Appropriate Chapel Attire

Continuing Quartet this morning. 

Cello: Okay, so, this is so annoying.  I've got PE, like, first.  As in, right now.  So I have to change into my PE uniform.  And then I have [inter-school] cross country afterwards.  So I have to... yeah...  But! Later, we've got chapel.  And I can't go into the chapel... [withering tone of voice] un... [rolled eyes and a sigh for extra emphasis] ... formal... 

A Talk on Broken Hill

Walking with a grade 3 girl to her lesson, we started talking about NAPLAN (groan). 

Girl [excited]: But the good thing is, we don't have any homework next week!
Me: Well, that's a nice thing.
Girl: But - we did have three assignments this week.
Me: Three?!
Girl: Yep.  Well, one of them was a talk.  We had to talk about a town.
Me: Which one did you do?
Girl: Broken Hill.
Me: Ooh, what can you tell me about Broken Hill?
Girl: Ummm... Ahhh...
Me: Well, where is it?
Girl: It's, like, in the middle of Australia.
Me: Which state is it in?
Girl [in the "I'm giving a talk" tone of voice]: It's in outback New South Wales.
Me: Now, this is something I've always wanted to know - why is it called Broken Hill?
Girl [obviously pleased she could divulge knowledge]: Well, it's because when Charles Sturt jumped off the boat, he saw this ... hill... and thought it looked... broken.
Me: Ah.  So, is there a river or something?  For him to jump off the boat?
Girl [looking a bit confused]: Um... No, when he sailed on the ocean.
Me: Hang on a minute.  Australia looks like this [I drew a very quick squiggly outline of Australia in the air, with a tiny Tasmania at the bottom which made her giggle].  You just told me that Broken Hill is in the middle of Australia [vigorous nod] - so, how is Charles Sturt jumping off a ship on the ocean and seeing Broken Hill.
Girl: Ooh.  I mean, a lake.
Me: A lake?  Really?  Are you sure it wasn't a river?
Girl: Oh yeah.  Yeah, it was a river.

Well, I did learn 2 things.  Even more, really (I might include the end-of-lesson discussion soon).  But I didn't know why it's called Broken Hill, and I didn't know that Charles Sturt was the one who discovered it.

We're Coming to Your Concert!

On Saturday, I was in a chamber music concert.  So, I told pretty much everyone I know - including my school quartets - that it was on.  To the juniors, I gave flyers as I don't have all their email addresses just yet.  Last week, then - after the obligatory "Let's scare the life out of our teacher as she arrives" - there were clamouring voices.

Girls: Ooh, ooh - we're coming to your concert! - Oh yeah, we're coming too!
Violin 1: My mum wants to go, so I get to go too!
Viola: My mum? She just wants to know a couple of things?  Here!  She wrote down the questions on the form.  Answer the questions!  [I wrote down answers]  So, last night, I practiced... [pause]
Me: Um... that's great! [I really thought there was going to be more of that sentence]
Viola: Yeah.  [nodding vigorously]  Oh!  Yeah, that's when I saw the note.  And showed it to her.  [very excited] So we should be coming, because mum and dad really want to go!

Ends With...

8-yr-old girl, just played a piece (Over the Rainbow, for those of you playing at home) after starting to learn it last week, quite well.  Except. It. Was. Not. As smooth. As I. Would have... Liked.

Me: What could you do to make this piece sound even better?
Girl: Ummm...
Me: Anything?
Girl [shrugging]: Ummm I don't know...  Play it louder?
Me: Hmm the word I'm thinking of starts with ssss .... [girl raises eyebrow] .. and ends with -moooother...
Girl: Sss...lower?
Me: Ahem.  Ends with mooother.
Girl: Umm... sss...
Me: Ssmooo... Smooo...
Girl [like she's really having to think about this]: Smooo... Slower?
Me: Smooo...ther.
Girl [light bulb]: Oh!  Smoother!  Smoother?  Yeah, smoother.

... And, breathe...  Thankfully, she's a delightful, normally switched-on, musical kid.

Five Husbands - Developments

11-yr-old girl who thinks I have five husbands walks into her lesson, and has her phone with (thank you BYOT).

Girl: Sooo...? How's Tim?
Me: Good...
Girl: How's Andrew?
Me: Good... Still straight, as far as I know... Um, you'll have to let me know when that, you know, changes.
Girl: I'll let you know. 
[Some phone conversation happens - recordings and such].
Me: Right, phone away now.
Girl: Ooh, but-
Me [trying to get stern]: Away.  Now.
Girl: Ooh, but I just got a message!
Me [more stern]: Away.
Girl: But it's from Andrew!  He said - [concerned look on her face] - oh no!  He said, he's really sorry, but ... But... He's turned gay.
Me [breathing out]: Ah.  Okay.  Thank you for letting me know.
Girl [all concerned]: Are you okay?  I know this must be tough.
Me: Well, I had a little inkling this might happen soon.  And I imagine this will make my life a little easier... Right, scales!

Espressivo - Sounds Like...

I was going through some terms with a girl in grade 8 (who's only been in Australia a couple of years - English is her second language).

Me: What does tranquillo mean?
Girl: No idea.
Me: Well, if you chop off the o, and the last l, what do you have?
Girl [slowly]: Tran...quil...?
Me: Do you know what tranquil means?
Girl: No idea.
Me: Very calm, serene. [...] What does espressivo mean?
Girl: No idea.
Me: Let's try the same sort of thing... If we chop off the o, what do we get?
Girl: Um...
Me: Espressive...
Girl [excited]: Ooh, espresso!  We get coffee!  Right?
Me: Uh, no.  We need to keep the -ive.  Sorry.  Expressively.
Girl [not nearly as excited]: Oh.

Wedding Clothes

Today, I went straight from teaching at school to a gig - playing for a wedding.  Accordingly, I was dressed in all black.  This 11-yr-old girl spotted me as school was starting.

Girl: We went with all black today, I see.
Me: Yes.  I have a gig later today, playing for a wedding, so... all black.
Girl [raised eyebrow]: You're wearing all black... to a wedding?
Me: Yeah, I know.  But the musicians always wear black, it's what we do.
Girl: You should wear... Cream.
Me: But we wouldn't want to upstage the bride!
Girl [like, duh]: You wouldn't.  She'd be in white.
Me: Well, okay, but sometimes blokes play for these too.  Can you imagine them wearing all cream?
Girl [pause]: Yep! [Smiles].
Me [smiling]: Yeah, but I don't think they'd really like it.

Girl walks off grinning.