As I sit here and type this, my desk at school is COVERED, and I mean COVERED, with the greatness of teaching:
- There's a tea towel as a holiday gift from my favorite set of triplets (everyone needs a set to call their own, btw).
- There is a stack of DVDs about the lives of composers.
- There are video release permission forms for an extra curricular (non-choir) group that I sponsor.
- There's a jar of smellies. If you don't know what smellies are, you need to know. They are life-changing.
- There's a book that I'm currently reading to my K-2 students.
- There's a turquoise tape dispenser in the shape of a high heeled shoe, because my regular black one kept disappering and I can't seem to GIVE the turquoise shoe away.
- In front of me, between me and my keyboard, there's a gift card to a coffee shop that I'll happily regift to someone.
- Then there's the liquids. A YETI full of water for the day of teaching, that I'll refill at least two times. Another thermal insulated cup that used to hold ice but is empty now, because remembering to take stuff home when your hands are already full at the end of the day is tough.
I could just say, "Oh, it's December and December is always SO CRAY CRAY for music teachers!" But, I'd be lying (and no one likes a blogger who lies) that it's December that makes my desk look like this, because it's also going to look like this in March. And I'd like to serve you a slice of calm down cake and let you know that stuff on a desk is a-okay.
The children are learning.
The teacher is teaching.
Relationships are building.
Stout Nation is thriving.