continuing christmas surprises

Halloween hadn’t even begun when my Chinese co-teacher first told me, “The class will have to do a Christmas song for the Christmas show.” This was a week before Halloween, I believe. Fine, I said. I love to sing! “Do you love singing?” I asked the class. Surprisingly, I got a couple of positive answers.

On the following Monday the teacher asked me if I had selected a song. I replied I wasn’t aware that I was responsible for that. I was. Alright.

The next day (classes are Monday, Wednesday, Friday. This is my older after-school class), I came in with some possibilities, intending to let the kids select the song they liked the best. The teacher looked at them and asked if I had the song on CD to play during the performance. Wait, they have to sing along with the recording? Yes, the parents wouldn’t be too happy if the kids didn’t sound very good. Hm. OK.

Finally, we get a CD, the kids are enthusiastic about the song and learn it really quickly, the teacher begins testing them on the song by making them sing it in pairs in front of the class (nothing like sucking the fun out of Christmas carols by making them into tests!), and informs me Friday that we will start the dancing next week or maybe the week after. Dancing? Oh yes, your favourite English teacher is also responsible for choreography because the parents wouldn’t want to see their kids on stage like trees.

I’m expecting to be told I have to organize the entire Christmas show at the end of next week. Wheee, Western Holidays in Taiwan are so much more work than they are back home! Ah, it’s give and take, really. At least my kids are pretty cool about the whole thing.