| old posting that didn't want to stick! |
[Jul. 4th, 2007|08:14 pm] |
THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTED ON MAY 24...(don't know what happened)
Yesterday was the last of the Qualied performances! You've heard of the GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH? Well I think I can safely say that on Monday, my student's performance was right up there...at the "WORST" SHOW ON EARTH. Oh Qualied... :) It was a show that should have lasted no more than 35min. and it ran 1hr. and 15min! Now I'm not saying this as "poor me", I didn't expect any better. In all fairness, some of the groups were better than the others (I divided WIZARD OF OZ into 10 scenes and each level, A-E took took scenes. The classes were divided into half), but that really isn't saying much! But when you have no choice in the play (the school choose the story as part of their curriculum and the kids didn't even read the real book...they read like a 20pg dumbed-down 'reader' version to learn English from) and when you have no choice in the actors (all the kids from the entire form had to have a line ON stage!) Between the fact that most of them had basically no english skills to speak of and all of them had no discipline to speak of...I'll let you fill in the rest), can you expect it to go well? NO!
I'm being very negative right now but that shouldn't be taken as all of it directed at the kids. I do really like SOME of my Form 1 kids. But the system is soooooooo messed up! I'm cemented in my views that NO ONE should be forced to learn! That puts the instructor in such a horrible situations. Learning is a privilege, but we don't view it that way. I'm not say that education should be withheld from anyone who wants it...but the key point is 'who wants it'. I'm not so forgetful as to say that every subject I've studied I was jumping up and down to learn but I was at least taught respect as a child and tried (not always successfully) to listen to the teacher even if I hated the subject.
Now I will also concede that it's very difficult for me to feign interest at an assembly entirely in Cantonese...but I DO NOT just talk over the speakers! And I will mention, that I have not been studying Cantonese since I was in elementary school!
But lets say I'm wrong and certain subjects HAVE to be taught (in order to save these children from themselves...a belief that totally grates on my nerves!), like English. Ok, for argument sake lets go there...but DRAMA is not one of those subjects. I have to acknowledge that some people (crazy people :) ) don't like theatre and they shouldn't HAVE to study it. I think it would be good for everyone to see at least one theatrical performance in their life but that doesn't mean that they should have to be in one.
How did things get so turned around that teachers are looking for anything that will 'entice' a child to learn? What happened to earning special privileges?
But enough! I'm done and I am so very happy about that!!! There are now three weeks until exams start and I can't wait. McEntire and I are already solidly into making our departing plans and that is nice! A bit of a long trip home (through a few various countries) will be just what's needed! Looking at taking a few side trips through England and Paris (and now Dublin since the flights to the US were much cheaper from Dublin).
Also, my two shows are now just looming over the horizon. From buying 'unusual' props via the internet to 'studying' Peanut cartoons to studying Shakespeare...Ah theatre!!! Gotta love ya :)
And lastly, on another bright note, went to see PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN the other night. I LOVE BRUCKHEIMER!!! And I'll leave it at that. I really don't want to spoil it for anyone but if you want to talk to me about it...just message me :) |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
worldexpat's journal
