Visiting some things that make me glad I do what I do

made me extremely proud to be a teacher, *AND* music educator.  Always good for some inspiration.

To those in Washington dolling out our fate, take 10 minutes out of your day to watch these two clips.  Taylor Mali says it better than any of us possibly ever can, and Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir is a goose-bump inducing, breath-taking masterpiece.  Please find other solutions to our problems than crippling an already limping educational system.  We need hope, not heart-ache.  We all make a difference, that's why do what we do.  Do the right thing.  Fix it. 

I plugged the coffee maker back in today

and set the timer for the first time since school's been out.  *sigh* You know it's right around the corner, starting with band camp.  See, I unplugged the coffee maker on my last day of having to be at school by 7:30 in the morning (Notice, those of you who bash us teachers about getting time off that I didn't say last day of school because *my* last day of school was four days after the official last day)...

I digress,




Anyways, I unplugged it in a symbolic gesture of knowing that I wasn't going to have to wake up to my alarm at 4:30 in the morning for a while.  It was a delicious feeling. :)  All summer long I've enjoyed plugging it in whenever I've gotten up, which for the majority of the summer has been 6 o'clock.  I think I made it to 8am once or twice this summer *laugh*.  So I plugged it back in for realizies tonight, and got it set up for the morning, programmed and everything.  I have three days of Drum Line rehearsal left, then band camp hits on Thursday and I'm off and running back into the daily grind of normal life.  I'm ready for it, of course, but there will always be that part of me that wishes it never had to end.  That I could just do Drum Line rehearsal for a few hours everyday, then spend the weekend at the pool, hang with friends, and be with Tim and the dogs.  *Heaven*

Also a far cry from last summer and I'm *more* than okay with that!  

So as my 9th year of teaching sits on the horizon I take a moment to set my intention(s) for the year.
  

I look forward with expectant hope, a nervous heart,

and joyous anticipation of all the things it has waiting for me and my students.  

I pray the Drum Line accomplishes what they want in the way that they want.  

In fact, I *expect* them to. 

I hope to become a better Orchestra teacher as I have a class of new students to experiment upon.

I hope to conduct the Band but will bite my tongue until it's my turn to shine.

It's not worth the fight because it's not enough time to fly.

As with any journey in life, I expect to have some frustrations and pitfalls along the way, 

but I pray for the grace to maneuver through them with strength and peace.

Lastly, I pray that my vision becomes a reality.  Please let it become a reality; 

it will be so cool when it does.

I hope that all of my teacher friends are as ready for school as I am.  I pray that they have a wonderful year and that admist all the problems we face day to day, that they find the simple joys in teaching children not just what they need to *learn* but more importantly how to be better people and how to reach *their* dreams.  They're our future; it's up to us to help them make the best possible version they can because in the end it helps us all.

I'll see you all at school!

  

The 2011-2012 "Drummin' for the Cure" shirt is ready to order!

This year's "Drummin' for the Cure" shirt is ready for ordering!  Pricing this year is as follows: $20 for sizes S-XL, $25 for 2X and above.  Monies raised is going to support the Golden Eagle Drum Line in our goal of hosting a Drum Line battle to raise monies for breast cancer, October 2012.