My FableVision Journey

It seems like I am frequently telling old friends about my journey with FableVision and so I thought I would put the story on my long-neglected blog for all to read. If you know me, you know I never find the easy or most direct path to anything, so it is quite a story. You will notice there were some powerful forces at work during this story and many paths leading to one place.

It all started at the Iowa Technology Conference. I am not sure the year. I went to a session on the "Dana" which was an Alphasmart device that allowed the user to type into an inexpensive laptop-ish device and it would transfer into 'any' word processing software. The presenter was Arlene Steele, who at that time worked for AlphaSmart. She showed that the Dana could indeed transfer into any word processing software, including a program called, "Stationery Studio." Well, I sadly didn't win the software at the end of session drawing. I spent the next few hours stalking Arlene and trying to get the information about Stationery Studio. I eventually tracked her down and got the website.

I called FableVision the very next day and was SO fortunate to land the amazing Bill Norris on the phone. Bill would send me the software. I now know I couldn't have possible reached a better person on the phone. Bill knows absolutely everyone and is a marvel in my life. When I have worked at conferences with Bill, I notice that he not only remembers every single name, he knows the persons 'story' and what is going on in their life. I love that about him. But, back to the story.

So, what was it about Stationery Studio that made me want to have it and share it? It's amazing K-5 writing software that immediately gave me ideas for how I could use it in MY classroom (music). It was designed by Dr. Peggy Healy Stearns (whom I had no knowledge of) and the art was by Peter H. Reynolds (also no knowledge). It was simply the best software I had seen. It was very cool looking, but it also had a ton of features I hadn't seen in other products. For example, you can change the wonderful artwork to great looking black-and-white with one click. No more ugly gray scale prints. It was amazing. Also, every design can be printed with two on a page, four on a page, and other choices, again with just one click. I showed it to my lower elementary teachers and they purchased it the next day.

A few months later, I got a letter in the mail from Aziza who was a very sweet person at FableVision. She asked if I wanted to be an "Ambassador"? Well, I already was! I had been telling everyone who even talked about software about this amazing discovery. So, I agreed. Later, I had more phone calls with Bill and suggested that he try to get Peter Reynolds to come to the Iowa Conference. In the mean time, I ordered the book "The Dot" and "The North Star".

I received a Christmas card from FableVision and it had the most wonderful little drawing on it by Peter Reynolds. A few months later, some very wonderful ladies gave the music department of my school ten thousand dollars. We decided to build a small composing lab and purchase keyboards. When dreaming of the mini-lab, I wanted a small logo I could put on the creations that developed from the lab. I remembered back to that Christmas card and that great little drawing. I called Bill and asked if it was possible....to my pleasant surprise, it was. At that time, I had NO idea the incredible amount of work that Peter does and would never have dreamed of imposing if I knew, but I blissfully waited for the time when it would arrive. Truth be told, I probably drove Bill nuts asking if it was going to happen....but I was SO excited when it came....and it was beautiful!

The books came and I was blown away. "The Dot" is the single best book for children and teachers to read....EVER! I think it should be required reading for future teachers. It is packed with valuable perspective and is wonderful. It speaks to the spirit of teaching. I soon found out that Peter H. Reynolds would be the keynote at the Iowa Technology Conference.

This is the part where you might shake your head in disgust at me....I researched Mr. Reynolds like crazy and found out that he had illustrated "Judy Moody" books and had his own website. I read and read every single page I could find. The overwhelming thought??? This guy can't be for real. In my time in education, I had grown a bit jaded. Well, ALL of those thoughts disappeared when Bill Norris and Peter H. Reynolds came to Iowa! They are both exactly who they say they are. They want to help all kids reach their true potential. The days were absolute magic and I was definitely under the spell. FableVision was going to be an important part of my life because it matched my view of kids and education....filled with hope and promise.

