Today’s (unconventional) teaching gem: hearing the excitement of an 8th grader talking about the courses she’ll take in high school...which doesn’t include band.
Maybe I should be upset that this girl won’t continue to play an instrument because I personally value music so much. Maybe I should “check out” and focus on my other kids that will be in band again next year. Maybe I should talk her into staying.
I’m going to do none of those things.
If I only cared about and taught students whose “thing” was saxophone, I’d be a pretty miserable teacher. If I tried to live vicariously and create protégés because I think it’s important, I would end up exhausted and frustrated.
To all of my students, current, former, and future: I will do my absolute best to celebrate the things that bring you joy. Especially when the things that excite you are best for you. Go join the robotics team. Go study animal husbandry. Go be a scientist. Go be a lawyer. Go be an aesthetician. Go be a nurse. Go be an entrepreneur. Go study abroad because you want to. Go explore. Go learn. Go places. Go dig in. Go be anything you want to be.