Word Play

As an 8^th grade language arts teacher, I introduced my students to the world available to them in their own minds, and one of my favorite activities was the “Word of the Day” exercise.  I’d put a random, or sometimes carefully chosen word on the board.  Most times I’d provide a definition and challenge the kids to look for it in their daily reading or to use it correctly in their own writing.  Sometimes I’d use SAT words.  Other times I’d use words I ran across in my own reading.  “Vertiginous” for example.  I’d tell them, “I don’t know what that means, but here it is in a sentence.”  I provided hints for them to use themselves to discern meaning:  vertigo means dizzy.  Perhaps vertiginous means dizzying enthusiasm or passion.  I spoke frequently of the fun of words, the joy of their sound.  Perspicacious.  My dad always said this word.  I’m not sure he knew what it meant because I don’t recall him ever using it in a sentence, but I love the sound of it.  Erudite.  Verisimilitude.  Giggles and jiggles.  Fuzzy.  Perseverance.  Nativity and naiveté.  Lump.  Lemon.  Luscious.  On and on.  I collect words like a baseball fan collects players’ cards.  I stir fry the words together in a skillet, serve them with some drama to add flavor, and enjoy a poem for dessert.