Tuesdays with Joe

Last Wednesday, there was a performance of the songs for my musical - Tuesdays with Joe.

It's a work in progress (though I doubt I will ever finish it, I've always disliked the commercialism and glitter associated with musicals) and what we did on Wednesday was to present 6 of the key songs of the musical at the Esplanade concourse (the open area between the two main halls).

I accompanied my singers on the piano. It was my first time playing there and the acoustics were really good (the music reverberated well because of the high ceiling domes).

Anyway, the audience enjoyed my songs, though there's some feedback about it being similar and soppy. Well, I can only write sentimental and syrupy songs, so sue me!!

Me playing accompaniment to my own music.

I wasn't nervous, unlike playing classical music, when I will get more worked up as it's much more emotionally draining.













In the Esplanade dressing room before the performance.

As we made our way into our room, we passed by rooms with
actors from The Phantom of the Opera dressing up, there were wigs,

fanciful costumes and other assorted items.

Lifeskills Camp, March Holidays, Storytelling Presentations

At the rate at which I'm going, looks like it's 1 post per month...But anyway, here's an update of what has gone in March.

Lifeskills Camp
Lifeskills Camp was undoubtedly the highlight of term 1, and I think most of my students enjoyed themselves tremendously.

The high points of the camp for the students were:
1. Squeezing onto the small mat for class picnic by the sea.
2. Realizing that it's possible to bathe in just 5 minutes (no more of those hour long 'beauty showers').
3. Sleeping in close quarters with your classmates in the classroom (so now you know who talks in their sleep, who snores, who cannot do without a bolster etc...)
4. Cheering until your voice becomes hoarse.
5. The pool game at SAFRA where you had to fill a bucket with water from your hair!
6. Singing/Dancing/Acting for Talentime in the field beside the warm campfire.
7. Crying before/after Talentime because you were too touched/overwhelmed.
8. Cheering for others when they win.
9. Keeping up the spirit even if you don't win.
10. Realizing the importance of team spirit and class unity.

March Holidays

On the first day, all the teachers went to an Independent Schools' Conference at ACS (I). It was the first time I'd been to their new IB block. Gosh, it was really posh.

I remember the two times I'd been to ACS for official functions. The first was when I was in P6 and ACS was one of my considerations as a Secondary school, and the second was when my younger brother was considering going there.

But it turned out that none of us went there.

Of course I'd been there during a string orchestra camp in Secondary 2. Yeah...they have wonderful facilities.

Anyway, back to this conference...I had hoped to catch up with my JC civics tutor, who was presenting a paper there, but alas I didn't manage to see her.

But it was all in all a rewarding conference, got to know more about the English programme at RI and HCI.

Well, so what did I do for the rest of the holidays?

I had 2 days of a Kagan course, it's this series of courses for teachers by this innovative American educator that will build up students' interest in the classroom.

On the first day of Term 2, I tried some of the 'structures' we learnt at that course with one of my classes, and it seemed to work fine!

Storytelling Presentations

Some points to note for storytelling and other future oral presentations:

1) Don't speak in a 'lazy' manner. Ar-ti-cu-late all syllables clearly.
2) Don't cover your face with the script.

3) Pronounce the consonants at the end of words clearly. (kick, not ki, dream, not drea
4) Don't mix up your 'b's and 'p's.
5) Distinguish between 'three' and 'tree', 'thank' and 'tank'.
6) Don't block your supporting actors/let your supporting actors block you.
7) Don't let your supporting actors steal your show/take a lot of your lines.
8) Let it become a play(drama), rather than story telling.

I showed my classes a recording of the Japanese pianist Mitsuko Uchida, to highlight the importance of preparedness, focus on the task, losing oneself in the performance and stage grace.

However, the mischievous students couldn't stop laughing at Uchida's facial antics.

Well, she's entitled to be eccentric, since she's already achieved greatness in what she's doing.

Do check out her website http://www.mitsukouchida.com/ to find out more about this truly great Asian pianist.

Poems

Here are some poems that I like.

This one's by my favourite German poet Heinrich Heine. His poems revolve around the theme of unrequited love and many composers (esp Schumann and Schubert) have set his poems to music.

I like this poem for its utter simplicity:

You are like a flower
So lovely, pure and fair;
I gaze upon your face
And sadness steals into my heart.

I fain would lay my hands
In blessing on your brow,
Praying that God will keep you,
So lovely, pure and fair.

The next one is by Christina Rossetti. I remember when I was in JC and I asked my GP tutor to recommend some nice poems for me to read, and this is the one she gave me. It's another poem tinged with sadness and quiet melancholy.

Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

The last one is a called A Reminiscence by Anne Bronte (Charlotte 'Jane Eyre' Bronte's sis). This is a famous poem about death, and it's often recited at funerals. I remember this sad incident during my JC days when 2 girls drowned during an OBS trip. This poem appeared in our year book, as a kind of tribute to them. It is really quite touching -- a poignant eulogy for the loss of a young life.

Yes, thou art gone! and never more
Thy sunny smile shall gladden me;
But I may pass the old church door
And pace the floor that covers thee;

May stand upon the cold, damp stone
And think that frozen lies below
The lightest heart that I have known,
The kindest I shall ever know.

Yet though I cannot see thee more
'Tis still a comfort to have seen,
And though thy transient life is o'er'
Tis sweet to think that thou hast been;

To think a soul so near divine
Within a form so angel fair
United to a heart like thine
Has gladdened once our humble sphere.

We are starting on Emily!

We are finally going to begin our study on Emily of Emerald Hill this week!

I have been doing an introduction to the various text types with my classes over the past few weeks and the feedback I have been getting is that the material is rather dry.

I know that....but it is something we have to go through...(my students would have heard this many times, but I'm saying it again) it IS very important!

Anyway, to kick off the study of Emily, here's a little anecdote...

Last week, I was travelling on the bus and there was this HCI boy sitting next to me. I was reading my Emily and after a while, I noticed the boy staring into my book.

Normally, if you want to spy on what the person next to you is reading, you do it discreetly...in the form of a sideway glance, or perhaps an occasional peek...but what this boy did was stare long and hard!

At first, I was a little annoyed, but I feigned ignorance, hoping that he would become embarrassed and look away soon. However, he continued to gawk at my book!

After a few moments of tension, he blurted out, "She wraps her family in quilts - signifying control".

I was reading the part on how Emily knitted quilts for her family, and I realized he was talking to me about the book.

It turned out to be an introduction to a nice chat between us, where I found out that the HCI boys do Emily of Emerald Hill in Sec 2 and he also updated me on various aspects of my alma mater.

Well, to all of my students...Hope that all you have re-read Emily over the weekend and will pass with flying colours the quiz on Friday and the scrap-book presentation tomorrow.

Just a few reminders on the presentation:

1) Speak loud and clear. Project your voice to the last row.
2) Show genuine interest in what you are presenting. This will be infectious! .
3) Rehearse your presentation and make sure you keep to the 3 minute time limit.
4) Structure your presentation so that it flows smoothly.

Good luck!