"Life is like a piano..."

My second month at school did not start out on the best foot. I didn’t even know if I had the heart to post a really hopeful entry today, but isn’t it only being honest of me to write about my high points AND my low points? My day simply felt like a slew of out-of-control classes. I literally got no teaching done, and it seemed like none of the disciplining tactics I tried worked. I had kids laugh in my face, claim they “never heard” me or “didn’t remember” that I had said something, or completely ignore that I was talking to them. This is the first day that I have experienced this much disrespect from so many classes in a row. The kids may be crazy because they just got the new Spanish teacher this week, but that doesn’t mean they can treat my class like a free-for-all too. By the end of the day, I could barely get into my car before I had an emotional breakdown and started bawling my eyes out. It was the first day that I really contemplated whether or not this was what I should be doing with my career.

However, I will say that a hopeful moment happened today when I got home and decided to look through one of my music supplies magazines. It was a catalog of cheesy gifts and classroom items, and it got my mind off of things. In it I found a musical pillow with the quote, “Life is like a piano – what you get out of it depends on how you play it.” It got me thinking about the many times I broke down at the piano because of my horribly disappointing practice sessions. But once I got past my feelings of self-loathing, I balanced my emotions, had more successful practice sessions, and in time my playing improved. This is what will get me up and going back to school tomorrow.