Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Mother's Pride

This is the inside cover picture of the CD of photos taken on my youngest's classe verte down on the farm. It was a class effort. I asked my son what he had drawn in the picture. He told me, 'the stones', so please, dear reader, admire the stones in all their rocky, craggy beauty as they were given to the world by my youngest who obviously has a keen sense of humour.

While most of the country was ensconced in front of world footie - France vs Spain (3:1), the mummies and one or two dads of my eldest's class were watching the end of year spectacle. Considering that my eldest has been less than complimentary about his teacher this year, the show was stunning. We sat in an auditorium with comfy seats and proper lighting. M. G was the light technician and the rest of the show was put on solely by the kids - 9-yr olds. They received no prompting or hurried scurrying about from their teacher.

Kids in dark clothes were stage hands and moved scenery and props with quiet efficiency and the others kept the show going having, presumably rehearsed it extensively. We were treated to an 'Apéritif théatral' of two boys pretending to be members of the audience, and having an hilarious discussion. Then we had the obscure 'Farce de Patelin' which they had studied in class and been made to read as homework. I hadn't understood it then, and wasn't much the wiser this evening. Not quite the 'farce' you would imagine pleasing 9-yr olds, but it was a challenge and they rose to it magnificently. My eldest participated and I almost heard every word.

We then watched 'La Mouette et le Chat' about a seagull that was brought up as a bird (ed: cat, not bird, duh!) and then had to learn to fly. Some fine speeches, and amazing feats of memory by some kids. All that learning by rote must be paying off...

Finally, we saw a group of sketches where the audience had to guess which famous painting was being represented at the end. We had the Mona Lisa, Van Gogh with his head in a bandage and a couple of others. Most original!

Thanks to the Mairie for the room were followed by the kids introducing each other and skipping across the stage as their name was called out. My eldest did a cartwheel on his turn. It was a pretty impressive display of autonomy, especially compared to last year where they were just starting to do this, but were still in need of the visible presence of their teacher.

A group of parents, to their shame, walked out as the footie started, half-way through the show. May they rot in a pile of rat poo for abandoning their kid's finest hour. What amazed me, too, was the way my youngest watched the whole thing from several seats away, sat on the stairs and made no fuss or got up to be silly. A very mature display of behaviour it was. My eldest left with that wonderful kid enthusiasm, shining eyes, pride in his success and joy at a job well done.

How could anyone prefer footie to that?

3 comments:

  1. Nice post, Sarah, très sympa. (Erm...could la mouette have been brought up as a cat?) Sounds like a great evening, the sort that doesn't come round too often in anyone's lifetime, let alone in the course of a school year. Liked the rocks, too. I think you're lucky with your kids' school - they're by no means all so imaginatively outgoing and enterprising. Clearly not all kids have such parental support, either.

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  2. Yes, it was a total surprise as the teacher had not given the impression of being interested in doing much with them - no classe verte or such like. A dark horse, that one!

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  3. How could anyone prefer footie to that?

    Blasphemy!

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