You've heard me say before that part of my psyche was frozen at the middle school level. I'm convinced that is why I had such a heart for teaching middle school-aged students.
I'm also convinced that individuals who are in my subject area, music, are also actor-wannabees. The fact is, to be a middle-school teacher, one has to be part actor, philosopher, authority figure, sage, counselor, nutrition expert and clown - for without a sense of humor and love of the bizarre, you would never survive in today's middle school classroom.
With that said, I've been enjoying adopting a clown persona once a year for the past several years. It is a legitimate way to make a fool of myself! A friend of mine is a kindergarten teacher and each year her class puts on a circus, complete with acts, props, and..........a clown.
Enter me as the clown. This year I decided that my career as a clown needed an update. I needed a new face, costume, and attitude. I found a clowning mentor who took me under her wing and, this morning, we met for an instructional session.
I had no idea!
Clowning is serious business - pun intended.
I learned that there are books galore on the subject of clowning; I discovered that the props are endless; that miming is the most effective way for a clown to communicate; that the face is the 'piece de resistance'.
A large chunk of our time together today was spent on what face make-up to use and how to apply it. I was amazed at the tools needed and the application process required. Clown-facing goes way beyond slapping on some colors and walking out the door. I learned that applying my 'face' correctly will take well over an hour, if not longer.
The lesson has been given, the instructions written down, the tools purchased, and the props readied. Next comes the practice session. I hope that I am able to walk outside my house after removing the make-up. I wrote that down in red ink!
What I learned today is that clowning around is no laughing matter!
Ancora imparo
