Nov 23

There was an interesting and strange development at school today. Principal D asked me to assist Mrs Bell's singing classes. Not only do I now have to put away my recently beloved ear plugs, but I am also required to play muse and director to a project almost certainly doomed. Don't get me wrong, I dote on my students, and I wouldn't trade my position as an English teacher at this school for the world, but the annual Christmas concert is an altogether different kettle of fish. For one, we have three sets of musicals planned. The first is a secular celebration of the Christmas break - a sort of ode to winter. Which feels odd because for the last month we've been reading the Romantic poets in class and discussing how representations of winter are infused with a sense of loss and death. I return from these classes feeling introspective and reflective. My students seem to have a similar reaction. But now, I have to rush to the Music hall right after that and sing of a "jolly winter" and "season of giving and gain." Today I felt more of like an actor than a teacher. And a bad actor as well, because I was unable to disguise my surprise at the selection of songs. One of the students had suggested to Mrs Bell that they sing Sarah Mclachlan's "winter song." Mrs B never checked the lyrics and now we have a choir of fourteen to seventeen-year-olds singing lines such as:
I lie awake and try to recall
How your body felt beside me
Oh, I can just see the letters pouring in. Angry parents at the school gates. And Principal D putting me in charge of the Titanic, for the entire winter break, while he sails away to his holiday in Hawaii. I waited for the choir to finish singing and then struggled to articulate my problem with the song. 
"Perhaps it's a little racy. And, have you thought of how the school board and your parents might feel about the lyrics? I'll be surprised if your parents don't rush home after the concert to check if the windows of your rooms aren't barred altogether!"
The boys and girls broke out into giggles. I think they thought I was trying to be funny. And then Jenny, a disconcertingly precocious fifteen-year-old raised her hand, 
"Sir, which part of the song do you mean?"
"Well, for one, the stuff about trying to 'recall how your body felt beside me'." I clarified, quite confident that I had heard the lyrics right. I didn't realize that I had forgotten to air quote around the lyrics until Jenny raised her hand and asked, 
"Sir, I think this is a case of incorrect usage of the word 'recall', because you haven't felt my body beside yours - not yet, at any rate". 
 I along with some students were quite stunned by her unabashed cheekiness, while most of the students broke out into open laughter. My face flushed, which certainly did not help restore any authority to my voice at that point. 
Oh well, from now on, I will have to think more carefully before I make any suggestions to the singing group. Once we return from break, we will practice the second musical, which is a more conventional nativity play with hymns such as "O, Holy Night," "Silent Night" and "Hark the Herald." The third musical is supposed to be in the in spirit of ringing out the old year and ringing in the new. I really hope it goes well. 


We break from school tomorrow for the entire week for Thanksgiving. Martha's parents are hosting this year and I am already a little tense in anticipation of prepping for the journey, and with the children strapped in the back seat. Apparently it's going to snow all day tomorrow. Anyhow, I don't think I should worry about this until tomorrow morning, so that I can fall off to sleep tonight and be actually awake for the drive tomorrow.
Tim