CHOIR IS MY HAPPY PLACE

Disastrous! That is my best description of my treble choir’s recent practice run on a past UIL Sight Reading piece. I thought that I had chosen a simple enough selection for early in the contest season, but I soon found out otherwise. After a valiant, but unsuccessful effort, my girls looked at me with expressions of disbelief. Seeing that they dreaded my forthcoming critique, I surprised them by changing the subject.
Acting just a bit silly, I announced to the girls that we all were about to take a trip to our “happy place.” I started the journey by describing my favorite cabin get-away in the mountains of Ruidoso. A student quickly chimed in with her description of a barefoot walk along the beach. Another spoke of her imaginary tour of Paris, France. And then, quite unexpectedly, the words of my sweet Naomi made an impression on me that I will not soon forget. Amidst the cheerful chatter of teenage girls rang out the sincere statement, “But, Mrs. Lollar, CHOIR is my happy place!” It was one of those priceless moments in teaching that make the preceding hours of frustration worth the effort.
After class, the words continued to replay in my mind. “CHOIR is my happy place.” How often do we consider the truth in that simple statement? Some students, like Naomi, come from musical families and are destined for a future involving music. However, the vast majority of our kids do not come to us with that background. Consider the kid who has just failed the geometry test that determines whether or not he earns high school credit for the course. Although he has probably lost his academic eligibility, playing his guitar is his world. What about the girl who lives in substandard housing with a single parent who is always at work? Her CD player and dreams of stardom keep her busy at home and involved in school. Do you know a social outcast who has no one to sit with at the lunch table, but who feels a connection with music and with you? To these children, their happy place is the choir room, and their adult role model is you, their director.
I urge you to strive create the kind of environment in your choir room where all children are accepted and nurtured. Your attitude can help to diffuse anger in a child who has been bullied in gym class. Your words can ease the tension experienced by the honor student with more responsibility than she can handle. Your affirming greeting may be the only positive word that a problem child hears from any adult during the day. Give your children (and yourself) a happy place to enjoy the art of singing.