A New Month!

Howdy to my bloggers! I can hardly believe it is MAY already. I am continually amazed on how fast time can fly sometimes. The weather is warming up, the buds are budding on the trees, the leaves have returned to the trees, the flowers are blooming and the spring rains are here! It is all so beautiful and refreshing to me! Inside I feel an awakening also! Let the flowers bloom and the rains fall! What a nice combination.

Things are rolling along as always, with new challenges and new surprises everyday. The latest news in my life is the possibility of the district cutting the Elementary Band and Orchestra programs, or in more personal terms MY JOB!

Shock is the word that best describes the feeling I felt when I received an email from my boss saying that the school board was considering us as a good way to save money! AHH! It as an immediate form of panic really. As the days rolled on, and I came to grips with the possibility, and I became alright with it. Don't get me wrong, I REALLY want just to KEEP MY JOB, but if it turns out that they decide to cut us, I can handle it better now. (amazing what time can do!)

That said it has been a crazy few weeks! Many efforts have been made to rally the forces. Parents called. Many conversations with fellow teachers. Students writing letters to the school board. School board meetings attended. Many, many, many letters and correspondence with the school board. We can all say that we put our best into letting them know our feelings. =)

It has been a good time to reflect on the last three years of my teaching too, and what an amazing three years they have been. The first day of teaching still sticks in my mind. After four years of college, I felt like I had learned so much and still had more to learn, and I felt so unprepared to teach. In fact I felt like a kid myself, and here I was teaching them. =) As the days, months and years have rolled on I still feel like one of the kids myself, but it is amazing what kind of 'on the job' training will do for a persons confidence. My favorite moments still are seeing the "ah ha" moments in my students eyes, when something finally sticks.

It is also so neat to look back on my teaching, and how I have had many of those "ah ha" moments! I still remember having one while in the emergency room with my mom. =) ha ha....talk about random places to get inspiration. My mind is always trying to come up with better, creative and fun ways to teach my students. Excitement bursts within me when I come up with a new fun way to spice up my teaching. We all know there is nothing worse than a boring teacher. =)

Speaking of the students and the possible cut of the band in elementary schools, it has been interesting to see the reactions from the students. We have been having the students write letters to the school board members and express to them what music and the music program means to them. Most of the time there is a big gasp and the students saying "No! They can't cut band!" when I tell them the situation. Then when we ask them to write what music and the music program means to them it is too cute what they write!

To name a few:
Music moves me.
Music teaches us persistence.
Music makes me happy.
Music has helped my grades in math and reading.
If there wasn't band in school, I couldn't learn the sax, because we can't afford private lessons.
Music makes me calm.
Music makes me focus.
My parents love for me to play for them.
I get up at 6:30 every morning to practice my flute.
My teacher has helped my in so many little ways.
My teacher makes it fun.
Band is the one thing I look forward to every week.
We play fun songs, songs that I didn't ever think I'd be able to play.
I like to play in our concerts for the school.

I always reminded them to keep their letters positive and I was impressed on how they were always respectful and said positive things, and many of the letters had please written many times! (one student even pointed out to me how many times he had written the word please =) at least 15 times)

All in all it has been a good reflective point in my life. I have been impressed with the teachers and people I work with, and especially my students! They are all getting super excited about their upcoming concerts!

Wish me luck this week, the board meeting is on Tuesday night, and then the decision will be made. =)

and because posts aren't complete without pictures:


Peace Out!



Pictures courtesy of Jenna Dyckman =)(p.s. Jenna I like this last one....you are the best hair stylist EVER!)