I was amazed the other day when I was talking to a student after class (on the baesball team no less) who had no recognition of the line "Who's on first". Later I took an informal poll, and very few students knew of the famous Abbott & Costello routine (named best comedy sketch of the CENTURY by Time magazine).
So I was thinking I would use play routine for the class. Partly it would just be a good break from all the other seriousness.
But is it also a lesson in communications. As teachers, we are ofen in the position of Bud Abbott, trying to explain things that seem perfectly clear to us, but which come across to the students as nonsense. No matter how many times Abbott says "Who's on first" - no matter how carefully or excitedly - Costello doesn't get it.
Perhaps most insightful is the very end:
Costello: ... I throw the ball to who. Whoever it is drops the ball and the guy runs to second. Who picks up the ball and throws it to What. What throws it to I Don't Know. I Don't Know throws it back to Tomorrow, Triple play. Another guy gets up and hits a long fly ball to Because. Why? I don't know! He's on third and I don't give a darn!
Abbott: What?
Costello: I said I don't give a darn!
Abbott: Oh, that's our shortstop.
Costello can parrot back the some of the phrases, but in reality 1) he has little or no understanding of what he is saying and 2) he doesn't care. That sure sounds like some of MY students.