Standing Shoulder To shoulder Hands held tight Forming a Red Rover line Strong enough To keep out Any who seek To discourage All the while Carrying the Most precious Of cargos Our future On their Shoulders A responsibility That when shared Shines a light Through The troubles Of this day Into the time Ahead of us
I am not preparing to return to the classroom. It’s the first time in sixteen years. Feels a bit strange.
There are tiny tinges of sadness. I miss the GoodMorning smiles and hugs from friends. The laughter of students. The sharing of music.
Teacher friends, you are my heroes! I am cheering you on from the sidelines! ❤️🍎
Tiny hands Gently curled On piano keys Were my hands ever that small? Sitting tall At the piano Feet dangling Was that ever my experience? Sweetest voice Singing along With each new note Wonder if I ever did that? Biggest smile An excitement Almost tangible Now that I remember Thank you, little one For filling in those Missing memories From my first piano lesson
Sharing two poems today that I wrote in a recent poetry circle with Ali Grimshaw. If this is something you’ve considered participating in, check out her website. I continue to be amazed at the process and thankful for the connections. ❤️ https://flashlightbatteries.blog/
Hold the Door!
The same door Same hallway Same faces, mostly Day in, day out Oh, it’s a fine door Bright hallway Smiling faces, mostly What would happen if I changed my entrance? No, not a different door Just held this door For someone else Walked that hallway With intention Bravely met all Those faces Not just with a smile But with me Whatever me happens To show up that day- Honest, unafraid My heart open Ready to receive Ready to be received
Circles of Change
Thought I was walking Down a new path Confident change Was preparing To peak out from Around the corner At any minute Any corner… Any day now… But it remained Hidden-not ready To show its face Maybe I had been Walking around In a circle Seems I am back Where I started Or perhaps That magnetic Starting line Loosened its grip Just a bit Before gently Pulling me back Tugging at my heart Allowing time to grasp A new perspective- After all, life’s Biggest changes Are often felt, not seen
Every sound Amplified As if a megaphone Was pointed directly Into my ear Each step Heavier than The one before I try to smile It’s not all bad But, yesterday was great! Why does today feel so opposite? Same place Same plans The same me-I think So, what could it be? Energy expended Yesterday Not recouped For today Just two recommendations- First, listen as Five and six-year-olds Sing their favorite songs Second, go home And take a nap
A great day of teaching requires a great deal of energy. Those where I wake up rested and ready tend to be the best. I can focus on the students and the music, all of us engaged and having fun.
But oh, those days when I did not sleep well the night before. Or some unexpected stress. Those days can be a struggle. My lack of energy affects my focus. If I am not engaged, neither are my students.
Teaching is both challenging and rewarding work! Some days will not go as planned. But some days are not all days. Children singing, particularly songs from the movie Encanto, and naps help. 😉 ❤️
A jeans and t-shirt girl That is what I call myself Oh, I enjoy getting dressed up For the occasional night out But if you ask my preference The answer never changes- A comfy pair of jeans And a favorite t-shirt Now, those jeans can’t be comfy Without a little wear Walking down a rugged path Resting on a large rock or two Carrying smooth pebbles in my pocket- They find their purpose that way Not just a protective covering No, much more A reminder of where I’ve been- Legs crossed sitting by the fire Those jeans feel like an old friend- And the t-shirt? Well… if it’s my James Taylor t-shirt There is no contest-
Today was a virtual/distance learning day for students in our district. Yes, we know in-person learning is best. But when so many teachers, staff, and regular subs are out sick, it makes in-person learning pretty much impossible.
That meant I pushed out music lessons/activities for students on an online platform. I receive a notification each time a student submits a response. They always make me smile.
After lunch, I noticed a stack of boxes near my classroom. I quickly discovered they were the new keyboards recently ordered for my piano class! Ten of them, complete with stands, headphones, pedals. I’ve got some work to do tomorrow!
This may not have been an ideal teaching day. But there were bright spots. And here I am, sitting on the floor in front of those beautiful boxes, wearing a favorite pair of jeans and a school t-shirt. It was a good day…
Clearly, my ears are playing tricks But that sound is so familiar A waterfall? Rushing mountain spring? Standing in my driveway I know neither is nearby Still…I cannot resist The urge to turn around And look
No, not rushing water Merely the wind Strong yet, peaceful Making its way thru A proud row of tall pines I smiled The wind subsided Its message clear At the end of a busy day…rest
The first day back to school after a break is always challenging. Yes, there are lots of smiles, hugs, and high-fives. But there are also tired kiddos and teachers all easing back into those all-important routines.
