The Trinidadian secondary school system was based on the British: forms 1 to 5 and at the end of form 5, you wrote O-level exams which in those days were set in Britain and marked in Britain. I taught forms 3 to 5 maths and physics.
The students were a dream – interested with no hint of a discipline problem maybe because they were over-disciplined by some of the other teachers. The exception was 3rd form girls commercial math class, a group of girls whose eyes were glazed over most of the time. From them I rarely got a question but when I did, it could be interesting – like the time a student put her hand up and asked me what masturbation was all about. I deferred to the health teacher since I suggested that it was more likely on that curriculum.
For my first class of 5th form physics I did something one of the CUSO volunteers at teacher’s training had suggested. I didn’t say anything during the class. I just had about 15 experiments going on with my transistor radio playing Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay”.
I was an easy mark though – if students wanted to do something the other teachers weren’t interested in being involved with. I was the head of the chess club – so arranged for the students to meet up with chess clubs from other schools. There was a darkroom with an enlarger in the back of the physics lab so I started a camera club. Most of the kids didn’t have a camera so they used mine.
The big one though was when the students wanted to put on a school-wide variety show. None of the other teachers would have anything to do with that one. What I didn’t realize was how many students would get involved and how much energy and enthusiasm they would put into it. There was singing and dancing and skits. It went on and on.
On the night of the show, we had an outdoor stage – complete with curtain, electrical outlets for the audio system and for some of the musical instruments the students were playing. It started around 7 pm and it went on – and it was great – until the last group – and the last group had been planned such that I suddenly realized, this is going to turn into an all-night party. This is not like Canada where if the students get carried away, the parents start frowning and put a damper on things. This is Trinidad where the parents get right into it – party time and parties in Trinidad normally don’t wind down until 3 in the morning. Oops. There were five guys on stage dressed like some Motown group bouncing back and forth and singing with the music just blaring. Around 10:30 I’m trying to get there attention to shut it down but they can’t hear me through the music and they aren’t paying attention anyway. The audience are all on their feet dancing and I’m just panicking.
Finally I can’t stand it any more and I pull the plug – literally. I go back stage where the speaker system and guitars are plugged in and disconnect their electrical. Everything comes to a standstill.
I expected some backlash – some frowns and/or sounds of disappointment – never happened – smiles all around – parents and students – amazing. This is Trinidad where you go with the flow and if the flow involves some tight-assed Canadian who pulls the plug – so be it.
WR Foster 