Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday: good food, loved ones near, and a reminder to muse on what I'm grateful for.
This year I am thankful for my CONNECTIONS - I can count literally hundreds of people who have made my life brighter.
I'm also thankful for the gift of TIME: this year I've been stepping back from the hustle of a "normal" life in order to work on writing my memoir, "The Stretch Project." I sort of believed that I would put my life on hold in order to write about what I've learned so far. I didn't realize how much I would learn while writing it . . . and I haven't even gotten very far into my year yet!
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Adventures in writing . . . and teaching
Big thanks to Steph B for pointing out (in an e-mail) what a slacker I've been about blogging. So, here's the scoop.
This year is quite different from what I expected, but I'm enjoying it thoroughly! I am NOT teaching full-time. Instead, I'm teaching a bunch of private voice lessons and working on writing a book.
The tentative title for the book is The Stretch Project, and it is a memoir, which means it's based on my personal experiences. It feels weird not teaching at a school, but I am having a blast with my students and I love having morning time to write. I'm also rehearsing for a play with the Salem Theatre Company - "The Crucible" - which will be performed in November. So, it's a full and fun year so far.
I hope to be back to full-time teaching next year. I am taking some of my time this year to visit schools in our area and get inspired about some unusual approaches to education.
Let me know what you all are up to! I miss you sooooo much.
This year is quite different from what I expected, but I'm enjoying it thoroughly! I am NOT teaching full-time. Instead, I'm teaching a bunch of private voice lessons and working on writing a book.
The tentative title for the book is The Stretch Project, and it is a memoir, which means it's based on my personal experiences. It feels weird not teaching at a school, but I am having a blast with my students and I love having morning time to write. I'm also rehearsing for a play with the Salem Theatre Company - "The Crucible" - which will be performed in November. So, it's a full and fun year so far.
I hope to be back to full-time teaching next year. I am taking some of my time this year to visit schools in our area and get inspired about some unusual approaches to education.
Let me know what you all are up to! I miss you sooooo much.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Adventures in not knowing
So, I've been getting e-mails from some of you asking what I'll be doing this fall. The answer is . . . (drum roll, please! hmm, where's Aaron W when you need him?) . . . I don't know! I've been looking for jobs all summer long and nothing has panned out yet.
It's a little scary being so close to the beginning of the school year without a job, but I'm letting it be a bit of a "stretch project" for me. I LOVE teaching (as you all know), and it's been a central part of my identity since I graduated from college. It feels strange to have that part of who I am hanging in the air like a question mark. When people ask what I do, I still quickly tell them that I teach music, that I have the most amazing job in the world, but then I have to say, "Well, that's what I've been doing for the past four years. Hopefully I'll still be doing it next year."
In my life so far, I've always gotten the right job right at the time I needed it. I feel confident that this will happen again, even though it is a stretch to be waiting so long! When we have pieces of our identity up in the air, we realize that we are a lot more than what we do. I am learning a lot about myself and doing a lot of writing lately. It's been an awesome summer.
Sooo . . . as you do your final back-to-school shopping, know that I'm thinking of you, and drop me an e-mail at hlabonde@gmail.com. As soon as I know what's up next I'll be e-mailing you all. I miss you lots!
It's a little scary being so close to the beginning of the school year without a job, but I'm letting it be a bit of a "stretch project" for me. I LOVE teaching (as you all know), and it's been a central part of my identity since I graduated from college. It feels strange to have that part of who I am hanging in the air like a question mark. When people ask what I do, I still quickly tell them that I teach music, that I have the most amazing job in the world, but then I have to say, "Well, that's what I've been doing for the past four years. Hopefully I'll still be doing it next year."
In my life so far, I've always gotten the right job right at the time I needed it. I feel confident that this will happen again, even though it is a stretch to be waiting so long! When we have pieces of our identity up in the air, we realize that we are a lot more than what we do. I am learning a lot about myself and doing a lot of writing lately. It's been an awesome summer.
