Week 2

First day we found ourselves well rested after a great Thanksgiving weekend, and raring to go. Montmartre is a french name meaning "mountain of the martyr". It even has an Eiffel Tower. We found out rather quickly that the school had a great staff, and the students were very eager. The Cultural Exchange has been to Montmartre every year for 15+ years, and the kids really look forward to us. I noticed as well, with the proximity to Regina, that most of the kids had a broader understanding of the different art forms. They asked questions, had innovative ideas, and were generally creative students.

Next we went to Bethune, another early morning for us. This school was a real treat for me, I had never been, and many of the students had never been exposed to our brand of art. I was greeted by the principal, and was welcomed into the staff room by all the teachers. We had a fun time there and the students were filled with questions about what we do. Two stories that I will share, that came out of Bethune, were The Tale Of The Evil Doers and The Lost Cable. The first time the Exchange came to Bethune, there was no recognizable, emblem-plastered artist van. As a result, the artists that year were in a dark blank van. Driving through the town looking at sights, waving at children, many Bethunians grew suspicious. Gossip rustled through the small conservative town like a bad wind. Strangers were in town. From the whisperers and lookie loos, a sinister rumour was created. Police were called, the school was shut down, parents were notified, and the evil doers were going to be apprehended. Luckily the principal, realizing the panic was unfounded, called off the watch dogs, and let the authorities know that these were artists on a tour from the city, and they were not stealing children, but showing them the free expressions of art.

The second story arose when our film artist forgot a small, but essential cord at a school. I had to go and pick it up a few days later in the north end of Regina. The fun started when I was told that my courier was going to a bachelorette party, and that is where I should meet her. When I arrived, my liaison was not there yet, and being an outgoing person, I introduced myself, and asked if this was the Bachelorette party. I suppose I could have asked a different question, or worded things differently, because the smiles that came across the faces of those women had me feeling like a piece of chocolate. I have been in many productions where I have taken my clothes off, so I......... just kidding. I have to say though, the person I was meeting came just in time.

The last 2 days of the week were in Moose Jaw. Two different schools with very different needs. Lindale School has a great academic program with some extra curricular dance offered, but no substantial art program. I feel the Acting, Film and Writing was the biggest hit for the students. I also feel we gave Lindale some cross over ideas to implement these art forms in the classroom setting. Again, the staff and students were fantastic. Empire School is the oldest continuous school in Saskatchewan. Meaning it has never been anything else. The students were diverse in ethnicity and background. This did sometimes present a higher energy class, and did require a special focus on our part, but over all that school has come a long way from its rougher past. I have met a lot of teachers, and I always find that out of say 100, there are always a couple of teachers that should not be there. This is hard to say because I love teaching, and the teachers that I have met from across Canada work tirelessly to shape and inspire people of all ages. There is a teacher at Empire that should not be there. That class was the most unfocused, undisciplined, and ultimately underachieving class I have seen. It is always fascinating to hear students say "I wish we had more structure because I'm not learning anything". I hope the students can keep their heads up and learn from the other teachers, because they are outstanding.