Several years ago, bored out of our minds on a drive from Orem to Logan, we started testing our skills at accents: British, Aussie, Russian, French, Mexican, etc. It was hilarious. Now believe me, I was no Marlon Brando, but every time Celeste opened her mouth to try a new accent, she couldn't get through a complete sentence before we were both busting our guts laughing. She couldn't keep a straight face for more than a few awkwardly formed words, then we'd laugh till our faces turned red and our stomachs hurt.
With that in mind, you might be as shocked as I was to learn that Celeste decided to teach one of her classes this week in a British accent. Yes, you heard me. She taught a class full of malleable, impressionable minds with a voice and rhythm that was eerily akin to Mrs. Featherbottom, the beloved British nanny from the TV series Arrested Development. In fact, upon further inquiry, Celeste said that Mrs. Featherbottom was her inspiration for the character she created: Mrs. Brita.
Now, you're all probably wondering the same thing I was: WHY? Well, that's where the story gets good. For those of you who don't know, Celeste teaches 5th grade science, and part of their curriculum is units of measurement. She was teaching them the difference between the standard and metric system, and rather than just lecture the kids, she brought in a guest speaker - Mrs. Brita, from Blackstone. Mrs. Brita (Brita=Britain, get it?) told the wee lads and lasses about how "streets ahead" the metric system is, and how much easier it is to use. She was in character for about 45 minutes, and according to Celeste's account, the kids were wide-eyed and captivated by every minute with their foreign visitor.
This is just proof that Celeste is an amazing teacher, and deserves way more credit than she receives. "In the most delicious way!"
