saying good-bye

In case you’re in doubt, there really is an artistic personality. I need art, I need theatre and music in order to be me. It’s as necessary as breathing. Without a creative outlet, I can feel myself shrinking a little bit every day. I become a little less me.

Fortunately, the year I was hired a couple of other artistic types were hired, too. The art teacher, the music teacher and I quickly formed a little artistic enclave…which met in the second grade classroom. We could just TALK theatre, TALK art, and life was better. It wasn’t the same as performing, but it did slow the rate at which I lost little bits of myself. The p.e. teacher’s office was right next to my classroom. He told me he was amazed at how much we could talk about theatre—and that heated arguments and spontaneous song often accompanied that talk. The three of us put on the first musical the school had ever had—and, for what we had to work with, we did a bang-up job.

Art is so important! That year, kids were painting and singing and dancing and creating. They learned so much—how to work together, how to take responsibility, how to express themselves, how to practice, how to persist, how to make mistakes…

Our art teacher is great at creating a safe place so that children will try. Because mistakes are treated as opportunities or inspirations to try something new, my students are eager to dive in and start creating. While I do have an artistic bent, my forte is the performing arts, not the visual arts. I am continually frustrated by the fact that the picture in my head doesn’t come out of my pencil. I readily sympathize with my students who suffer from the same malady. But, with our art teacher, students achieved and felt successful.

At the end of my first year, our music teacher left to return to theatre in Belarus. The art teacher and I carried on—teaching, chatting, supporting. We put on another musical. One of our best field trips ever was when the two of us walked my class to the Hermitage and back. The kids loved sitting outside and sketching. And, they came up with some great pictures!




Now, our art teacher is leaving as well. He’s returning to Belgium along with his family. The artistic enclave has ended. I’m so sorry to be losing another person who started out as the best of colleagues and quickly became a friend. While I’m happy for the opportunities he and his family will have, I can’t help being a little sad for myself. This family has been a great champion of my adoption. They’ve driven me around town searching for a car battery. They’ve helped create Oz and Neverland. And now, they’re leaving.

So, to them…go forth and conquer. Be happy. I’ll miss you.