The next big event was being asked to go to Atlanta and work with the FableVision crew. I worked at the booth with the amazing Dawn (who has changed jobs, but is still a dear friend). I got to meet two more of the Reynolds family, Peter's twin brother Paul and sister, Jane. Both were so wonderful to me and treated me like a member of the team and family. I also met some wonderous people from Promethean, like Kathleen Tan, who would become very strong advocates for me. The big thrill of that trip was meeting Dr. Peggy Healy Stearns. Peggy, as you might recall, was the designer of "Stationery Studio." What a thrill!! Peggy is the sweetest and kindest person I know. She is a brilliant designer and I have been able to check out her other programs and they are all amazing. Oh, and after the session with Peggy, I got reacquainted with Arlene Steele!!! The person who introduced me to Stationery Studio.

While we were driving across town in a cab, Jane Reynolds was telling me about some software that was in development and was getting my reactions to it. A few months later, I was privileged to be on the Beta-testing team for "Animation-Ish". Even better than that, over Christmas break, I was asked to write some lesson plans. I could write five or ten....I was so thrilled and inspired, I wrote fifteen! Animation-Ish is a K-12 animation program that I have literally done with kids of all ages. It is easy enough for the little kids, yet powerful enough for high school kids (and adults! I love it!)

The next year the conference was in San Antonio and there was a slightly different crew. We were joined by the lovely Julia Young who is a very talented person and works in the Dedham office. I also had the wonderful thrill of being a guest in Dr. Peggy Healy Stearns' session. Wow! What a fun time that was! Animation-Ish was released just prior to this conference and it was an immediate hit! While packing up from the conference, Bill asked if I might be interested in leading the Ambassador group.... Wow, what a question! YES!

In early November I was named "Lead Ambassador" which meant I got to run the very program I had been a member of, which was a thrill. I have the extreme joy of working with the absolute best educators from around the country. I truly know nothing about sales, I only get to support the mission.

One of the greatest things I get to do is be on the team for new Stationery Studio add-on packs. FableVision is so great that when people suggest a new design pack, they research it and sometimes create them. "Sports and Exercise" and "Fairy Tales and Folktales" both were from teacher recommendations! They will truly give kids a reason to write!

The last national conference was in Washington D.C. and I again got to present with the amazing Dr. Peggy Healy Stearns and this time, Glen Bull. I worked in the booth with the amazing Bill and Julia and two mission sales specialists, Nicole and Ryan. An amazing team. I got to meet in person with a ton of wonderful people I have met online and it was great fun.

So, what are the big messages??
*If you have ever wondered why I spend so much time promoting FableVision and Peter Reynolds, you now have a glimpse.
*"The Dot" and "Ish" should be required reading for all teachers, students, and humans. "The North Star" is guaranteed to change your life.
*"Stationery Studio" is the best program you can get for K-5 writing and writers.
*Peter H. Reynolds is the real deal. There is NO better advocate for kids and education.
*If YOU haven't heard of Peggy Healy Stearns software, check it out.

**When you love something, get into it.....really into it. There is no greater joy than to do work that matches your heart.

Perspective....We All Need Perspective

Today, as I was outside raking the 6-10 inches of leaves, I had a thought...It was only a few days ago that I was driving down the street and enjoying the beauty of the colorful leaves. When it became the time to clean up the piles in my back yard, I wasn't exactly enjoying the beauty of the leaves. I was wishing I didn't have trees, and grumbling under my breath. Same leaves, but now ugly and unwanted.

Then I started to think back to last week at school. Working with a student who is struggling and can't see the vast future that is ahead. So many choices that now look like dead ends. I wonder what happens to some parents. Everyone is happy to have children, right? It seems like that glow fades pretty fast for some. Seems like there are far too many kids that come on my radar that have no one at home pushing them (or loving them for that matter) But, I have very little time to make judgments, I need to get to work showing and proving that there are ALWAYS options for the future. As I mentioned in a previous post, my saying is that 'YOU choose who you become.'

