I have survived 3 of these trials, and each time it has really challenged me across a wide variety of skills and capacities, from my ability to exist peacefully in Taiwan to my upper limits on alcohol intake. I am curious if anyone has experienced a kindy grad show that turned out well, that is, it provided the students, teachers, parents and management an emotionally and academically satisfying culmination of a yearlong effort. Unfortunately, for me, it has only completely exhausted my patience and goodwill each time.
I am also wondering how best to negotiate time off next July–my brother will be getting married back Stateside–because in my experience all sensibility and humanity go out the window when it becomes graduation time. Any ideas? Any grad show success stories? Any utter catastrophes?
I did. First year here. Back then they went all out with these massive extravaganzas. I mean massive. It began with a flaming arrow shot from the kindie roof into a bonfire that erupted into flames. Ended with all the kids singing a song about how they loved all of us and would remember us forever. In between was some great stuff. I think those kids are graduating this year.
Cost a fortune. Had these really cool gay PE teachers from Taipei arrange it all. These guys were famous for the big well orchestrated shows they put on. They trained the kids during the week during PE class. Not drilled, but made it fun and part of learning.
Took me 7 years to put on a really rocking performance. I was only happy in my last year. Finally, did a decent job of showcasing the kid’s skills in a fun way. Boiled down to experience, learning from people like jimipresley - who has more stage experience than me - and learning to avoid boss’s input.
But in answer to your question - let me say I had 6 bad ones before a good one. My first year entailed kids strewing newspaper on the floor as Hansel and Gretel. Sad for everyone involved.
MuchaMan…a bonfire on stage? Cool gay PE teachers? Moved to tears? Sounds more like a pulp novella about Fire Island than a preschool performance.
ThreadKiller…it’s good to hear that sometimes something good does happen. I mean, it’s a job that you struggle with for so many other reasons. It just really is a shame that anybody could be subjected to the kind of pressure I have seen, especially kids and the teachers that work 50 weeks a year to raise them. The fact that at least someone has had a good go at it does give me heart.
A word of advice though: always check your gear before. I thought teaching my kids the dance moves for Cher’s Half Breed and outfitting them appropriately was enough. I was wrong.
You don’t want to be the middle-aged guy whose pants are falling down, around his ankles, while dancing to am 80’s song with a bunch of kindergartners. Bad on many levels.
Worked for me ultimately though. Everybody needs at least one bad performance to reconsider his or her life. It took me that to figure out that I don’t really care that much what others think. Still, try and avoid it.
[quote=“ThreadKiller”]A word of advice though: always check your gear before. I thought teaching my kids the dance moves for Cher’s Half Breed and outfitting them appropriately was enough. I was wrong.
[color=#FF0000]You don’t want to be the middle-aged guy whose pants are falling down, around his ankles, while dancing to am 80’s song with a bunch of kindergartners. Bad on many levels. [/color]
Worked for me ultimately though. Everybody needs at least one bad performance to reconsider his or her life. It took me that to figure out that I don’t really care that much what others think. Still, try and avoid it.[/quote]
:roflmao: I would have paid good money to see that…
