It was February, and for the first time since

I began working at Pocantico Hills School, my

room's carpet was replaced. A little later on,

I was about to begin a music lesson with my

fourth grade class about Abraham Lincoln,

featuring Copland's "Lincoln Portrait". To

prepare the class, I explained to them that

they were going to now hear a lesson about

something important that had happened on

February 12, 1809. "Does anyone know what

happened on that day?" I asked. A boy raised

his hand: "That was the day they installed

your old carpet." I laughed. "No. Somebody

famous you all know was born on that day."

Another kid asked: "Is it the principal?"

One time during Second Grade Chorus I noticed

a boy in the front row flicking his thumb and

pointing his hand in my direction. "What are

you doing?" I asked him. Looking me in the eye

he said, "I'm trying to change the channel."

Some students can be too funny. Once one

was joking around too much, so I explained:

"Listen, you can either have plan A or plan

B. Plan A: you can not do comedy now and go

out for recess. Plan B: you can do comedy now

and not go out for recess. Which do you want,

plan A or plan B?" "Is there a plan C?" he asked.

My class was doing a unit on the instruments of

the orchestra. "Who can name the four families

of instruments?" I asked. "I can." a student

replied. "Woodwinds, Brass, Persecution and

Strings." I explained to the class that for

many music teachers that's often true.

The class was learning the words to "The Star-

Spangled Banner", and we were discussing what the

words meant. We came to "O'er the ramparts we

watched". I then thought to ask a question: "Does

anyone know what a rampart is?" One boy raised

his hand and answered "a part of a ram."

   Another time I was introducing the same class

to Haydn's "Clock" Symphony No. 101. I explained

that as they listened to the music, that they should

guess what it's nickname was, something that they

all had one of in their house. When it was over, the

same boy raised his hand. "Washing machine" he said.

   Once his classroom teacher mentioned "Raggedy

Ann" to his class. "I don't think any of you probably

have heard of Raggedy Ann" she added. But this same

kid said that he had heard of her. "Where?" she asked.

"Oh, she works in the business office" was his reply.

A talented and funny sixth grader had been

selected for All-County Chorus. One day he

used an inappropriate finger at one of his

classmates, for which he was sent to the

office. This was the day of our first county

rehearsal. We spoke to the principal, who

commented that since he had never been sent

to the office before, it was hoped he would

never do such a thing again. A couple weeks later during a rehearsal of the tenor section,

a kid used a moderately bad word, then apologized. I explained that sometimes that

when we get in the habit of saying things,

they pop up when we don't want them to.

"That's  just what happened to my  finger." commented the All-County singer.

One time, during my church's Vacation Bible

School, I was leading the music, and began to

introduce a new song about angels. I wanted

the kids to guess what the song was about,

so I gave a little hint: "This song is about

somebody that God made a lot of. He made them

to help you, but you usually don't see them.

Do you know who they are?" Someone raised their

hand and gave a one word answer: "Parents."