Enormus Pride at the Student Play

On Friday, I had the privilege of attending the Severna Park Middle School play 'Schoolhouse Rocks LIVE.' Now I may be a little biased in my rendition of this experience since I taught there...but I think that SPMS puts on the most incredible middle school play in the country. The talent represented by both students and staff is extremely impressive. Take Mr. Cheezum and Mr. Cummiskey.... they work tirelessly for months on this production. And it's evident that they are very, very talented. Then toss in the talents of Mrs. White (math teacher) who helps choreograph the play and Mrs. Fowler (math teacher) who played the violin in the orchestra. (Go Math Department!)

But of course, it's really all about the students. The sheer amount of students involved is amazing. While I don't have an exact number, I do know that it's a significant percent of the 1400 students who attend the school. The vocals, the dancing, the acting, it's all superb. Throughout the play, I sit back and remind myself that 'it's a middle school play.'

Perhaps this is the last year that I will experience such an enormous sense of pride at a school play, since this is the last year that I will have taught any of the students in the play.

On a funny side note, Liz and I were enjoying the songs from our past--although I really don't remember watching much of School House Rocks on TV as a child. However, I do own the collectors addition DVD and did use it in my teaching years. So at one point, during a grammar song, I looked at Liz and said "I think I just learned something" and she quickly replied "I was just thinking the same thing!" While I don't remember the fact that I learned it had something to do with the part of speech that question words are. Amazing the power of multimedia -- lessons can be taught/learned through songs-- even teachers can learn something new in a middle school play!