Fandom High School

Dream sits cross-legged on the desk as students file in.

"This is my last session of this class at Fandom High, and, as some of you know, I will not return in the fall. It has truly been my pleasure and my gift to watch you learn; I can only hope you will carry a bit of this class with you for all your future days."

"You may leave once you turn in your handwavey final projects, or you may use this session to talk to me or to each other, as you wish. I already have papers from Mr. Anders, Ms. Weir and Ms. Fraiser."

Dream stood in the classroom, awaiting his students. His lesson for the day was short, and the books that had been scattered about on Tuesday have been neatly re-shelved.

"There is no class today; turn in your topics for your final projects, and then you may leave."

Dream half-smiled at the class as they came in, which from him should be counted as an infectious grin.

"Hello, students. Welcome to your very last class that will focus on new material. Next week, you will devote both days to preparing your final projects."

"For today, though, there is work to be done. Literature students, please select a poem by an African author and write a few sentences in reaction. Classics students, you are to read a biography of the great writer Horace, and react to any of his surviving poems."

"Hello. Classics students, present your translation of Ovid. Literature students, write a brief paragraph reacting to the story you selected from A Thousand and One Nights." I expect all of you to have excellent work and of course it may be handwaved."

Dream stands before class dressed in his robes. He seems to be in a good mood -- at least, he has provided coffee and pastries for the students.

"Hello. The assignments I have for you today may require some concentration; if the classics students wish to go work in the library, that is fine."

Classics: "Select a story from The Metamorphoses and write your own translation. This is classwork and homework, with the results due next Thursday."

Foreign Lit: "We are transitioning into a brief unit on Arabic literature."

The Arabic word used for literature is adab which is derived from a word meaning "to invite someone for a meal" and implies politeness, culture and enrichment. Adab -- or arabic literature -- is the writing produced, both prose and poetry, by speakers of the Arabic language. It does not usually include works written using the Arabic alphabet but not in the Arabic language, such as Persian literature and Urdu literature.

Arabic literature emerged in the 6th century of the common era, with only fragments of the written language appearing before then. It was the Qur'an in the 7th century which would have the greatest lasting effect on Arabic culture and its literature."

Dream continues with his lecture.

Dream appears lost in thought as he leads the classes today.

Classics: "I am certain you have now studied Latin enough to hold a basic discussion. Mr. Anders, Ms. Frasier, please do so. Mr. Connor, as TA you have the honor of speaking to me. You may discuss whatever you wish, within the limits of your vocabulary."

Foreign Lit: "We have studied haiku and a short story by Haruki Murakami. Obviously, this barely scratches the surface of the world of Japanese literature. In class today, please select a Japanese author and handwave share some information about them with the class."

"You all have a quiz on Thursday."

"Hello. Welcome back from break; please note that your grades have been posted in my office.

Foreign Lit: ( Dream lectures on haiku )

In class today, please write and turn in your own haiku. This handout has some guidelines.

Classics: We will begin studying Latin today.

( Dream continues his lecture )

For homework, please study this primer on Latin spelling and pronunciation.

Dream has brought in coffee, tea and juice for his students this morning.

Foreign Lit: Your midterm assignment is to pick one of the works or writers we have studied thus far and write or wiki/Google a 200 word critical reaction. This is due at the end of class Thursday. You may have this class period to begin work.

Classics: As I did last term, we will begin with an oral midterm. You have 20 minutes to review ancient Greek grammar and pronunciation, then please come to my desk one at a time for a brief conversation in Greek.

On Thursday, you will have class time to write a 100 word critical reaction to any piece of Greek literature that we have studied, or a comparable work.

[OOC: The written exams are due for real at some point before the end of spring break; I'll remind you again next week. It's 25 percent of your grade.]

Dream manages an absent smile for the students as they file in, and there is an assortment of heart-shaped candies on each desk.

"Hello. Happy day of St. Valentine."

Classics: Dream lectures on Sappho and reads some of her poetry aloud. "For classwork today, please find a Greek love -- or anti-love -- poem or myth and present it to your classmates."

Foreign Lit: Students must take a quiz on Russian literature, alas. But the light at the end of the tunnel is a handout of poems by Pablo Neruda to read in preparation for a class on Latin American literature on Thursday.

[OOC: Quiz is 10 questions about the bard movement, Gogol, and other Russian literature. Tell me what grade you got.]

There is a cloud of melancholy surrounding Dream today as he stands before his classes.

Classics: I trust you all read Hesiod's Theogony. What I would like for you to do today is to study the poetry of it, in Greek and in English. Also, discuss what it means that Hesiod takes onto himself the gifts of kingship, the scepter and the "divine voice to celebrate things that shall be and things there were aforetime." Is this an usurpation, or merely a logical right?

Foreign Lit: Please use this class period to read Nikolai Gogol's short story The Overcoat. How do you interpret the ending of this story?

Dream waits for most of the seven students in his newlty-combined class to arrive before beginning to speak.

"Today marks the start of a change in class time for classics students, as they begin to meet concurrently with Literature in Translation. I trust this transition will be smooth, as I divide my time; let me know if it is not."

"Now, on with our lessons."

( Classics )

******

( Foreign Literature in Translation )

"Hello, class. My absence last Wednesday was unavoidable; I trust it has not caused problems for you in your studies.

I had asked for you to read The Odyssey over the weekend; in case your vocabulary was insufficient to the Greek, or your time insufficient to the reading, I am now passing out a synopsis.

Your question for the day is this: Odysseus suffered greatly during his journey homeward. Was the suffering the result of choices he made, or was it unavoidable? How can we determine which is which?

We will conclude this unit with a quiz on Wednesday."

[OOC: Question borrowed from here.]

Dream appears lost in thought, but he manages a smile for the students as they gather.

"Hello.

The first order of business is a tentative syllabus for this class. Review it and bring any questions or concerns to me. This is a living document; it will change in response to your needs and interests as a class.

The first piece of Greek literature we will read is The Odyssey, by Homer. Before we begin reading, it is well to understand the man and culture that gave birth to the story.

( Who was Homer? )

My question for you as a class is, do you think it was more likely that Homer was a specific individual, or that he was not? And does this matter?"

Dream knows the answer, of course, but he's not telling.

Dream stands before the class, his head held high, dressed in his formal robes. He speaks in a clear, strong voice.

"Hello, and welcome to your first class of the semester. I hope it will be enjoyable for all of you.

Start by reviewing the classroom rules. I would like each of you to sign them at the bottom and turn them in to me. This will serve as our contract for the semester.

Most of you studied with me last term; welcome back. The new student, John Connor, is to be my assistant. Treat him with the respect this role deserves.

Our lecture today will be an overview to refresh your minds about ancient Greek, which was the last tongue we studied last semester. We will spend the rest of the month working on Greek translations and readings.

As always, I will be in my office after class. Creature languages immediately follows this class, but I will be there for the rest of the day."

The administrative business taken care of, Dream delivers his lecture.