I love Wednesdays. I get to teach music at a small fine arts academy in Woodstock, Georgia called the Masters Academy of Fine Arts. I teach composition, music appreciation, and ensemble. The theme this year in all of my music classes is the motif - a small musical phrase. The best example are the motifs used by Prokofiev in "Peter and the Wolf" where there are instruments of the orchestra assigned to specific characters in the story and even special little melodic phrases that are identified with each character of the story (these are motifs). My music appreciation class, after listening to Peter and the Wolf have decided they would like to write a small story like Peter and the Wolf. Only they want to have animals represent their teachers and write motifs for each one. One group wanted me to be a beaver- "Mr G - it's because you are steady, round and furry!" Hmmmmm.... ok. It's an apt description... but they finally decided I was to be a Platypus. An odd assortment of pieces put together to form a really unique member of the animal kingdom.
So I am a Platypus. All kidding aside, I am taking this description as what it is - a glimpse into the souls of kids I am tasked with mentoring. It was given in love, and I fully accept it and all it represents. Apparently I remind them of a warmblooded creature that lays eggs, has a beaver-like tail and a ducks bill.... I am Darwin's nightmare!
Some kids thought I met get upset.... but I just started laughing - these kids put some serious thought into this, and after thinking about me, they deemed me worthy of being a platypus. And I gratefully accepted.
All hail the mighty Platypus... for apparently he is me.
You learn so much when you teach kids.
Mr G
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