Celebrate!!!!
“I don’t want to work, I want to bang on the drum all day”
(well I am a band director!)
My first day or retirement
Well, actually last Monday was my first day of retirement but I was sick and so I spent most of the week in bed and on the couch. Monday morning I woke up coughing and choking and couldn’t catch my breath and my husbands’ first words were “you need to go to the doctor” and his second thought was “wait, you need to call your boss and ask permission to be sick and sign into Aesop to get a sub and did you leave lesson plans?” Of course, the second thought was humor but I was so busy coughing I didn’t laugh. Yes, I did go to the doctor and she loaded me up on steroids and antibiotics.
And, so I really count today as my first day of retirement (without being sick). It feels strange, I do not have the check the clock, I do not have to account to someone else of my where abouts or call in to school to get a sub or make lesson plans. But what does it really feel like?
YIPPEE!!!!!
Why did I retire? It was time. I have spent 36 years in the classroom teaching as best I could, reviewing my teaching to get better, doing self assessments to get better then then reviewing my plans again to get better – because there is no perfection in teaching. These days teachers are evaluated on a 40 minute snap shot of their teaching in the classroom and let’s face it no one can do it all in 40 minutes so the elusive reward of a great evaluation is always out there – and the famous words are “keep trying you are not “accomplished yet”.
My subject area is one I deeply love and I could not have lasted in education as long as I did without teaching something that I love. I have taught in many different settings, from elementary school general music and band to high school band with the bulk of my years in the middle school band setting – which actually has been my favorite. I also did some teaching at the college level as a private flute instructor and general music instructor to non-music majors.
It has been very rewarding – but it is time.
I keep saying that – it is time – time for what?
That is the question I will begin to explore and answer. What do I do next?
Do I just relax? Do I find another job? Do I fill my time with activities and volunteering? The list is endless and it seems overwhelming to me at times. I will spend the next few months trying to find out what it is “time” for. I wish my days to make me feel fulfilled and happy in what I choose to do every day.
So today I Celebrate!!!!!
(This is your celebration)
(This is your celebration)
Celebrate good times, come on (Let’s celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on (Let’s celebrate)
[Verse 1]
There’s a party goin’ on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you
Come on now
[Hook]
(Celebration) Let’s all celebrate and have a good time
(Celebration) We gon’ celebrate and have a good time
[Bridge 1]
It’s time to come together
It’s up to you, what’s your pleasure?
(Everyone around the world come on)
[Pre-Hook]
(Yahoo) It’s a celebration
(Yahoo)
I don’t want to work
I want to bang on the drum all day
MJmusiclady 