School Choir

"When I'm President, we'll rally this country to the cause of world-class education. That means putting our kids on a pathway to success with universal, quality, affordable early childhood education. That means paying our teachers more, and making sure they're not just teaching to the test - but teaching art and music and literature..."
~Barack Obama/30 Jan 2008/Denver, Colorado

The school where I spend most of my time at has a new choir, and they performed tonight at the annual awards day ceremony! I think it's always quite fantastic when teachers step up to the plate and create a new musical group, such as a choir where many people can take part at the same time.

I think music changes people for the better, and bring about a semblance of the divine to a place that's usually uninteresting and dry, which was what happened tonight; the school foyer became a stage that almost felt unreal, with first-time singers attempting to do something that few probably have the privilege of doing...

Teaching art, music and literature... what bold notions in a country that doesn't reward such pursuits which bring in 'concrete results'. Obama mentions the inherent contradictions in matters such as these. 'Pathways to success' is greatly determined by 'succeeding in tests'. But is it possible to not only teach to the test, but go beyond it, as he suggests? Maybe the answer lies in the school choir...