February was a long month. Each day with seventh graders was challenging. I could count on one hand the number of days when I left school feeling like I had some energy left, maybe even some feelings of effectiveness. Most days lately have felt like a circus, trying to keep the peace while also trying to teach.
March began, and I had some hope things would settle down. Even if they didn't, today brought some goodness and made up for a lot of the chaos of middle school. We had a field trip, and it was fantastic.
A large venue in a nearby city was hosting Step Afrika, which, as the description states, is a "step tradition of audience participation and closes with a complex, polyrhythmic percussive symphony that brings audiences to their feet."
We were definitely up on our feet, clapping, stomping, and interacting with great performers. It was a great experience for my students, and so many of them fully embraced the energy and participated. I will focus on those who took it as an opportunity to embrace performance and culture. I left feeling quite revitalized and hopeful.
Sometimes you need that sort of thing to revitalize! Even just getting out and doing something new can help. I hope the energy sustains you!
ReplyDeleteBetsy, wow, this does sound like a great day! Feeling vitalized in March is important! Why does February so often feel like the longest month of the whole year?
ReplyDelete