The first day back during a continuing pandemic adds another layer of challenge. Staff and students out sick, difficulty finding subs. Our resolve was tested on many levels. And yet, we keep moving forward, working together. But we must also remind each other to rest.
Fifth-grade girl: Mrs. Morris, I am going to bring you some poems I wrote. They are about love.
Me: (Reading her poems.) She’s right. Love is unpredictable. 😉
Scene Two
Fourth-grade girl walking to the library to return her book. I notice that the book she is holding is my book. She smiled. “It’s a good book, Mrs. Morris.”
We snapped a cute picture. She made my day!
Scene Three
Kindergarten student: Mrs. Morris, we are coming to see you tomorrow! You better be prepared!
Scene Four
Students drew pictures while listening to a Mozart piano concerto. Here are a few of my favorites from fifth grade. ❤️
Teaching is hard work. This week had its challenges. But I am choosing to focus on the ones that made me smile.
Holding your little hand As we walk From outside Thru the doors Down the hall To your classroom Today Unlike yesterday I gained Your trust And trust Is always Worth carrying
Seeing your sweet smile As you exit Your car Walking towards me On the sidewalk Stopping for a hug And a quick I’ll see you tomorrow Today, I felt Your joy And joy Is always Worth carrying
Seeing tears Fill your eyes As we talk In the hallway At the end of A difficult day So many questions So hard on yourself Today, I offered Encouragement And encouragement Is always Worth carrying
As this day ends I wonder What will be Worth carrying Tomorrow?
Once again, I had the privilege of joining a poetry circle facilitated by Ali Grimshaw https://flashlightbatteries.blog/. It was the perfect end to a long day of teaching. To write, not worrying about what shows up on the page. To listen intently to others and be heard with the same intention. Time to be still and reflect. Not to mention, getting to know people from all over the world. What a joy! ❤️
Out of Body by Need to Breathe was my Friday morning drive soundtrack. I love this album-every song. I have listened to it many times.
That morning was the start of the last day of the first week of school. I was exhausted. My music choice was intentional. I wanted to have the same energy from my previous two days of teaching. Not an easy task.
The song Hang On was playing. It is high-energy, fun, encouraging. As I sang along, one line stood out like never before.
So hang on to the light in your eyes and the feeling. Hang on to your love drunk original reason. And all these things I’ve learned, it’s never a straight line.
Uphill Downhill Around A curve Sometimes A guardrail Sometimes not At the onset My destination Seemed clear The plan Clearly Mapped Things look Different On paper Detours Construction Roadblocks Caused confusion Second-guesses Until finally I realized It is not about The destination It is about The journey And the best Journeys Are never A straight line
A third-grade class is entering the music room. One little boy says, “You remember me.” “Of course, I remember you!” He gives me a big hug and says, “I missed you so much!”
He was in my music class last year.
Scene Two
A fourth-grader calls out to me from the cafeteria line. “Hey, Mrs. Morris. What happened to your hair?” “What do you mean?” “Well, it looks whiter.” We had a good laugh.
He was in my music class last year.
Scene Three
Fifth grade is entering the music room. I see familiar eyes smiling above a face mask. Suddenly, this student is hugging me and will not let go. “I missed you so much!” When she let go, there were tears in her eyes. And then, of course, tears in mine. “Oh, my goodness. You were in virtual all last year! Look how tall you’ve gotten!” She nodded her head and smiled.
She was in my music class two years ago. My first year at this school. And we were only in person until Spring Break due to the beginning of the pandemic.
All Are Welcome Here by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman
We often talk about the importance of connections. We don’t always grasp their power at the moment. Sometimes we might not see the results at all. And yet, we continue. Each day, learning a little bit more about these precious ones placed on our path. Each day, challenging them to grow. Each day, showing them they are loved.
I am grateful for these sweet reminders on this second day of school. Oh, and for the power of laughter. 😉❤️
Piano Girl 