The Christmas Play practice and the Mary crisis

The Christmas fever is catching on even though it is one and a half month away.

I started play practice about two weeks ago. All the children are German speaking with the exception of Han who speaks English- so she is the narrator. Another very beautiful girl Mylu (and she also catches English pretty fast) is my Mary. The rest are just headaches! They don't understand English, don't understand theater and worse than that, they are such an undisciplined lot that they can't stop giggling. They either giggle or they talk. there's nothing between these two expressions for them and both so loud its impossible to do anything with them without shouting myself.

Last week, I heard the distressing news that Mylu is going on a month long vacation to Thailand so she can't be in the play anymore. There's not a single other girl in the whole group big or capable enough to play this central role. My eyes fell on Anj, the English speaking American girl in the Dragon Group.

I had briefly mentioned this to Mrs Walz. and she had agreed.

Last Friday, while coming to school, I accidentally met Anj's mother and asked her if she would like her daughter to participate in the play. She was very happy and agreed immediately. She also did not have any problem in sacrificing her snoozing for the sake of practice.

In the noon time I met her German teacher France and politely asked her permission to let Anj come to me during the snoozing time as I needed her for something. This Miss France, was visibly still nursing her wounds which my general remarks about the teachers gave her on that fatal Saturday meeting. With a severe rigid face and her mouth set in a thin line and displeasure and disdain writ large on her face she straightaway told me that was not possible.
"I have talked to her mother and she says she can be allowed." I protested.
"Aber sie kann nicht. She sleeps."
"Yes, I know, but her mother said she is old enough to stop sleeping now. It is really important that she be allowed. I really need her."
"Yes, but she sleeps. She can't go."
"Okay...maybe some other time? maybe before sleeping?"
"She eats at that time."
"Oh yes....leider...snoozing is the only time I can have her."
"Aber sie kann nicht."
"Okay, no problem," I gave in," I shall think about some other solution. I will talk later." So saying I moved away.

Anj was all the time hanging on my arm and had heard the entire conversation. When we moved away, she said in a worrying and accusatory tone
"My mom doesn't have problem why is Miss France having a problem? My mom told you I can stop sleeping. Why isn't she listening to you? Now what will happen? How will we practice the theater?"
"Don't worry Anj, I'll do something."

When I came to school on Monday an odd thing had already happened!
As I entered my class, Ank and Cristi enthusiastically delivered me Angle's message that I could have Anj whichever time I pleased. Angle is Anj's German teacher and group leader. A while later, I met someone while going downstairs and she repeated the message.
Half an hour later Mrs Walz came into my room and delivered the same message.
What's up with the whole school saying the same thing to me? I wondered.

Right at 12.30, I went to Anj's class to fetch her. She was ready waiting for me and the same chillies and garlic Miss France smiled at me with as much sweetness as she could and told me Anj was ready waiting for me. Okay...
On my way back to my class, little Anj told me
"You know, my mom was so angry with my teachers because they were not letting me go for the practice. She wrote a letter for them ordering them to so."
"What?" I cried.
"Ya! My mom was very very angry." She smiled sweetly.
I didn't believe her and thought she was just making that one up.

In the afternoon, long after the play practice was over, Angle came to me and asked how had Anj done in the practice.
"Nice really; we need a lot of practice."
"Well, look at this." She took out a letter handwritten in German. "Her mother wrote this letter for us ordering us to allow Anj to go at whatever time you want her to for the practice."
"I am sorry Angle, I didn't know about this letter. I had merely asked France and she didn't allow me. I was considering talking to you but till then this came. I hope you don't think it is my fault."

On a side note, I am first of all amazed how that little five year old girl could fully understand that that nasty Miss France was keen on not allowing her to go. Secondly, she went home and related everything with so much clarity that her mother took instant step. They both knew what they were doing! Upon my part, I really do not care what France or Angle think of me. I still think, France could have been more accommodating or at least tried to find a solution. She didn't even bother to ask me or her why I wanted her. She had just decided to be unhelping.

Consti has sworn vengeance on me

Today Ank was on leave and many other teachers were also on leave so there was an utter shortage of teachers in the whole school. Crist went to Frogs while I remained in the Lions with just a practicantin. Bears had just Consti and Natli.

Early in the morning, Consti came to fight me, "Why did you throw Leon's craft and paper in the dustbin? His mother had come and was very angry because of this."
Reality was, Leon and Max were just wasting sheets after sheets of paper by just crumpling them and brandishing them at everyone like swords or weapons. What I threw in dustbin was nothing like a precious piece of craft or art, just roughly rolled paper. She comes to fight me for this? God knows, if really the mother had been angry or not. I doubt a mother would want to angrily complain about throwing away just a rolled piece of paper which happened two days ago...!

I told her why I did it and demanded that I would like talk to his mother myself when she came today to pick him up.

Later when we went out to the playground, she came up to me yet once again.
"Tim doesn't like you. He says you are very strict."

Tim is an overgrown six year old boy tall enough to reach my shoulders and insolent, impolite and disobedient to quite the last degree. His face is the very picture of disdain. When everyone in the class say Good Morning to me or something else, he just turns his face away displaying rude expressions and refuses to do anything I politely ask him to. The fact that the Bears are extremely rude and undisciplined in the whole school and their teachers don't do anything with them, they are used to behaving in undesirable manner thinking it is okay. And when someone like me comes along and tries to tell them not to do this or that they are bound to feel offended.

"Consti, I am not strict. In my whole previous career children have always loved me. My own group children love me and the parents have never complained. I think the problem is something else. Your group is extremely rowdy and lacks discipline. My children never say I am strict, why should your children say I am strict?"
"I don't know. You must try to find out."

We talked together for nearly 15 minutes in as much broken English and German as we were capable of, but the outcome was nothing. I know of course she is just trying to make problems for me by hook or crook, and falsely instigating the children and parents against me is the weapon she has. I cannot imagine, the same children are disrespectfully scolded by Rivna and used to be screamed and shouted at by Sibrana but they never felt bad and never complained, but they feel bad when I am actually loving towards them.

The problem is not the children, but the teachers!

Today Crist had a one and half hour long meeting with Mrs Wal. When we later met each other in the park, she told me she had a long discussion with her. She was happy someone was telling her what new things to do in the school. She is amazed that out group is the only one to come up with so many new ideas. She has said yes to everything and declared that very soon she is going to make this a rule that every group will have its own morning circle on a weekly plan made by us; not only this, every group will have morning circle done both in German and English simultaneously. I remember, when I had given Mrs Wal my list of things that I wanted to be done in the school, at least two or three months ago, I had written the very same thing. At that time I thought she may have forgotten but I am glad she was actually considering this.

I am a bit concerned. I fear, Cristi is stealing my position.

I was just about to go home and was waiting for the mother of Leon to show up, when Consti came and told me that she had met the mother and explained to her that the child was using his craft as a weapon that's why it was thrown. the mother didn't know about this. She said, "Okay, if this was the case then no problem." and went away. "So now you don't need to talk to his mother."
The truth could well be that there was no complained in the first place! I should still, nevertheless talk to the mother to know what the truth was.