Teachers: What has your best day been?

[chalknpens]

It's easy to think of the worst day so far this year... the day your symptoms worsened during a parent meeting, or the students' enthusiasm wore you down despite your best efforts.

But what has your best day been this school year? What made it the best so far?

[nabean]

today

Today has been my best day this year at least. I just took over a band program from a teacher that had the program for 25 years. Last year she was out for personal reason from Jan until june, when she retired. the substitute that was in for her seemed to have some difficulties with the students adjusting to the new person.

Today the kids in grade eight came to my class room at lunch and told me that they are really happy to have me there and that they are have learned so much about their instruments since September and that it is starting to be exciting again. Then they took out their instruments and started to practice on their lunch hour!!

I have been smiling ever since

I love music and teaching it to these youngsters is the best and am so happy that my new job is more manageable than my past one. Even though I think I might at at the beginning of a flare right now I feel like going to work is keeping me positive and in good spirits instead of dragging me down like it has in the past.

thanks for posting this idea chalknpens! It is nice to focus on the positive things

[chalknpens]

Thanks Nabean

I'm so glad you posted this. The same thing happened at our school two years ago ... the chorus teacher retired and students who had avoided chorus because of her strict demeanor began signing up for it again, and in two years the chorus has grown exponentially with a young teacher in the forefront.

This summer the school committee were forced to cut more from the school budget (what else is new but to cut music and the arts first ...) and the students themselves from the middle and high school went to the meeting and spoke eloquently on the young teacher's behalf ... so well that one of the committee members offer to make the first contribution to a fund raising effort to provide a stipend to keep that young teacher!

He and his students are doing well and winning awards at the state level (I think.) And who knows how many students make connections with him that they might not make with another teacher. Bless him, and them!