Those students who you feel you know so well. Those students who drive you crazy. Those students you would stay after every day to work with. Those students who make you laugh. I've talked about those students before. And maybe my job really does make me happy. But tonight at the 8th grade promotion ceremony (2nd one of the week,) I got teary eyed. The 8th graders I've had as students since they were in 3rd grade are finally moving on. They were literally my "first" students. I had their classes at 8:45 in the morning my first year of teaching. They were my first 5th grade band class. Ive had a fun 4 years of band with them. Pushing them. Laughing at them, laughing at myself with them. Teaching them.
Tonight they played "Over the Rainbow" as a small ensemble. All by themselves. I was tense, I was wringing my hands, I was thinking the Melody and harmony and feeling the beat in my whole body. And when they got through the 8th notes they tended to rush without rushing I felt my shoulders relax. As they played their final 8 measures I smiled back tears. They are my students. I taught them how to do that!! I wish them the best of luck in everything they do. And I only hope I made a similar impression on them as they did for me!!!
And I know now that "over the rainbow" will forever have an incredible meaning to me.
Thank you Kassie, Nathalia, Gavin, Edward, Logan and Adriana.
My 6th, 7th and 8th grade music teacher was Helen Rawski at Orange Schools, she was also one of my mother's best friends(my mother was the art teacher). I will never forget her and what I learned in her classes. I'm sure you left life-long impressions on your students also.
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