Last night I agreed to pick up a roommate from the airport, mentally stashing the 2:08 PM arrival time. I was happy to do so, thinking this was yet another example of how lovely the flexibility of substitute teaching can be. I arrived home and pulled up the sub postings for Monday--disappointed to see a full day art position lasting till 3:30 PM. Still convinced my going to the airport was a wise choice, I changed my availability for today, and at 6:15 AM I accepted a half day teaching elementary music--unsure what was in store.
By the time I was in my car, I was grinning at the prospect. The classroom was white and bare. Some posters were scattered about, but the white tiles seemed to bleach the entire room with the exception of the bright orange and purple textbooks which glowed from their shelves. While surveying the room, I dialed the regular music teacher and received sub plans. I was to teach fifth, second, and fourth grade, utilizing those glowing textbooks which reminded me so much of my own elementary music experience.
My fifth graders were a perfect picture of the various ways 10-year-old's act while entering adolescence. There was the over-confident girl who happily sang out her parts and was quick to criticize others (this girl also complimented my hair and asked to touch it--her friend narrating that she did this to everyone she met). There were the awkward boys which were too bashful to sing, but they attempted to disguise this fact with unconvincing nonchalance--as if they were too cool to sing or stand next to a girl. After grouping, regrouping, and redistributing parts, I did get all the students to sing. I counted this only a partial victory. The boys, having lost the cool factor of noncompliance took on new rebellion by singing out the word "potato" as "poe-TAH-toe." I told them that this was culturally inaccurate (it was a Creole song), but decided I wouldn't push the battle beyond a few teacher looks. They were singing after all.
The second and fourth graders both had large portions of the class time wherein they were allowed to choose songs from their respective textbooks to sing. The second graders were quite curious about all the available songs and at one point chose a Chinese song. One of the boys raised his hand. I went over and knelt down next to where he sat criss-cross-applesauce. "This song reminds me of Kung Fu Panda. This song is Chinese, and in China they do karate and kung fu. In karate they use Chinese. I do karate, so I pretty much know Chinese." I may have jumbled his narrative a bit, but I can't say that's surprising considering the form of logic he used. The second graders were sweet, and the fourth graders were just as endearing.
My fourth graders came in with their recorders and sheet music. As they entered, I heard something that had yet to be uttered in my presence as a substitute teacher. "Yes! We have a sub today!" From what I gather, they were either ill-prepared for or nonplussed about playing their recorders. I introduced myself (unable to restrain a genuine grin) and told them we were doing "free singing" for the day. I walked through the procedure we would use for choosing and singing songs. Students asked if this meant everyone was doing solos. They were disappointed when I said we would be singing as a group; however, their excitement wasn't entirely deterred, for a student in the back exclaimed, "I like you already!" and another student seconded.
I was even more entertained as the fourth graders selected Christmas songs to sing--including The Twelve Days of Christmas. I don't think I've ever heard the song so happily before. During the following song, the regular music teacher entered and I relinquished the classroom. Still smiling, I brought my key and sub folder back to the main office and sang the entire drive home.
No comments:
Post a Comment