The other day, a position opened at the same school Kristin was at. Moreover, it was for Orchestra, which was right next door to her. I thought this would be cool.
But then, I was moved down the hall, still in orchestra, but not right next door to her. Oh, well, still got to hang out with my wife for a bit at school. That's a bonus any day.
So, I arrive in class and there is another sub there for a teacher that does a half day at this school and half a day at a Middle School. It was good that there were two of us, for we had no idea what was coming.
Now, the kids were not bad, rough, but not bad. But there was noise. Oh, so much noise. First, there was tuning. This is an art, and they do not yet have mastery. This equals misery when twenty five string instruments try to find an A. But A has left the building. And the county.
But then, as if the teacher was maniacally laughing as she wrote the lesson plans, we were to have about a dozen different groups working on a dozen separate compositions. This meant they were playing, and talking, at the same time. LOUDLY.
At one point, I looked up at the clock, and found only twenty minutes had gone by. In the first class. I longed for ear plugs. Some kids played for me and asked if it sounded good. As if I could hear what they played, as if I knew anything about stringed instruments.
Side note, violin bows are weapons. Children should not have them.
Even now, my ears are ringing. I am pretty sure that as much as I love my wife, I will not do this again. Now, I really need Evan from our church to come to my house and play his violin. Perhaps he can restore my faith in that instrument.
On the rare occasions I'm in my classroom, which I share with the orchestra teacher, and his students are playing, I hasten my exit... The sound of young violin players is something they could record and play at Gitmo as torture for the detainees.
ReplyDeleteYep, totally agree after today.
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