Sooo . . . as you do your final back-to-school shopping, know that I'm thinking of you, and drop me an e-mail at hlabonde@gmail.com. As soon as I know what's up next I'll be e-mailing you all. I miss you lots!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Adventures in Australia
Today I am writing from lovely Melbourne, Australia, where it is WINTER and 14 hours earlier than Boston time. I've been on the other side of the world for 12 days now, and it is quite a good time. I started out at the wedding of my best childhood friend, Jessica, in Perth (western Australia). I've been in Melbourne (in the southeast) for a full week, just hanging out on my own and staying in a hostel. You meet a lot of interesting people in hostels; I'm tempted to find one in Boston to stay in just to see what kind of people come through our city! I'll be headed to Brisbane to hang out with my little brother Nate in two days; that will be awesome. While vacation has been quite lovely, I'll admit that I don't know how people put up with this much free time on a regular basis. Every day I wake up and I could do ANYTHING. I'm used to having a thousand things to do and only barely enough hours to squeeze it all into. I've been writing a lot, reading a lot, and sleeping a lot. It is a blast, but I'll be ready for it to be over soon.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Summer is sweeeeet!
This has been the craziest summer of my life thus far, but very fun! A lot of students have e-mailed me asking what I've been up to, so here goes:
1. Went down to Pennsylvania for my little bro's college graduation/Father's day.
2. Moved from Ipswich to Salem.
3. Went down to Pennsylvania (again!) to be in a family wedding (the very next weekend, actually).
4. Taught 2 awesome theater workshops - "Scenes from Annie" & "Cheaper by the Dozen". Very fun!
5. This week I am "off" and unpacking at the new apartment.
Coming up . . .
1. Next week I'll teach two more theater workshops. (Meredith S is helping; she rocks!)
2. The week after that, I leave for Australia!!!! I'll be there for 3 weeks. I get to be in the wedding of my best childhood friend in Perth, then I'll explore Melbourne & Sydney before heading to Brisbane for my other little bro's graduation from a missions program he's been working in for 2 years. Australia will be amazing; I can't wait!
Hopefully coming up . . .
Finding my next job!!
How's everyone else doing??
1. Went down to Pennsylvania for my little bro's college graduation/Father's day.
2. Moved from Ipswich to Salem.
3. Went down to Pennsylvania (again!) to be in a family wedding (the very next weekend, actually).
4. Taught 2 awesome theater workshops - "Scenes from Annie" & "Cheaper by the Dozen". Very fun!
5. This week I am "off" and unpacking at the new apartment.
Coming up . . .
1. Next week I'll teach two more theater workshops. (Meredith S is helping; she rocks!)
2. The week after that, I leave for Australia!!!! I'll be there for 3 weeks. I get to be in the wedding of my best childhood friend in Perth, then I'll explore Melbourne & Sydney before heading to Brisbane for my other little bro's graduation from a missions program he's been working in for 2 years. Australia will be amazing; I can't wait!
Hopefully coming up . . .
Finding my next job!!
How's everyone else doing??
Monday, June 11, 2007
Remembering names
Today in Chorus B (go, Pandas!) I was asking all of the students to keep in touch. I said something about the fact that it will be difficult for me to write personal e-mails to all of you (after all, there are hundreds of you!), but if you write me a personal e-mail I will write you back. Sam put his hand up and asked, "What if one of us sends you an e-mail but you forget who we are?" I promised Sam there's no way I'd forget him, and that I don't think I'll forget any of you.
Someone asked then if I could say the names of ALL the students in Chorus. I said yes, I could, but it would be really boring. But then a bunch of the students started to urge me to do it. I really thought it seemed like a waste of time at first, but it seemed so important to so many people that I agreed to do it. After I finished each row, everyone applauded. And as I went down the row, I got to look into each student's eyes one more time, the way I try to whenever we rehearse. I don't think any of you know how beautiful and amazing you are.
This morning I received letters from two amazing students; I read them a little while after chorus rehearsal. Here's an excerpt from them: "I'll always remember the summer between sixth & seventh grade at the Hamilton-Wenham 'down town.' My dad & I were leaving & you were coming in. You waved & said hello, & what amazed me was that you remembered my name. That day I felt special. I had only been at MRMS for two & a half months & only had met you once before, yet you remembered me. Me, the new girl. That brief transition from parking lot to car, seeing you, made my move transition a bit smoother."
