Just Add Water

Oh, if only it were that easy.

I knew, going in, that this would be a lot of work, that the hours put in to my job at GB would be far more than just the 85-minute class I teach every day. My eyes were wide open, and I don't begrudge anyone all of the extra time I put in one bit. Growing a choir program takes a tremendous amount of energy and time.

Still, my feet hurt.

Tonight, a large number of 8th graders from our two feeder schools visited for Showcase, a chance for various programs at the school to show off what they do, and try to woo kids into signing up. It was a couple of hours of being on my feet, shuffling large groups of kids through my room, trying to get them to sing along with us, giving the "I'm Ms. Cooper and this is what we do here..." spiel. I think it went over pretty well. Some kids just have no interest in singing. And those who know they want to be in choir for sure already sing at their junior high. But I did get a few kids with no prior experience showing interest in my class, which was very pleasing. I hope we will get some numbers.

It was fun to play the comedian in front of nervous 8th graders, encouraging them to make silly vocal noises, to sing along to "Best Day of My Life" with the high school kids, and to joke about the boy-to-girl ratio in choir ("Hey, you're almost guaranteed a prom date, guys!"). We'll see what it yields.

I'm exhausted tonight, but hopeful and satisfied. At first I eyed the line for the band table while my own table stayed a bit on the quiet side, but Lynn has had 10 years of building her program, and I'm not even finished with my first yet. I know, in time, I can make choir at GB just as respected and sought-after as the other arts programs. I've so got this.

Now...to invest in more comfy shoes.