I'll stand by you

Rookie mistake: never make promises you possibly cannot keep. Like...OH sure I'll bake brownies for you! Because kids are like elephants....they never forget. Sure, I did bake 8 dozen cookies and take them for my classes, but do they remember that I did this? NOPE. They remember that some people could only have one cookie. WELL THAT'S BECAUSE OTHER STUDENTS LICKED THEIR HANDS AND TOUCHED THE COOKIES. What happened to sharing?! They also now have an expectation of cookies every week. I've created 80 little monsters. Now, I have to make/bring brownies for everyone's birthday. Is this why the other teachers don't talk to me? I'll make cookies for them, too!

I have this very small pep band that performs at home football games. Last Friday, My principal walked up to me and said, "So I was standing over on the other side of the stadium with the AD, and he looked over at me and said, "is that our band?! WE HAVE A BAND?!" And I told him that we have a hard working and wonderful band director over there who is going to do incredible things here." Hard work does NOT go unnoticed. And this was evidence of it. I have been working my ass off to make SOMETHING happen at Amelia. And it's encouraging to hear that it is noticeable. My principal has so much faith in me. It's incredible. I couldn't ask for a better administrator.

This week was a three day week. So basically, I was the zoo keeper. Yesterday was parent-teacher conference day. It's very nice to have parents just stop by to meet me. And I really like to tell them how great their son or daughter is. I would much rather give a good report. The support that I have from my parents in Amelia is overwhelming. I really feel like I can make some kind of a difference. I hate to romanticize the situation and turn it into the movie "Freedom Writers," but these kids need an opportunity and they need someone who actually cares about them. Maybe this time in five years I'll be bitter and cynical because my plans for a band program is not where I want it to be. But for now, I want to make it happen. A little bit for me, yes, but mostly for these kids who haven't been has fortunate as I have been. I decided to take my 8th grade band to VBODA Assessment. They can do it. Most importantly, they WANT to do it. Now, THAT is what I'm talking about.