Kleinberg's Camp Granada

Back in November 2003 an anonymous 5th-grade teacher took Allan Sherman's classic hit about a summer camp (hello Muddah, hello Faddah) and put it into words for the New York City classroom. This song was published in the New York Teacher paper. I believe it is a good time to recreate this classic.

Hello Bloomberg, hello Klein. All your teachers have lost their minds. Your new workshops aren't pretty, we would be so glad if you both left the city.

All our classes are overcrowded and all our textbooks have been shrouded.
Now we are teaching without foundation. What will happen to the future generation?

Please just go. Oh, Mr. Mayor please just go. Do us a favor and Mr. Klein you both should go away. Please leave us and just resign!

From a rocker we're all reading. But are our students all succeeding? Please explain how we can all fit a class of thirty-five on a small carpet?

Don't you think it would be wise to make each class a smaller size? Instead you both decided all our readings should be shared or should be guided.

Please just go. Oh, Mr. Mayor please just go. Do us a favor and Mr Klein you both should go away. Please, leave us and just resign.

Now, about working conditions. Parents should start writing the petition. And the children are all complaining. It's too hot and cramped, it is really much too draining.

The windows in the classroom only open six inches. And if we leave them open too long, the pigeons fly in and make the classroom their new home.

Please just go. Oh, Mr. Mayor please just go. Do us this favor and Mr. Klein. You both should go away. Please leave us and just resign.

All the teachers work day and night.Our mini-lessons must be just right.
The teaching point,on charts, no chalk. Wait a minute, we forgot to "turn and talk".

Now lets talk about the new rules.No more chalkboards to be in the schools. Children's seats should be in fours. We don't remember voting on these laws.

Please just go. Oh, Mr. Mayor please just go. Do us a favor and Mr. Klein. You both should go away. Please leave us and just resign.

To the teachers, you just say. Longer hours, for little pay. Our contract you won't honor. Especially, for our teachers, it is a dishonor.

A few last questions before we go. How were you taught years ago? You sat in rows, what a pity! Are you sure your smart enough to run a city?



Note: Some changes were made by me to account for the last four years. However, almost all of it is a recreation. Maybe the UFT should use this song as a rallying cry for teacher respect.