Yearbooks

Today is the last day of school. Do you feel it? The eager anticipation fills the air. Candy in the mouth of every kid. Parties celebrating the end of another year rage in every classroom.

It's a feeling I haven't felt in several years. In college, the year ends with exams scheduled sporadically so that students trickle out of town. Some stay for summer courses. There's no build up, no final gushing release of energy and pure joy as the last bell heralds that which every kid lives for: summer.

I now have a different perspective on this most hallowed day. Today marks the end of my first year as a teacher. I survived. Despite all the horror stories that were lovingly shared during my college years, this first year was really great. This is by no means due to anything I have done. I was completely naive coming into this year. I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I could not have survived without the wonderful people that surround me daily. These people were always so willing to help me, even when I had already asked the same stupid question four times! I really do have a great family here at Drake.

However, I'm the only teacher in my field. I can have all of the friends in the world here at Drake, but none of them really know what it's like to teach music. Sadly, I had nobody here that I could turn to in that regard. Fortunately, I have a great friend back in Birmingham (he was actually my middle school choir teacher) that i was in near-constant contact with! Through encouraging and informative emails and phone calls, John helped me succeed as a music teacher this year. I also had the support of the other choral music educators in this system. It was quite an experience collaborating with them and combining the voices of our three schools.

The students got yearbooks today. I signed a few, and noticed that, in the mushy mess they write to each other, they often include something like: "Don't ever change!" Again, the human resistance to change rears it's ugly head. Imagine if we NEVER changed from the person we were in 7th grade. I shudder to think. Instead, we should be writing something like, "I can't wait to see how you change" . I am certainly grateful for the changes that have taken place in my life over the course of this first year.

(big, deep, reflective sigh of relief)