Trying to Live Like George

"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; being a force of nature in stead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy." George Bernard Shaw

And even if I didn't love his approach to life, I would still love him for Pygmalion and Eliza Doolittle.



I remember the first year I taught seniors, I was so excited that I got to teach it and got to show My Fair Lady (Don't judge. It was a play; it's meant to be seen, too, not just read!). I might have sung the songs in class while we watched it.

Now, I was not an exuberant, jokster, tap-dancing kind of teacher (Not everyone can be or should to be. I think being passionate about what you teach and real in the way you present it is 3/4 of the battle, but that's another post, I think.), so I hope you realize how this demonstrates my irrepressible joy in getting to share one of my childhood favorites with my kids. Alas, my students, although they did generally like the play, did not appreciate musicals (or my froggish singing) in the same way I did, and they certainly did not become giddy watching white people singing and dancing about things being loverly and how the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain. Looking back, it was one of the highlights of my time at Everman, and, hey, at least I didn't do the dances.