Back to the trees....after the tree endures the winter, the payoff is huge. Buds on the trees and eventually green and healthy leaves. I believe it might be the most important thing that educators can do...help kids see possibilities. Choose your own words, but help kids see what lies ahead for them and that the world is full of possibilities.

The reason that "The North Star," by my friend Peter H. Reynolds, is one of my favorites is that 'the boy' on his journey doesn't have an easy time of it...and there are lots of twists and turns in the story (and false directions) before the boy realizes that it has all been a part of the journey. It's truly all about the journey and we, as teachers, are such an important part of it. So, what happens with the kids who are stuck in a room with a teacher who stares at the computer and occasionally barks out orders....or worse, the one who knows that the kid is struggling and says nothing.

I know I am not the best music or computer teacher in the world....But I know that I try every day to make connections and to love the heck out of kids that come across my path. I am sure I fail many....but I will spend the rest of my days in the classroom trying to get kids back on the path. Take a few minutes today and reread "The North Star." Show kids stars that light the path....and dream big.

And, speaking of perspective....working with the kid last week.....Once I knew more about the challenges, the behaviors we all saw were MUCH easier to understand. I didn't say excuse, I said understand. It's important to gain some perspective before judging and handing out consequences. Perhaps we all need to learn what got the kid off the path, before we can nudge them back along.

"The North Star" by Peter H. Reynolds

One of the most influential books in my life has been "The North Star" by my pal, Peter H. Reynolds. I was absolutely in love with the original book and today, I saw the brand new edition.  Though I admit I was nervous about a new edition (because I loved the old one so much) I was pleasantly surprised by the new and beautiful artwork.  

If you have never read the book, RUN don't walk to your local bookseller and pick it up.  If you want a special treat, order it from "The Dedham Blue Bunny," the Reynolds' family bookstore and it will come signed by Peter H. Reynolds.  The bookstore is managed by amazingly friendly, Janet Reynolds (Paul's wife), who will take very good care of you!  

If you are an educator, you might also want to check out "The North Star Musical Journey" and "The North Star Classroom Resource Guide" available from FableVision Learning.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I work part-time for FableVision, but not in sales. Contact me if you would like a salesperson to call you about purchasing.

It's All About the Journey

This blog post has been rattling around in my mind for a while and I am hoping it makes sense...

Have you ever noticed when a word is brought into your radar in meaningful way you hear it everywhere? For example, last night, in the college class I teach for future educators, someone remarked, "Ever since you told us about Twitter, it's everywhere!"  I smiled to myself because Twitter has been there for a long time and it has been everywhere....but it wasn't connected to meaning and grounded in reality for those students.  I have been on Twitter for almost a year and I think I was late to jump on the bandwagon.  So, what brought that strange word Twitter to life for the college students is that I talked about it and demonstrated the power it held in education.

Another example is the word, "Journey."  Sure, I had heard it my entire life....perhaps hundreds of times.  But, when I read the book, "The North Star" by Peter H. Reynolds, it was life changing. I realized that the book had a very deep meaning in my life and we truly were all on a Journey.  It impacted me so much, that I named this blog TJ on a Journey! So, what's the point here??  Well, after reading that book, which contained all words I had heard and read a million times, the word Journey was forever changed.  The word contained a deeper meaning for me and I started noticing it EVERYWHERE!  It is used in books, commercials, TV shows, movies and 'real' life. Now, the word jumps off the page if I am reading.  The word held a significant and powerful meaning for me and I noticed it a lot more.

All of this led me to look at the big picture in education.... What words are we leading kids to connect to outside of our classrooms???  It can be a heady or scary thought....  What concepts could we teach better if we could get kids to connect on an emotional level? What dreams could we lift up or shut down? What JOURNEY could we send them on?

I certainly don't have the answers to any of those questions.... but I am going to spend the rest of my days trying to find ways to help my students see the big, beautiful world that being passionate about learning and creativity can open. I might just read "The North Star" to them again to help launch them on a wonderful Journey.  Maybe they will start looking at their own journey and perhaps make choices that lead them on an a more rewarding path.

