I chose to extend my final week of joys into our half week which finished yesterday.  I find the last week of the teaching year the hardest. I always feel emotional (and exhausted) as I watch staff and students move to new adventures, as I reflect on the year, find out results and am touched by the Christmas story. Part of what makes being a drama teacher my calling is my sensitivity to emotion and the emotion of others, but this can be a difficult characteristic in times like this.

Schools are special places. They are about relationships. We are invested in our students, not just academically but personally....no matter how much we sometimes try and distant ourselves from this. This last week always brings the intensity of those relationships to the forefront. Like a proud mother I celebrate as my students names get called to receive first place in whatever subject they excelled at. Likewise my heart breaks as I see students not quite get the result they were aiming for in a final exam because ultimately an examination mark can never truly reflect how much they tried or how much they overcame that year. I feel overwhelmed by joy as that disconnected kid writes me a christmas card saying that I am their favourite teacher; overwhelmed with beauty as the Christmas play unfolds, angels rising up in a pyramid of joy; overwhelmed with love when a colleague gives me a reassuring hug sensing my feeling of inadequacy. 

Over the last ten (and a half weeks) I have collected over 400 pieces of teaching joy. My last piece of joy for this term is surviving another year of teaching. Yes some days it feels like surviving. I really believe this is one of the hardest jobs in the world and if we don't take the time to find the joys then we are essentially just surviving. However, looking back at my 400 joys I am reminded that every challenge is worth it, every tear shows I care and the hours of work really do make a difference. I am also reminded of the relationships that are at the centre of the majority of these joys. This is not only one of the hardest jobs in the world, it is one of the best. Seriously, in what other profession would you have a crowd carol sing off, sit in prayer and reflection with your colleagues on the last day of work or extend your family to include hundreds of extra children?

As we move into 2016 I challenge each of you to sit and write a list of teaching joys from this year. What has brought you happiness? What are you grateful for? Share the list with your colleagues and friends.

​Then take the time to rejuvenate, relax and nourish yourself as you take a much deserved break!

Forty Pieces of Teaching Joy - Week Ten and a Half
1. Meaningful discussion about thinking routines with colleagues.
 
2. The most thoughtful gift from one beautiful student. Each time I wear it I will think of her and her kindness.
 
3. The promotional design for my play was finished and I am SUPER in love with it.
 
4. Staff room Christmas antics.

It is a long story!

5. Laughter. So much laughter in my classroom this week.
 
6. The completion of The Genius Project. One of the best units I have ever run.
 
7. Watching sugar glass being smashed over a student’s head. (Note: She was wearing a hard hat). #itsadramateacherthing
 
8. The number of students that helped me clean up the sugar glass!
 
9. Students who trust their drama class enough to share their personal stories through performance.
 
10. The kid that gave it a go despite her anxiety and moved me to tears.
 
11. The kid that made a stunning video to accompany her poetry slam.
 
12. Another great physical theatre workshop with Swoop Physical Theatre Company.
 
13. Learning to juggle….or at least attempting too.
 
14. Dancing to Christmas carols with year 12.
 
15. The colleague who brought a coffee for me on a crazy busy day.
 
16. A beautiful Christmas liturgy.
 
17. Kids that step up when you need them.
 
18. My pyramid of angels not collapsing mid performance.
 
19. Christmas morning teas.
 
20. Winning the house trivia competition. (It is very serious!)
 
21. A house carol sing off!
 
22. The donation of over 100 books for the Smith Family Christmas Toy and Book Appeal.
 
23. Hearing my drama students called to receive their awards at presentation evening.
 
24. The awkwardness of the band playing the theme from Game of Thrones as the academic procession marched out of presentation evening.
 
25. The many Christmas cards and gifts I received from staff and students this week.
 
26. Finishing my registers!
 
27. Planning for next year’s creative arts festival.
 
28. Working with some beautiful boys on a late Friday rehearsal.
 
29. Learning more about Cultures of Thinking from a very talented colleague.
 
30. The opportunity to refresh our CPR skills each year. Wish every human being had this type of training.
 
31. Time assisting and getting to know the science coordinator better. (Touched she sees me as more than 'just a drama teacher'). 
 
