A Sense of Pride

On the night of December 17, 2015, students in first, second, fifth and sixth grade performed in their winter concerts. I am certainly proud of the students, but mostly I want them to be proud of themselves.

The first and second grader's musical, "Bring On The Snow," went off without a hitch. The students spent about seven weeks preparing each of the songs, speaking parts and instruments parts. They memorized movements for each song and learned a lot about stage presence and speaking and singing clearly so that the audience could understand their message. To have 6, 7 and 8 year old children perform at such a mature level was quite the sight to see.

Just after that the fifth and sixth grade chorus members showed off their talents, not only as singers, but as dancers and instrumentalists as well. They performed songs from all around the world and I could not be more proud of their hard work. These students meet once a week for twenty-five minutes and I am always amazed at what they can accomplish and put together in such a short amount of time.

The concerts are one of my favorite things about being a music teacher. Seeing the students excited to share their hard work with their friends, teacher's and family members is thrilling. Their faces light up as they wave and smile at their fans in the crowd.

The one important thing I say to children after the concert is, "You must be so proud of your accomplishment, you worked so hard!" I remember performing in concerts as a child and having my mother ask me if I felt proud of myself. That is one thing that has stuck with me over the years and has made me a much harder worker. If I work hard and do my best I find a sense of pride in everything that I do. This is the message that I try and teach children, among many other things, before, during and after their concerts.