Between Chorus B & that letter, I re-learned how important it is to know each other by name, to call each other by name. We need to constantly remind each other that we ARE special, because it helps us begin to figure out (just a little) how beautiful and amazing we really are.
Someone asked then if I could say the names of ALL the students in Chorus. I said yes, I could, but it would be really boring. But then a bunch of the students started to urge me to do it. I really thought it seemed like a waste of time at first, but it seemed so important to so many people that I agreed to do it. After I finished each row, everyone applauded. And as I went down the row, I got to look into each student's eyes one more time, the way I try to whenever we rehearse. I don't think any of you know how beautiful and amazing you are.
This morning I received letters from two amazing students; I read them a little while after chorus rehearsal. Here's an excerpt from them: "I'll always remember the summer between sixth & seventh grade at the Hamilton-Wenham 'down town.' My dad & I were leaving & you were coming in. You waved & said hello, & what amazed me was that you remembered my name. That day I felt special. I had only been at MRMS for two & a half months & only had met you once before, yet you remembered me. Me, the new girl. That brief transition from parking lot to car, seeing you, made my move transition a bit smoother."
Between Chorus B & that letter, I re-learned how important it is to know each other by name, to call each other by name. We need to constantly remind each other that we ARE special, because it helps us begin to figure out (just a little) how beautiful and amazing we really are.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Final Concert
Last night we had the final Chorus Concert of the year. It was one of the most beautiful evenings of my life. In the afternoon, I got to bake cookies with an awesome group of Chorus Council students at Lizzy's house . . . then I had just enough time to change before the concert. I was a little nervous about some of the technical aspects of the concert - putting one chorus on the stage while one was on the risers, etc . . .
But all the details came together well, and the concert was really wonderful. My husband (who always tells me the full truth) said that he's never heard any of the chorus groups sound better. What a long way we all have come! Several students spoke briefly afterward to say thank you, and that was too much for me to handle. It was the best kind of crying, though . . . tears of gratitude.
There's a song by The Flaming Lips entitled "Do You Realize??" . . . one of the lines goes, "Do you realize that happiness makes you cry?" This is true. Sometimes life is so beautiful that I can't help but cry. The reality that I could be a part of so many amazing lives . . . and the fact that we changed each other for the better along the way . . . well, it absolutely blows my mind. The ways in which you impacted me will impact the next students I work with . . . the ways in which I impacted you will impact your friends and family . . . and all the people you teach along the way. We're all teachers, you know.
All right, you know I could go on and on, so I'll stop now. But I'm sending out love to all my MRMS friends. You're AMAZING and I'm so grateful for you.
But all the details came together well, and the concert was really wonderful. My husband (who always tells me the full truth) said that he's never heard any of the chorus groups sound better. What a long way we all have come! Several students spoke briefly afterward to say thank you, and that was too much for me to handle. It was the best kind of crying, though . . . tears of gratitude.
There's a song by The Flaming Lips entitled "Do You Realize??" . . . one of the lines goes, "Do you realize that happiness makes you cry?" This is true. Sometimes life is so beautiful that I can't help but cry. The reality that I could be a part of so many amazing lives . . . and the fact that we changed each other for the better along the way . . . well, it absolutely blows my mind. The ways in which you impacted me will impact the next students I work with . . . the ways in which I impacted you will impact your friends and family . . . and all the people you teach along the way. We're all teachers, you know.
All right, you know I could go on and on, so I'll stop now. But I'm sending out love to all my MRMS friends. You're AMAZING and I'm so grateful for you.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
"The Speech"
I found out about two months ago that my position at Miles River would be impacted by the budget cuts that our district is struggling through. About five minutes after the initial surprise of this information, as I sat in my room with a class of seventh graders, I began to think about how fortunate I have been in my three years here. I remembered that every moment with my students is a gift.