32. The kid who cleaned my storeroom.
 
33. A dance party on the basketball courts.
 
34. Squirting students with water pistols on a 38 degree day.
 
35. The t-shirt man who is printing my cast t-shirts and his ongoing patience.
 
36. The bursar who processed an order for me after the books were closed for the year.
 
37. Much needed hugs and kind words from colleagues.
 
38. Staff Christmas carols bringing laughter and joy.
 
39. Christmas high tea to celebrate the year at the Gunner’s Barracks.
 
 40. Surviving another year of teaching. #thisisthehardestjobintheworld 

A gift from a colleague. #joy

This week has been full of Christmas cheer and end-of-year shenanigans. Not long to go before holiday now!

Forty Pieces of Teaching Joy - Week 9
1. Running into a number of ex-students at the Christmas tree farm. We realised on the way home that one kindly forgot how to measure properly, so that we paid for a 5 foot tree not a 6 and a half foot tree. #ateachersjoy
 
2. Decorating the Christmas tree. This is on my teaching joy list as a number of my decorations were gifts for students. As I hang each one on the tree I remember that child and I say a silent prayer for them wherever they are.
 
3. Starting rehearsals for the nativity play. This year’s play is based on a beautiful book called On Angels Wings by Michael Morpurgo and I love it!
 
4. Grateful that I was able to divert from the mainstream on a daylong PD and work at my own level and pace.
 
5. The CSO paying for my Google Certification examination.
 
6. Becoming a Level 1 Certified Google Educator !!!
 
7. The crazy antics and house rivalry for the Christmas decorating competition. So insane.
 
8. Watching students that often fall under the radar step up and completely own a piece of work.
 
9. That moment in a performance when kids completely catch you off guard with their brilliance and you wonder ‘Why the hell have I never thought of that?’.
 
10. Kids that try so very hard.
 
11. I know this has been a recurring thought over the last couple of weeks (and I am sure it will be next week too) but I am completely taken aback by my year 9 students slam poetry. Every time they read me a piece I get completely choked up with emotion and pride. How I wish I could share some of it with you.
 
12. The one piece of slam poetry a kid wrote about being dyslexic. As a parent of a dyslexic child it gave me a great insight into what my daughter experiences and will continue to experience. It also gave me much hope.
 
13. My tutor group. I am so blessed to start each day with these beautiful, bright and joyful young ladies.
 
14. Tutor group Christmas parties.
 
15. The laughter resulting from the tutor group KK draw where I ended up receiving temporary body jewels and tattoos. I told my kids I would rock them at the beach all summer. :)
 
16. Our theatrical make-up workshop with Lisa Mangion. I would love to show you the pics but they are too gruesome for this page.

17. Learning new skills that I can apply to my work.
 
18. Watching the kids completely drama nerd out…. then walk through the school with fake bullet wounds, burns and bruises as though Drama is the coolest subject in the world. They loved it. (I, however, was a little stressed at the graphic nature of my class looking like they had been severely attacked!)
 
19. Online manuals that help me mend broken lighting consoles.
 
20. An email from a kid explaining why she wouldn’t have her work in class today. It started with ‘Miss, I don’t want to disappoint you…’. She didn’t.
 
21. Extending my dance routine with year 9.
 
22. Winning a dance off at lunchtime. Oh yes I did!
 
23. Christmas carols filling the hallway.
 
24. One of my students is drawing promotional material for our play. I am very grateful for the care and time she is taking.
 
25. Angel’s wings.
 
26, A relaxed coordinator who makes my job less stressful.
 
27. The beginnings of the set for my production. It is going to be amazing!
 
28. The amount of potential costume items I found in my storeroom.
 
29. Delivery of new stationary items. What teacher doesn’t like stationary?
 
30. Finding that one of my favourite Asian street foods is now available a stone throw away from school (I have never seen this is Australia before!). #lunchtimeperks
 
31. The opportunity for expanding knowledge through performance essays.
 
32. The Spy Game. A drama game that spans across the entire area of the school. SO much fun! #Iamresponsibleforthekidscommandorollingpastthescienceclasses
 
33. Reading notes from The Up Jar.
 
34. Seeing students get behind amazing projects such as the Vinnie’s Hamper Collection and The Smith Family Book and Christmas Drive.
 
35. Being able to borrow costumes at the last minute from my own classroom for my own daughter. #perksofbeingadramateacher
 
36. Finishing the final assessment task for the year!
 
37. Exploring new ideas to further my own learning.
 
38. Kids that bring great ideas to my rehearsals.
 
39. The school cleaner. He is a smiley, happy man and he does a smashing job.

40. Laughing for the entirety of my Friday afternoon rehearsal. I don’t know what it is about this play or these kids but something special is happening with this production. 

My KK Win!