Ever wonder what this “singing weatherman” does when I’m not doing Summer Reading Program performances? I teach — in fact, I just wrapped up my fall semester which included teaching a synchronous online Physical Science II course (conceptual chemistry, with a smidge of geology, meteorology and astronomy mixed in) and two online sections of Descriptive Astronomy, plus three General Physics I lab sections.
Ever wonder what this teacher does when he’s not teaching? Well, it has always been my custom over the Christmas break to do at least one performance of Christmas songs at my boys’ schools. In fact, a Facebook memory (from 2016) from popped up the other day of me playing at Henry’s pre-school (what great times in Ms. Armstrong’s class at ECEC).
The thing is — my boys aren’t getting any younger. They are in the 9th, 6th and 4th grades this year. As Christmas has approached, no mention has been made of me playing seasonal songs for any of their classes.
Life is a one-way street, and I daily revel and marvel that the boys are getting bigger, smarter, more accomplished and self-reliant. Remember that Nate started playing percussion this year at Partnership Middle School? Earlier this month he played in his first Christmas concert (bell and snare) and last night he recorded “Jingle Bells” with me. The song snippet will be used in Daniel’s upcoming film (shot over Thanksgiving Break). [Edit — “The Yuletide Heist” is now freely available on YouTube.]
I’m learning that, as much fun as it has been to create for them over the years, it is even more fun to create with them or even to simply be the audience for their creativity. That said, I am going to have at least one more hurrah. Found out last night that my wife booked me to play for Henry’s fourth grade class this coming Tuesday. Guess this strummin’ Santa is still cool for school . . . for one more year, at least.
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