Is It a Milestone, OrJust a Rock?

There comes a point in a director’s first year with a program when he finds out just where he stands with his new group of students. At my last school, I knew the kids had bought into what I was trying to accomplish when we were due to perform at the school I had just left. Rumor had it that the home fans were going to “boo” our performance as a protest to my having left. I told the kids not to worry – the spectators would be booing me and I could handle it. All they needed to do was show the folks in that town why I left. The kids worked hard all week and ended up performing well and earning Superior ratings at contest a few weeks later. Plus, the crowd didn’t boo after all, but they didn’t clap either. During that almost surreal performance, I stood tall and watched my kids perform with great abandon. It was then I knew they were with me.   But so were my former students, and it was a poignant experience being in that stadium and watching them from across the field. I wish I could have taken them to my new school.
 
Reading the kids in my new school hasn’t been easy. They are polite, play well, and do what I ask of them, but I haven’t really been able to discern if they were buying into my way of doing things. However, last Friday I was evaluated by the Principal, which is extremely stressful, considering I am on a probationary contract this year, which means I can be released for any reason without appeal or legal protection. I must say the kids performed well and behaved even better. They stepped things up during that class. My impression was they wanted me to do well in my evaluation. I won’t know the results for a few days, but I do think it will be a good result after the kids’ efforts. I still miss my former students…although I’ve moved to a better place for me and am quite happy, I miss my I-town crew, but I can’t bring them with me and must move on.