(Untitled)

[in_likeflynn]

WHO: All Willing Participants
WHERE: The Xavier Institute
WHEN: Evening of December 16th
WARNINGS: None, I'd imagine.
SUMMARY: There's a talent show being put on by drama students and volunteers.
FORMAT: You can have whatever you'd like.

Comments

Backstage

[backatthehotel]

[The sound tech -- looking just slightly hung over -- is doing last-minute technical checks, and possibly looking for people who've forgotten to get their music to him, before now.

If that happens to be you, better find him before the curtain goes up!]

[bluepurrymuffin]

[Oh here's a large blue headmaster going over the program as he approaches.]

Mr. Pinkerton, was it? Kurt had already given you our music, yes?

[backatthehotel]

[That is a very large, blue headmaster. But he's getting a handle on the City's diversity (at least on the surface), and the only real reaction is a blink. Then the unrelated struggle of switching mental streams, in the middle of a task.]

...you're the headmaster? Doing a bit with Kurt?

[bluepurrymuffin]

[Hank offers one of his massive mitts.]

Ah, yes. Dr. McCoy, pleased to meet you. We're performing Fuzzy and Blue, the track from Sesame Street. I just wanted to make sure you were given our accompaniment!

[backatthehotel]

[Goodness, that's a large paw... hand. Just a little hesitant, there, with the shaking.]

[Nods] Yeah. I've got it. No worries.

Y'know, you'd never've seen the headmaster do anything like this, when I was a lad. Then, you'd never have a show like this, either.

[bluepurrymuffin]

[Hank offers a wide grin, he's been doing that a lot this evening, but with such an occasion, he really can't help himself.]

Well, a little fun never hurt anyone. If you let the students enjoy themselves, they'll be more engaged in the activities taking place. Maybe even learn something!

[backatthehotel]

See, that. The fun thing. I know just what they would have said to that. [He puts on a rather spot-on Scottish accent.] 'This is a school, laddie. There's no place for fun here.'

It's good to see somewhere doing it differently.

[bluepurrymuffin]

[Hank just shrugs.]

It's attitudes like that which have sent our education system down the gutter! A strict adherence to rules and traditions over the betterment of the children is almost as dangerous as chronic apathy.

[backatthehotel]

[enthusiastic nodding] The two go hand in hand, I think. 'least, what I've seen. The teachers don't really care, they just want to terrorize them into obedience, make 'em fit whatever mold they want 'em to fit. And if it doesn't choke the spark right out of 'em, they're the lucky ones.

[This is a topic, surprise surprise, that Pink feels strongly about. He's even thought about writing a song.]

[bluepurrymuffin]

[A song Hank would feel the itch to reference as this conversation continued if he didn't fear it may be old hat.]

Oh, precisely! And when the teachers don't care, the students can't be expected to either, or when they do they'll often care about the wrong aspect and end up seeding the cycle for future generations unless intervened with before they reach that point!

What's even worse is these sort of teachers will often smother the ones who do stand a chance at engaging the students the way they need to be, and run them off when possible.

[backatthehotel]

Mmh. Yeah. They're stepping out of line, making it harder for the rest. So they get hammered down just like the kids, 'less they're the really strong ones. The whole environment has to be different, for there to be actual change. Breaking out of that cycle.

Just a tall order, breaking out of -- any pattern like that, really. [briefly quiet and thoughtful.] Wouldn't know about the specifics of, ah, speaking academically, of course.

It's good to see somewhere it looks like it's happened, is all I'm getting at.

[bluepurrymuffin]

[He chuckles when he hears "speaking academically". Some people are just suckers for puns.]

I couldn't even imagine what it would be like within the public system, honestly! We're lucky enough to have carved out our one way from scratch.

The City has some very progressive charter schools around, it's just a larger problem than these alone will be able to handle. The system's simply too large to be replaced with something more effective overnight, but I can at least hope to do what's possible for the students we can take on, and perhaps even increase that load.