Great Students

The doctors said "Don't go back to work for several months."  They repeated this line many times and I would shrink with guilt every time they said it.  The guilt was due to knowing that I had to go back to work.  As a high school band teacher, seeing the same students each day for years, I couldn't stand the thought of staying home while they are judged at a festival or while the seniors are honored at the Spring concert or while they walk through the graduation ceremony.

I pleaded with those doctors to understand that these students are special, they would respect my request to stay back to avoid transmission of germs.  They would help with the physical work that I'm not up to doing and they would support me as I've supported them for years.  The doctors were understandably skeptical.  High school students aren't always known for being respectful and for following rules.  

Now that I've been back to teaching for over a month, I can safely say my assertion was completely correct!  My students have stayed back and have stayed out of my office.  When a student does have a cold or cold symptoms, they stay as far away as possible.  After a gym performance on Monday evening, all of the instruments, stands and chairs magically appeared back in the band room without any instruction to move them.

The adjudicated festival is this Tuesday with performances by eight high school bands.  My band will have had fewer days of rehearsal for this festival than ever before but they won't do poorly.  If fact, I suspect they will rise to the occasion and perform with all the grace, beauty and precision the music deserves.  As for me, all of my personal health issues are greatly overshadowed by the pride I'll see on my student's faces when they know they performed well.  Their achievement will be great memory that will last a lifetime.