Has anybody noticed the word 'amazing' is being used to describe everyday occurrences? Friday afternoon, I called by a local bottle-o to purchase a piccolo of sparkling wine to celebrate successful completion of my teaching practicum, and the shop assistant said, 'Cash or card? Card? Amazing. Can you just tap - oh, you're going to insert? That's gone though - amazing.' At what point did a small-scale act of commerce become 'amazing'? The aurora borealis is amazing. A Himalayan sunrise is amazing. This is just ... not. Maybe I'm just getting old and cranky as my trips around the sun increase, but this is really starting to get on my wick.
Who among you ever watched Welcome Back, Kotter? If so, then you will remember the premise: a newly-graduated high school teacher accepts a teaching position at his old high school in Brooklyn, New York. He takes on a class of unruly underperforming remedial students known as the sweathogs, and draws upon his experiences as a former sweathog to assist this motley crew. The show had a great theme song, performed by Lovin' Spoonful singer John Sebastian. It was lyrically sublime: The names have all changed since you hung around/But those dreams have remained and they've turned around/Who'd have thought they'd lead you/Back here where we need you.... Anyway, my point is, I kind of had my OWN Welcome Back, Kotter moment recently, when I carried out a practicum placement at my old high school (although my students were not a coterie of racially diverse underperformers).
The highlights for me include:
1. Teaching a lesson wherein the Year Eights were to write creatively.
2. Exploring the school and all the changes (the old Maths rooms are now the school hall and I still remember the lyrics to the old school song). The wall where I had my first kiss is still there. I think the bush my friend used to smoke behind is gone (probably a victim of hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde poisoning).
3. Explaining to a Year Three lad (the school is a central one and I did a day's observation at the primary campus) who was going through his reader with me that 'verse' is not a verb. He told me that two of the wolves in the story had a fight in words to this effect: 'X was versing Y when were little cubs.' I explained this is a common error, acknowledging that sports commentators are in this odious habit, but I have hopefully educated and cured the lad now.
4. Agreeing with the said Year Three lad that the '-ough' blend is the reason English is an incorrigible language.
5. Playing the Sex Pistols to Year 10. Not really relatable to the syllabus, I will grant you that; however, it was my last ever lesson with them and somehow discussion segued to my ringtone, which is the opening vocal section to Anarchy in the UK. Being Year 10-ers, one guy insisted I must be the Antichrist because of my musical tastes. I explained a person's taste in art is not necessarily a reflection of who that person is; after all, I listen to the Beach Boys and can't surf for peanuts!
Overall, a positive experience and I cannot wait to get that piece of paper. Maybe it was just a bit, well, amazing.
I stayed in town on weeknights, and one afternoon, as I drove home to my family, my iTunes made a very serendipitous selection: Welcome Back by John Sebastian. I smiled as I drove.