I am leaving Miles River. It’s not clear yet what will happen to the middle school music and chorus positions here, but I feel in my heart that I belong somewhere else this fall. I don’t know exactly what I will be doing yet, but I ultimately hope to help change the systems of education in our country, or at least in some small corner of our country. Right now, I am looking for a teaching job in an urban setting.
I would love to say a thousand things to all of you – my students, your parents, my colleagues. The most important thing I can say is Thank You. I have been shown overwhelming kindness in my time here, and many of you have thanked me, but none of you can understand how teaching here has changed me.
Somehow teaching you music has taught me to live. You’ve challenged me to get outside of my own perspective. Every day I’ve been surrounded by your fresh eyes and ears and voices. You didn’t know it, but you have been changing my eyes, my ears, and my voice. You work hard. You’ve trusted me. You’ve laughed with me and made me laugh. I have seen you accomplish things that few adults would dare try. You’ve risen to every challenge I’ve put before you.
I wish I could keep you somehow, that I could move on to whatever is ahead of me but magically hold on to your everyday presence in my life. I know that I must go, no matter how things work out within the district. It’s a gut feeling that I can’t explain. But please understand that it’s one of the hardest choices I’ve ever made.
I have three requests to make of you. Number one. Please keep on making music: stick with chorus and musical theater, with band or private lessons. Make time in your life for the arts as a whole, for creating works of beauty. Dance. Act. Draw. Sculpt. Take pictures. Finger paint. This is important, more important than any of us understand. Our educational systems don’t value the arts, but our systems are wrong. The arts help to make us human . . . not just intelligent people, but whole and happy people. If there’s anything I want, it’s for you to become a whole and happy person.
Request number two. When you are given the opportunity, take action to support the arts, in education and in the world.
Request number three. Keep in touch. I will still be in the area; I will do all I can to support whoever is working with you next year. I want to hear how you are doing and what you are up to. My personal e-mail address is hlabonde@gmail.com. I’ll send out updates from time to time; jot me an e-mail so I get you in my address book.
Again, thank you. I will miss you, more than I can say.
Hannah LaBonde
I am leaving Miles River. It’s not clear yet what will happen to the middle school music and chorus positions here, but I feel in my heart that I belong somewhere else this fall. I don’t know exactly what I will be doing yet, but I ultimately hope to help change the systems of education in our country, or at least in some small corner of our country. Right now, I am looking for a teaching job in an urban setting.
I would love to say a thousand things to all of you – my students, your parents, my colleagues. The most important thing I can say is Thank You. I have been shown overwhelming kindness in my time here, and many of you have thanked me, but none of you can understand how teaching here has changed me.
Somehow teaching you music has taught me to live. You’ve challenged me to get outside of my own perspective. Every day I’ve been surrounded by your fresh eyes and ears and voices. You didn’t know it, but you have been changing my eyes, my ears, and my voice. You work hard. You’ve trusted me. You’ve laughed with me and made me laugh. I have seen you accomplish things that few adults would dare try. You’ve risen to every challenge I’ve put before you.
I wish I could keep you somehow, that I could move on to whatever is ahead of me but magically hold on to your everyday presence in my life. I know that I must go, no matter how things work out within the district. It’s a gut feeling that I can’t explain. But please understand that it’s one of the hardest choices I’ve ever made.
I have three requests to make of you. Number one. Please keep on making music: stick with chorus and musical theater, with band or private lessons. Make time in your life for the arts as a whole, for creating works of beauty. Dance. Act. Draw. Sculpt. Take pictures. Finger paint. This is important, more important than any of us understand. Our educational systems don’t value the arts, but our systems are wrong. The arts help to make us human . . . not just intelligent people, but whole and happy people. If there’s anything I want, it’s for you to become a whole and happy person.
Request number two. When you are given the opportunity, take action to support the arts, in education and in the world.
Request number three. Keep in touch. I will still be in the area; I will do all I can to support whoever is working with you next year. I want to hear how you are doing and what you are up to. My personal e-mail address is hlabonde@gmail.com. I’ll send out updates from time to time; jot me an e-mail so I get you in my address book.
Again, thank you. I will miss you, more than I can say.
Hannah LaBonde
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
