

The object in question, a size 11 thick-soled school shoe, had been accidentally flung off a foot and hit the poor boy solidly in the face – right on the eyebrow. My first thought: Oh, shit!! The kid’s going to cry! Maybe even shout profanities at the poor sod who kicked off his shoe…

But, what he said next was so witty and unexpected that I still remember it today:

“WHAT SIZE SHOE WAS THAT?!?”

- Just thought I’d share (“,)

every day i give a tiny piece of my heart to you,
but you only trample it under your ignorant feet.

every day i show a bit of my soul to you,
and your eyes look but don’t see.

everyday i reveal myself in moments
that you cast
aside - 

like pearls before the swine.