Finals

Finals. Just that one word fills most students hearts with dread. I won't lie. That includes me-most of the time. I had a final on Monday morning. 7:00 am on Monday morning to be exact. It was to be 3 hours long. My teacher is very intense. We had many papers, helped host a conference, memorized songs, practiced solfiege, learned how to play the recorder and autoharp and performed for our classmates, learned how to teach the blues to children, learned how to teach children, were chided if we did something in our 'practice" teaching that might hurt a child. We went to elementary schools and taught children song games. We observed teachers and their teaching methods and determined whether it was good for the children or not. This class was incredible. I learned so much about myself. I learned so much about children and how to build relationships of trust with them. I learned about the girls in my class. I have come to love each of them dearly. I have come to love and respect my teacher with all my heart. I value her opinion.

Our final this morning was bittersweet. We all have practiced for the last half of the semester, about 30 song games for children. We have also practiced recorder trio to perform at this final. We were to teach the song games and sing them to our classmates. We were to then sing them in solfiege. We had all practiced diligently and felt prepared for the test. When the test began, one by one we sang our songs and played our games. We had fun. I looked at each of the girls in my class and felt a strong love for them. A picture came to my mind of how we taught song games at the beginning of the year. Each of us have developed immensely. We are confident in our teaching of young children (at least when we practice on each other). We have each sat at the feet of our professor, ready and willing to partake of the knowledge she has to impart. We have loved her through her quirks and forgetfulness. We have loved her because of the passion she has for children which emanates in every class period. We have struggled together through difficult theory tests and laughed at their dumb jokes. We have talked about boys. We have been there for each other when there have been difficult break-ups. We have discussed the spiritual experience each of us had when choosing this major. For every one of us, it was a miracle.

When we finished the final, we all sat at our professors feet, anxious for more words of wisdom, but knowing the time had come to move on. She graced us with parting words of advice and told us she loves us and we must visit her. We will! We cried. We will! This was one final I am sorry to be done with.