ConversationThe character of my lesson for teaching: Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a professor and a student. Professor: Oh, Jason, long time not see you. How have you been? Jason: I guess it has been a while. Amazing how time flies, has been. Well, you know, graduation is coming up pretty quickly, but I've been enjoying my senior year. Professor: And how's your older sister, um, Annie? Jason: Annie? She's good. She just got an internship at the library of congress. Um, but I don't see her much nowadays. Anyway, I'm time coming to you for some specific advice, if you have a moment. Professor: Well, my schedule is wide open. What's on your mind? Jason: Ok, so I'm helping out professor Williams in his intro to English history class. Right? Professor: Hum. Yeah, I heard that. Jason: He's letting me take over the class one day to teach it. And that's exciting. But I've never designed a lesson before. And I'm ... I'm kind of embarrassed to go talk to professor Williams about what I'm planning. He can be a little intimidating. Professor: Oh, don't sweat it. I remember how nervous it can be when you first get up to teach. So what's the lesson? Jason: Oh, are the lessons going to be on king Henry 8th, just like an introduction and overview of his life and influence, you know? Professor: Got it. Jason: so far, right, outline all the ways. He's impacted England both in the renaissance and today. It just, well, seems boring. Here, you can take a look at my lesson plan, if you want. Professor: That would help. Hm, well, I do think you've to tell me here, all the major elements of his legacy. But, um, even glancing at the plan, I don't see any real focus. What's more, like a list. Jason: A list? Yeah, I guess so. Professor: How can I put this? Uh, all right, let me just ask you this. What do you think the most important part of Henry 8th legacy is? I mean, what do you think of his overall stature as a ruler? Jason: What do you mean? Professor: I mean, well, um, consider his place in history outside of England for a moment, would you agree that along with the current queen Elizabeth II and his own daughter, Elizabeth I, that he's one of the most famous English rulers of her? Jason: Sure, we don't learn nearly as much about king's, like, uh, William III or Stephen of Blah, or Richard II, even in really in depth history courses. Professor: Exactly. Why do you think that is? Jason: Number of reasons? He was married six times. He had two of his wives beheaded. He was famously fat by the end of his life. And he went from being a staunch catholic, too well, defying the pope and founding his own church. Henry the 8th was, um, kind of larger than life, Professor: Exactly. You can paint a really engaging picture with that character. You can deliver the dry facts during the story, but you might want to keep the classes attention with a bit of a flourish, with focus on those over the top details. Does that make sense? Jason: I think so. Yeah, that's a great point. Maybe I should try out the lecture with somebody willing before I have to actually give it. Like for her, so I can tell the story better. Professor: I think that's a great idea.