last week of school

It´s the last full week of school before Christmas vacation, and I am with out voice.

On Tuesday the 22nd, the last day of school, we are having a huge Christmas party, where the children will sing Christmas carols as a whole, in both Spanish and English. The teachers this year decided to make a medley of songs in English, instead of just choosing one, and thus the task has been a bit more daunting. This gallimaufry of Christmas carols contains seven different parts--ranging from Silent Night to Santa Claus is Coming to Town. The fourth grade teachers put it together in high hopes of impressing solicitous parents, but for us 1st grade teachers, it hasn´t been easy.

Try teaching the lyrics "Round yon virgin, mother and child/Holy infant, so tender and mild" to 50 spanish speaking six year olds. I have probably sung this song 100 times, just today, and this is why I don´t have a voice.

But as difficult as it has been, it´s been incredibly rewarding. I forgot how much I love Silent Night--how much it inspires a nostalgic Christmas feeling in me, despite the fact that I don´t really know if I buy into the whole Jesus thing. And hearing all the tiny voices finally sing the first two lines at least partially correct (it came out sounding sort of like this: Siiiiiiiiilent night, khooooly night/owl is cam, owl is braight) gave me goosebumps.

Anyway, when I wasn´t teaching the English songs, I was able to take a video of the kids practicing the Spanish ones, which is almost as cute. Will post as soon as I have the chance.