Oh Canada Karaoke

Normally, my humorous posts reflect my job working with kids, but today I bring a story from the high school where the grade tens are preparing for their trip to Canada. I was invited to watch the dress rehearsal of the cultural showcase which the students are to present in Stony Plain. Everything was going smoothly until suddenly I was offered a mic and asked to please familiarise them with "Oh Canada." I declined the mic but that did not save me from the absurdity to follow. The first obstacle was the recording - which I hope in the name of all that is good is changed for the farewell dinner; the opening just started into the lyrics with no smooth lead in, this meant we always came in late. Furthermore, the graduations between loud and soft were extreme, meaning sometimes you could not hear the recording but by the next line it was clipping the speakers and all the time we are losing where we are in the song. The anthem seemed longer that I remember. Secondly, getting the students to actually move their mouths to sing was important. I could have juggled fire and still got less of a response so I fell back on my many elementary skills and just had them repeat after me. That seemed to be wanted the teacher wanted and after that I was able to retreat to the side of the gym with my dignity intact. And yes, I am completely tone deaf as you would except; my brother definately got those genes.