Can it already be Spring Break?

I've taught high school long enough now that I feel I usually have a good handle for the progress of time. As a teacher, you are naturally prone to think of time in "units" because of the nature of planning for a year of instruction. This year's march to the end of the year has seemed all too quick. I know that we all look forward to summer and its potential. However, this year has really zoomed past and I think a lot of it has to do with the caliber of student that I have in my studio this year. This is a focused and mature group, I enjoy every day that I get to work with them. I rarely have to remind them to work, they enter the studio anxious to get going. I see that there are a lot of future success stories in here.

Having said all of that, I am happy that time is going rather quickly because I know that their futures need to get underway. With this group of seniors more than most, I know that they are prepared for what lies ahead. They have had experience with what they need to have had experience doing before they start their college careers. Frankly, they are within a few major projects of being college students. Most of these seniors will go to college secure in the knowledge that THEY ARE READY. That is a great accomplishment. I am proud of them.

Speaking of great accomplishments, I have my eye on some very good underclassmen who I hope will fulfill their potential and step up and become leaders of the classes next year. It is a phenomenal group of seniors, and a large one. I must be thinking about the strength of the department and who will fill these rather large shoes that some of our seniors will be leaving behind. Next year is a critical year because we will be sort of building the department for the future. If you are reading this and you will be a senior next year, think about that. What can you do to help make things great during your senior year?