WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! I am not a first year teacher anymore. School is out and I am now a second year teacher!!! Yes!!!!!
This has been an extremely difficult year for me both personally and professionally. I LOVE my job, and I LOVE my students, but I am definitely in need of a break. This year has been full of ups and downs, busy-ness, stress, illness, fun, loneliness, tears, and smiles. In fact, I'm sick again! (ahhh!!) however a few months of rest should get me back to normal.
I think one of the biggest things this year is that Your job does NOT equal your life. This was a hard one for me. Like I said before, i really love my students, and I want to give them the best of me. I want them to know above all else that they are loved and cherished, and I want them to have a quality experience of music that leaves them hungry to learn more. That being said, you have to let yourself "go home" at the end of the day and leave the kids behind. So many days I spend at home, even when relaxing or watching tv, but was consumed with thoughts of my students. I think this is what led to so much of my health stuff! I never gave myself a break, even when i thought i was.
Much of this last semester ( and the reason I stopped updating the blog --too many thoughts and not enough time) for me was spend directing a musical, "The Secret Garden." This was by far the most challenging thing I have ever had to do. There were many 12 hour days, and LOTS of paperwork (anyone who knows me knows that i do NOT do well with paperwork). Luckily, I had some help and it all turned out well in the end. I am so proud of my little actors! They had fun and did a fantastic job!
My 5th graders also recorded a blues cd. If I can figure out how, I'll post some of their work.
It was very hard for me this year to say goodbye to our 8th grade class. I think it terms of my teaching career, this will always be one of my most special classes. To me, they were as close to a "homeroom" class as I will ever get. We got on each other's nerves, and they were loud and obnoxious sometimes, but by the end, it just worked. They are good kids, and I'll miss them!
I'm already thinking about next year. To be honest, sticking to the curriculum I designed this year was pretty much not a priority. I am positive that my students learned much more about music than they have in the past, but it definitely didn't go the way that I planned. Sequence just didn't really happen.... Kids really need SO MUCH prior experience and knowledge before they can start notation! I'm looking forward to going back, through my curriculum ideas and mapping it out differently so that it is sequenced well.
Well, that's all for now. Enjoy summer!!
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