"We're the kindergartners and you know we're cool
We love to come every day to Roosevelt School
We like to read and write and count and play
And we do all that each and every day
Cuz we're the kindergartners
ba ba shu ba
We're the kindergartners
ba ba shu ba
We're the kindergartners, we're the best we can be
We know that one plus one plus one makes three
We can follow directions
We can paint and sing
Of we think really hard we can do ANYTHING
Cuz we're the kindergartners
ba ba shu ba
We're the kindergartners
ba ba shu ba
WE'RE THE KINDERGARTNERS!"
And with that, Kim's final concert as a kindergarten teacher of 32 years was underway. Kim wrote the lyrics for it and sent them out to my son David who taped a rap-type drum background for it and it never ceases to grab the audience right off the bat!
In addition to the piano player, I came in with the guitar to back the kids on a couple of their songs.
At the end of the concert they held a kindergarten graduation complete with diplomas. The highlight of the afternoon as far as I am concerned was when the principal made special note that this was Kim's final year as a teacher at Roosevelt and that she is retiring.
The entire crowd stood as one and gave her a long standing ovation. That's because the parents have seen the miracles she worked with those little souls throughout the year.
I have to admit that I lost it during the standing ovation.
So today is "carnival day" -- the last day of school with students -- and of course, it's raining, which means the activities that had been scheduled for outdoors will have to be held in the gym. Kim and the rest of the faculty will spend Friday getting their rooms "moth-balled" for the summer. In Kim's case, it will probably take most of the weekend as she has to clean out years and years of gathered materials.
But then -- her new life will begin!
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In keeping with the educational mofit, here is a recent e mail I got from the wonderful Tiit Raid:
Hello Former Teachers and soon to be Former Teachers and a Former Guidence Councelor:
On May 29 I woke up from a dream where I was back in the classroom. It seemed like it was the first day...I hear myself saying..."Everyday learn something new or add to what you already know. If not, then you're not doing your job as a student and I'm not doing my job as a teacher."
I guess after teaching for 36 years teaching is still in the 'system'...but the above is not limited to the classroom...I'm thinking that this should or could be the 'mantra' for everybody...what is life if not to experience the everyday? You can certainly learn something new or add to what you already know by just hanging out and paying attention.
I've been retired from teaching since the spring of 2002...but I still find myself thinking about it and occationally about the way I was taught. When at Mayo during our 36 day stint/ordeal/period of learning...one night I started constructing a new course...one which I'll probably never teach...in any event...if I taught again this might be the course. There would be no grading in the traditional sense...no A..B..C..D kind of bullshit...the course would be called "Observation and Intuition"...at least that's the working title. It would primarily be a coures for art students...but would be open to anyone...because good observational skills and learning how to use and trust one's intuition is not limited to the artist.
Traditional education...at least the type that I recieved from grade to graduate school seemed to train only half the brain...the linear side...the other half...the intuitive side...was never mentioned. When I started teaching I soon realized that my training in art didn't include any mention of developing observational skills...there was one teacher who mentioned it...but this was in passing so it never 'stuck' as something to be taken seriously. Years later I found a note from this class that I had scribbled on a sheet of paper..."Herman Rowan said that it takes a long time to learn how to see"...and I then I realized that that is what he was trying to teach through the drawing assignements...but...if something like this is mentioned only once on an undergraduate level it will not stick in the minds of the student.
Intuition. I didn't learn what this was until much later...I had heard of 'woman's intuition'...but that was the extent of it. Old sayings have a basis in fact...I think the reason women were associated with intuitive skills more than men is that they tended to pay more attention to what was going on...they watched the pattern of things over time more carefully than men...who tended to be busy with other things and being the 'bread winners'...so to speak...there is obviously much more here...but let's leave it at that.
From what I can tell...intuition is based on the totality of one's experience...and requires attention to one's 'inward voice'. If the experience behind that voice is false...then the intuition will be too. But...everybody has that voice...it is there from day one...then life's experiences begin to mold that voice. So...how does one develop a 'clear' inward voice?
My experience shows that clear observational skills is one way to mold or re-mold intuition...the observation of the visual world...the appearance of things...to see things as they are and not for what we think they are is one path to developing a clearer inward voice. As we being to see more accurately we will begin to think more accurately. The development of one skill 'rubs' off on other skills.
More later..perhaps...we are off to our Saturday adventures.
Tiit
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I am pleased to announce that I have re-gained a gig that I thought I had lost coming up on June 15 with the Clark County Holstein Breeders Association! I had absolutely no paying gigs for June before that!
The Larry Heagle Band will be holding forth at Carson Park this coming Saturday afternoon from 5PM - 6PM prior to the Cavaliers game. This is something that I (we) do every summer for free as I am a supporter of the Cavs and we love playing at the ball park!
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And these gems, just in from my pal Matt Capell:
Colonoscopies are no joke, but these comments during the exam were quite humorous..... A physician claimed that the following are actual comments made by his patients (predominately male) while he was performing their colonoscopies:
1. 'Take it easy, Doc. You're boldly going where no man has gone before!
2. 'Find Amelia Earhart yet?'
3. 'Can you hear me NOW?'
4. 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?'
5. 'You know, in Arkansas, we're now legally married.'
6. 'Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?'
7. 'You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out...'
8. 'Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!'
9. 'If your hand doesn't fit, you must quit! =
10. 'Hey Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.' =
11. 'You used to be an executive at Enron, didn't you?'
12. 'God, now I know why I am not gay.'
13 'How far up did you go? I now have a sore throat.'
And the best one of all..
14. 'Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there?
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