Larry Norman’s Reader’s Digest:

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Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty

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I wish my mailbox looked like this (yes, it’s a shredder…)

In the background:

* Larry Norman’s Reader’s Digest, a radical “Jesus protest song” written in the aftermath of the 60s, this version however, beginning with a brilliant 5-second sample from Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Waltz. Amazing juxtaposition. And 50 points to me for using the word “juxtaposition” with only 3 days left of school!

Anyway, the big news is that today was the 8th grade talent which, was organized by me for the first time this year. Thankfully, I started planning early and successfully delegated most of the responsibility weeks ago so today went extremely smoothly…..(well, almost).

First up was the step team, a group of  6th-8th grade girls who performed free style step. [Here's a good definition of a step team for those of my readers not currently residing in Los Angeles].

Second up was an act that I performed with a fellow teacher. The idea is was not original at all, but rather one which I “stole” from a college talent show back in my days at Wheaton. Picture this….a darkened stage…Mr. Roeder (pronounced “Row-dur”) and I walk out onto stage, whereupon I walk over and take a seat at the piano, while Roeder walks over to an empty chair facing the stage (back to the audience) and picks up a video game controller….which happens to be connected to a PC which is projected via LCD onto the screen on the front of the stage. With a simple motion, Roeder begins to play Super Mario Bros. LIVE in front of the audience….all while accompanied musically on the piano by myself. Very very fun! He only died twice and ended up beating the Bowser in the 2nd level, which the kids got pretty into.

Following us was a drum-off that several of the band students did….basically, they played a drum solo to a pre-recorded band track….the three kids played the same track and the audience judged who was the best.

Next, one of our 8th grade HR teachers had created a 15-minute video slide-show/montage which showcased the 8th graders….there were laughs and there were tears :)

Finally, we ended the show with the performance of Neurotoxin, a local heavy metal band of which one of our English teachers is currently the bassist for. The kids loved seeing him play, especially with his long hair down displayed and thrashing all over the place. Quite a different context for seeing their English teacher.

They played two songs and finished….the only problem was, we still had 20 minutes to kill, and so after a bit of fumbling, created a spur-of-the-moment “dance-off” in which any kid who wanted to get up and dance could, well, get up and dance. My fears of chaos were quickly subsided as I became convinced again very quickly how great a crop of 8th grader’s we’ve got this year! They totally bought right into it, cheering on their friends, getting into the music, and even listening quietly to an administrator’s important logistical announcement at the very end of the event!

I’m gonna miss these kids :(