MAC Wk 3 Reading Art of Possibility Chapters 5-8

Making a difference in a persons life is a responsibility, and as an educator I take that seriously. Teaching students in special education who have cognitive disabilities makes "making a difference" in their lives the focal point of what I do. Knowing that one day these high school students will become young adults, and will be faced with a world of possibilities, but they will just have to be prepared to work harder to enjoy them.
Some parents would love for us to "fix" their child, but we know that is not possible. I try to teach basic functional life skills to my students to allow them more independence at home, and where ever they may be in their future. They can learn this skills now and practice them at home with the supervision of their parents. There are times when parents have to be persuaded to allow their student to practice these life skills at home. I have a parent that feels that there is too many dials on the washer for her child to handle. I believe there are some steps that could be taken home to make it easier for her student to set the washer.

If my students can learn these skills then I know in my heart I have made a difference in their lives. The real world will not be an easy place for them to live, so all I can do is make it easier.

Seems like life could be very short, and do I take my self seriously? I do to a point but most of the time I am the person who is laid back, and goes with the flow. Do I avoid conflict? Yes I try to at times, who doesn't. To keep myself grounded I make sure that I do some things that I enjoy and am passionate about. If you looked at the title of this blog then you would know that music is a HUGE in my life. I usually am singing in a choir at church, the 2nd City Barbershop Chorus and my quartet 2nd Opinion. that represents 3 rehearsals a week and  seven to eight hours of singing a week. What does that mean to me? It means work, it means patience, fellowship, and most of all FUN.

Barbershop music is a journey, because the music is acapella that means the learning process can be long at times. We do use the piano to learn notes, and have learning tapes with parts available, there are recordings of songs too. The bottom line is when you are singing the chorus we rely on each other to sing the notes right, so the music will sound great. In a quartet singing the right notes is magnified by 100 because there is not one to lean on for your part. You have to sing each note correctly and in tune if you want your quartet to sound good. The magic happens when you can ring a chord and hear that unique sound. The four of us in 2nd Opinion love to hear that sound and we work hard to make that happen. Is it work? Is it hard at times? YES to both, but it is our passion that carries us on.

So I try my best NOT to set my expectations low in all I do, even though I lack the confidence that I need at times. Life is not perfect, but I live mine the best way I can.