12.15.2005

I Get All Broadway on Ya

Sometimes, I like to think about how my life would be soundtracked if it were a musical. And then I think about how nobody I know has any rhythm, and I really really WISH I could see that musical.

Today, the Thursday before the Friday before Christmas Break, these are the songs that the chorus would break into:

Tomorrow, Annie -- In general, I love this song, and actually, when I was student teaching, I burst into my classroom and sang it to my students. There was a reason for it, too, even related to education ... oh I remember. The kids then had to write a letter to the principal and describe what had happened. Ooh! Wait! Ha, I knew I still had them!

Actual excerpts from real letters: [I've copied them exactly as they were written, so the errors are not mine]

Miss Flower has gone grazy. All of a sudden she went from being fine to sick ... This teacher needs help from Charter or something. Solve this problem.

I would like to inform you that my 6th hour English teacher has gone crazy. ... I would be much obliged if you would look into the matter.

Today my teacher went psycho. ... Also she smelled like moth balls please fire her.

... I heard she ate paint chips when she was a kid.

Miss Flower ... has changed her personality for the worst. Please spare no expense on her treatment.

How are you? I'm fine. I writing because one of our teachers name Mrs. Flower came in and started to sing and move around the class dancing. Now she's denying it. I think she is weird.


Now the best part was, the principal responded:

Dear Students,

It has come to my attention that Ms. Flower was acting strangely during class yesterday. I have spoken with her about this behavior and she assures me that it is merely due to the large amount of stress that the sixth period class has created in her life. I have also instructed her to follow some of the students advice and seek help with this problem.
...
If Ms. Flower's behavior does not improve please inform me so that I may take the appropriate steps necessary to provide help to this troubled twisted soul.


So I said all that to demonstrate that I have been a big fan of this song for at least eight years, and probably longer, because I remember having an Annie lunchbox when I was in the fourth grade.

Anyway. The lyric that most expresses how I feel right now is this one:

Just thinkin' about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
'Til there's none!


Get Happy, from the movie Summer Stock

The sun is shinin c'mon get happy,
The Lord is waitin to take your hand.
Shout hallejulah c'mon get happy,
We're going to the promised land


Finally, all day today, One Day More from Les Miserables has been running through my head.

Here is the last lyric:

Tomorrow we'll discover
What our God in Heaven has in store!
One more dawn
One more day
One day more!


And if you don't think dealing with classrooms full of hyperactive pre-vacation teenagers isn't a lot like storming the Bastille ... well, you're obviously not a public school teacher.

2 comments:

Cindy Swanson said...

Oh, my goodness, I LOVE that song from "Les Miserables." Do you have the 10th-anniversary DVD? If not, you MUST get it.

Mei, you sound like you would be a wonderfully fun teacher.

Mei said...

I don't have the dvd, but it was on PBS one time and I taped it. I LOVE that musical, and the soundtrack is perfect for road trips. If I take those road trips by myself.

I used to be way more fun, back when I was a student teacher and wasn't responsible for state assessments and such. THE GOVERNMENT STOLE MY FUNNY BONE.

 

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