phyllis

Class Photos

The day before I saw Great Big Sea in Philly at the Trocadero, our school had a kick-off for State testing. I had written two filks for testing for the 5th grade and we were asked to sing them at the assembly. We taught the other two fifth grade classes the songs and performed them at the Testing Launch.

The PSSA one was sung to Donkey Riding and accompanied on the bodhran by Asia who found a funky beat to do while we sang. Our other test is called the Terra Nova. We picked Jim Fidler's Terra Nova song to sing our filk to. Last year the class played the xylophones and we didn't have time to rehearse that with this class. But George and Eric wanted to learn to play the guitar. So I decided to teach them the chords necessary to play Terra Nova. They came up during their recess time and practiced for about three weeks. It was a big thing for both kids to learn to play and they really worked hard at it. George really has a natural ability and picked it up almost immediately. Eric took a little longer but eventually learned it.

Our performance went well despite the fact that Eric was ill that day. George was really nervous about performing - he is a very quiet kid - I had to sit on stage with him to calm him down. But he strummed along well and everyone was very happy. The kids were thrilled for him and I saw a rare smile come across his lips. THAT made my weeks of missed lunches worth it.

Today was the fifth day of 10 days of testing. The whole thing is very high stakes for the kids and the school. Yesterday the stress was palpable and the kids and I were very tense. Everyone was irritable. I hate days like that. I began the day in Morning Meeting with "Ordinary Day." It was my student teacher's last day with us and it is her favorite song that we sing. The kids all wished her well with her class in Septmeber or thanked her for something that she's done for them. Vincent made me smile when he told her "Thank you for not bugging me too much." (Unlike his real teacher who bugs him a lot!) Some of the kids thanked her for teaching them about Pi. (We had a Pi Day celebration in March.) Jose requested "Let It Go" before testing so he could get rid of his anxious feelings. I obliged. Testing went on and they did so well I couldn't believe it.

After testing they had planned a party for Phyllis, our student teacher, and we just sat back and ate and talked and laughed. I took them out to lunch and when I cam back, Phyllis had the "Something Beautiful" CD in the player and came over to give me a hug. She pressed play and as I listened to "Shines Right Thru Me" she told me that the song must have been written for the two of us. She felt that my joy of teaching shone right thru her and helped her learn how to do this. Well, that was all I needed to burst into tears. I had been trying to hold back all morning. I will really truly miss her. She entered this teaching career late in life and it's funny how much we had in common. I guess it was all meant to be. She took the whole pack of songs we've learned this year with her when she left today. We sang Ordinary Day one more time. She'll be fine with her own class. She's a trooper and shines right thru me.

George and I on stage for Terra Nova

Eric and I practicing for Terra Nova

The fifth grades on stage singing Terra Nova

Some of the class on stage with Asia on the bodhran for our "Donkey Riding" filk on PSSA testing.

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