I brought my husband for show and tell at school today. True, he did all the telling and showing.
My school has morning programs every day of the week except for Wednesday. On Mondays and Fridays, that means Town Meetings or guest speakers. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, that means Tefillah, or prayer. At the beginning of the year, Marc, the head of our Judaics department and the coolest rabbi in the world, asked us as a faculty if we could think of things to share with the students — as a community — about something we do or someone we know. I immediately thought of Steve. He could come to the school, talk about opera, and sing for the students. Marc loved the idea.
Steve talked about how he came to opera, the son of a “redneck” family in Tennessee, where the only opera anyone heard of was the Grand Ole Opry. It was an utterly fascinating talk, and I learned things I didn’t know before, too. The students were very attentive and asked great questions. They applauded long and lustily when he sang. I think they really, truly loved it. The faculty and students kept telling me all day how much they liked it.
I was really proud of him. While he talked and sang, faculty and students kept catching my eye and smiling. There is already talk of bringing him back. Marc is interested in taking the students to see him perform in Cosi.
I think students always enjoy seeing another side of their teachers. It was the coolest show and tell ever.