Flashback: 'She sowed the seeds for my later life'
Carlo Boszhard (47) is a presenter, actor and lyricist. He wrote four school musicals for the last grades of primary school and gives workshops. The seed for his creative career was sown in the first class (group 3) with Miss Louise Sants.
Picture: Fred van Diem
“Teachers found me difficult, you should know that. Miss Sants has had a lot to do with me too. In 1975 I attended the Oranje Nassauschool in Amsterdam with her in the first class and was very fond of her. I really wanted to please her, but I was very energetic. She could get mad at me and I had to stand in the corner. That made me very sad, because I was a very sensitive boy. I was therefore not bothered by falsehood or rudeness, but was easily distracted.
Other
I can safely say that I was a bit different from other kids. Always imitating people, things like that. I didn't understand the point of doing math. They felt like 'must', all those boring teaching tasks. During high school I was also sent away everywhere. 'Not motivated'. I was, but not for the standard courses. Had put me on stage! Being creative was useful and meaningful to me.
It is extremely important that children are offered incentives that lie outside the fixed curriculum. It pains me that boys and girls get the stamp that they do not meet a certain level, while they may excel at dancing or playing the piano. What the insufficient level? It has also been conceived that arithmetic and language proficiency are criteria for success. Look at such a Cito test: it tells a child who sings beautifully, but cannot calculate: 'You do not meet, period'. It makes me sad.
Seeded
Of course Miss Sants had to participate in the school system, but she offered as much space as possible for other talents. The theater box opened on Friday. She then assigned me to take charge. So she saw that in me. There the seed was sown for my later life. That experience has partly inspired us to release school musicals ourselves and to give workshops to school classes. I often ask that one child who doesn't dare to be so eager to play a nice role. Let them shine. 'We're making a production together', I explain to the classes. 'Everyone can have his or her share and strength in it. Everyone counts.' So was Miss Sants. She had equal love and attention for all children. I was given the opportunity to explore where my talent lay and that gave me confidence.”
LOUISE SANTS (69): “Carlo must have been in the corner at one point or another, but I especially remember a very sweet boy who often gave me kisses. Not a big boy, but certainly not a problem child. He was very social and sensitive. Children can be very loud. Carlo had to fend for himself. He once told me later that his first stage experience at the school Christmas celebration was a eye opener used to be. The starting point for his career. ”
