Zero, My Hero

As part of my crusade to bring back Schoolhouse Rock! to every kid in America and beyond, I figured I should at least post one, right?

These videos appeared on TV during my childhood as mini infomercials, and I can honestly say that this was one of the fondest memories I have with regards to my informal education. Catchy tunes, spiffy graphics, politically conscious and culturally aware (for the most part, at least), these three-minute clips literally changed my life.

I re-discovered the availability of SHR when I had a child of my own and I searched via Youtube to find them on-line. For the most part, you can find all of them. However, when I broke down to get an iPad (not just so that my daughter and I can play Angry Birds, well, sort of), I downloaded the thirty-volume set for my daughter and she now knows most of them by heart as well.

I seem to have an aphasia of sorts when it comes to remembering song lyrics, ask anyone who knows me well, I can tell you the name of the artist, record company, album, what the album (yes, I still harken back to the Dark Ages of vinyl in my speech) cover looked like, the band's history, the band's dog's name, their first cousin's name, the dog's first cousin's name, and so on, but I can't usually re-produce lyrics to save my life. I can name that tune in 2 notes, but asked to finish the lyric, I draw a blank. Don't know why, but it is cross that I have to bear because I love music.

HOWEVER, I can remember most of SHR lyrics after 30 years!! Go Figure. They are genius, writ large.

I used SHR when I was teaching adults ESL in Antwerp last year, and I cannot begin to explain the mirth I felt when I came in and heard a Colombian, South Korean, and Maldavian humming "Unpack Your Adjectives." If that doesn't make a teacher smile, I don't know what will.

Well, thinking about my upcoming journey to India, and as a nod to Indian mathematicians who brought us our numbering system and integrated (yes, pun very much intended) the zero into our consciousness, here is one of my favorites on the importance of being no-thing:

Zero, you are my Hero!