French Music

In one of the school divisions that I regularly sub for I once somehow labelled myself as the go to girl for a French Music sub. I'm not quite sure how I did it. I guess I accepted one too many subbing jobs for that area. But yes, I Christine, became a hot commodity when it came to not only a music sub but a French one at that.

Now there is something you should know about this. At this point in my subbing career I had yet to take any French classes (other than from when I was in grade 9 which was my last year of French). I've also never been particularly great at music (I was in band until grade 12 - but let's face it, I knew enough to get great grades and was in it for the trips to Valley Fair and Canada's Wonderland).

So, what does the substitute that has little knowledge of French and music do when she goes subbing in that exact class?

We play games.

There is this one janitor game that the kids love. basically everyone stands still and the janitor tries to catch the 'statues' moving.

Bingo with prizes is always a hit.

Then someone always suggest I just play the piano and they will move to the music.

Errm... I cannot play the piano beyond "Hot Cross Buns" and that chopsticks song... and by song I mean I just know the part where you play with your knuckles.

Luckily, the kids always like it when I pick a well behaved boy or girl from the crowd (at this point they are probably more like a mob shouting "we want you to play the piano, play it now or we will light pitch forks on fire, do it, Do It, DO IT!!" it's a scary situation). Anyways, I pick a boy or girl from the crowd hand them a tambourine and tell them to go to town.

The angry mob dies down and we have a pretty successful French music class where not a lick of French was spoken (unless it's by the students OR the students as me if I even know French which is when I pull our my favourite saying "un petite peu" translation: a little bit - learn that phrase if you are going to be doing French.

Sidenote: Never, and I repeat NEVER, resort to pulling out the recorders unless you have a good pair of ear plugs.