last day of school & the christmas performance

The end has come and gone!

9 months ago when I first landed this job I never thought I'd have learned to love something so much that I didn't have the slightest clue of how to teach---- MUSIC.

I was overwhelmed and worried, fearing I'd just make one big mess.

One of our school's motto is:

YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS!

 I have learned that it is for the teachers just as much as it is for the students.

And let me tell you, having absolutely no educational background in teaching music or managing 36 classes and 900 students, being thrown in 3 weeks after school had already started, sure was baptism by fire! 

It was hard.

 And its always the hardest things in life that sure pay off well! 

I have learned so much these past 9 months and am so blessed that i was given this job. It has been such a blessing for me and I will always be grateful for the time I had and how much these wonderful students taught me.

The only profession that can possibly top being a teacher is being a mom. 

And mom's... we get to give the children back at the end of the day... (;

I have never felt more love in my life than i have from these students. 

It sure makes you feel that all the $$$ and time spent getting an education has completely paid off and then some! 

There is nothing else i'd rather spend my time doing. 

Thank you to all my friends and family who have supported me from beginning to end! I sure love you!

And for those of you who don't know...

I was asked to be the new 4th grade teacher here at this school! I am super thrilled to have my own classroom, but am so sad to lose the rest of the 860 kids. It sure was fun getting to work with every grade and every student. 

I already know who i have in my class this next year and can't wait! (i have 3 sets of twins!) 

School starts JULY 25th. 

That's right folks, we're going year-round now...

 400 new 5 year olds are just inching up to be our newest kindergartners... 

Wish me luck!

Music Class 2011-2012 Memories (:

3rd grade class party!

6th graders getting ready for their talent show

I have loved collecting all the cute notes the students surprise me with (:

nice and sunny day watching 3 of my 4th graders during their softball game!

the sweetest 1st grade BOY made this little flower necklace for me during recess! what a little Casanova!

my sweet, sweet kendra! 1st grader and favorite! she came up to me and said, "Miss Brassell I wore this shirt just for you!" and wrote me this sweet card and brought me in flowers. she is such an angel!

out of all my 36 classes this one was probably my favorite. these sweet little kindergartners swarmed me with hugs all year long! I'd kipnap all 25 of these little munchkins if I could (;

 there is nothing better than leaving school and getting to drive behind a bus full of your students. they quickly rush to the back seats and wave the entire time til a turn separates us. it would make me laugh the whole time.

 little 3rd grade girl came to me on my break with a bundle of flowers wrapped in a wet paper towel when she found out i'd be her classroom teacher next year. made my heart melt! only problem.... she picked the flowers from the school lot...

I signed more yearbooks today then I ever signed in all 4 years of high school combined! haha! and the best part is they ask for your 'autograph!' 25 and never feeling cooler! (;

6th grade graduation! I had such a great connection with my 3 sixth grade classes. I loved them all and can't wait to see and hear about what great changes they make in this world! I got to direct them in singing their final graduation song, "WE ARE YOUNG". 

wish I had recorded it!

my last day! ): 

standing in front of my music classroom. my students made this sign for me for "teacher appreciation week"

it will be so hard to drop my class off to music next year!!! but you better believe i'll make sure they have the  BEST behavior for the new teacher (;

YES it has been quite the year! I have LOVED it! and out of the 180 days of school i only had three days that i wanted to rip my hair out! so i must say, that is pretty outstanding! and i owe it all to the kids. all 893 of them!! and of course my awesome faculty! 

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(I wrote this post 3-4 months ago but never posted it bc the video is kind of blurry and I was hoping to upload a better version. however, that never happened and if i wait any longer it'll be christmas!)

After all those posts about my preparation for my school's Christmas Performance, I never even wrote about how it all went down! Unfortunately since I was running around the whole time I wasn't able to snap any pictures of the event. I will have to snag some of the pictures the other teachers took and post them.

My stomach was churning all day long because I was so worried about how it would all turn out. Even after all the hours and hours of preparing I still didn't feel 100% prepared (but that's life, right).

The Christmas Sing-A-Long took place the last hour of school. It was the first Christmas Performance this school has ever done [MORE PRESSURE!] and the students had told me from the first week of school that a performance is something they would really love to do, so I knew I needed to start planning for Christmas!

The principal was excited and gave me permission and that's really when it sank in. Weeks and weeks and weeks of practicing the same songs over and over and over and when to stand and where to sit and where to look... they were such troopers! Especially since I was a rookie A) teacher B) MUSIC teacher and C) director! 

The students really were my inspiration the entire time. As cheesy as it sounds, without their drive and love for music, I doubt I would have pushed it and made it actually happen. 

Being my worst critic, I could name a dozen things that didn't go exactly as planned, but who am I kidding! I can't complain, the students were thrilled all week long, worked their tails off, and sang their little hearts out. 

The whole performance was an hour long and we did film the entire event, however, I just chose to post the very last song for ya'll to see, because, well, this was my favorite. (:

Each grade did a different Christmas song/performance that we're all so cute and funny. This last song I taught to each grade level, so that's 36 classes!! Needless to say, I was so sick of the song by the end. But when it came performance time, it completely paid off. You might even be able to see when I begin to tear up. (;

(the kindergartners start the song- then it moves to the 1st graders then 2nd.. and so one. once the 6th graders finish the entire school sings the ending. that's the part that always gives me flutters!) 

Believe- Josh Groban [The Polar Express]

I have never felt so proud. I love each of my 893 students! They bring me so much joy and meaning to my life. Being a teacher has been one of the best decisions I have made. And each school day only get's better.