This blog post is not meant as a commercial, but, by the way, "The North Star" is being rereleased on its tenth anniversary. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. It was life changing for me and it just might be for you.  After all, it's all about the journey....     

If you get motivated to purchase the book, use code  AMBSHAY at www.fablevision.com for 10% off.  

The Sea is So WIde, My Boat is So Small...

A few years ago, I heard the quote, "Dear Lord, be good to me. The sea is so wide and my boat is so small." It is the slogan for the "Children's Defense Fund" which is a child advocacy group. There was a song written to go along with the quote.

Oddly, a few days ago I was thinking about that quote because it described how I was feeling. Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed with things at school....and my boat feels very small. Then, in a strange sense of coincidence, I noticed that Peter H. Reynolds became a fan of the Children's Defense Fund on Facebook. Wow, would I love to see the "Peter H" art to go along with that quote. I decided that this coincidence must be trying to send me a message.

All of these things have me thinking about something I have known for a while now.... I had noticed that a few kids at school wanted to get a little closer or touch me a little more...then it hit me....Not every kid is happy to have time off to spend with their family. Some family time is unpleasant and some is frightening.

The great thing about being a teacher is that we can have a little impact on the sea that kids are navigating. We can be a warm caring person in a kids life. We can never make up for a bad home life, but we can understand that kids have those types of experience and give them skills to get out. We have learned that education is the key to a brighter future.

I feel especially blessed this year to be a part-time member of the FableVision family. Our leader, Peter Reynolds, has given us a glimpse of a different world where kids can be lifted up by capitalizing on their creativity and demonstrating their intelligence in non-paper and pencil ways. Best of all, we have "The North Star" book which helps us teach kids to follow their star!

Every day I have a lot to be thankful for. Today is a day when I will spend a little extra time appreciating. I get to be a force in some wonderful childrens' lives. What other job can you have that you feel so loved? I get to work part time for the most amazing company who has a mission matches my own.

I wouldn't begin to compare myself with the amazing Marion Wright Edelman who founded the Childrens Defense Fund....But we all have a stake in making sure that kids are successful. I do what I can and I know that many of you share that passion.


What are you thankful for? What ways are YOU reaching out to kids and getting them to see their North Star?

Come Along on a Journey...

I was so inspired by a blog post by Karl Fisch, that I want to do the same sort of thing. It was called, "Playing for Change" and it featured singers from around the world.

In the next few days, I want to start working on this. I am hoping for people from all around the world to do it!! Here is what I would like to do....

1- Each school creates a short video showing their town/area

2- Each school/class learns the song, "Journey" from The North Star Musical by Tim Beckman and Peter H. Reynolds. Schools will be provided the music and an .mp3 track to sing along with.

3- I will combine the songs from all schools and the video clips into one incredible compilation!

4- The final video will be shared!

Your kids will love the song (My kids did). The musical is amazing and you might just want to do the whole thing. But, for now, you only need to commit to the one song and recording.

Email me for the song!

Obstructed View

Wow, sometimes the journey is tough...and then something makes you look in a different direction. Today was absolute rock bottom in my regular job. Not going into it here, but it was not a good day. If you know me well, even from just reading this, you know I am all about kids. The situation today, as it almost always is, was about adults and not kids.

The big lesson for me today came at the end of the day. My best friend at school was helping me deal with "THE" situation. Wow, couldn't ask for a better friend. Then, the phone rang...It was the state sports office asking my students to sing the National Anthem for the state volleyball tournament.

Just when the star is the farthest away, something happens that turns you in a different direction and the star is as close as it ever has been...It was me that got turned around.

You might have to go read The North Star if that doesn't make sense. The art above is from Peter H. Reynolds.

Big Dreams

This beautiful artwork is my favorite from "The North Star" by Peter H. Reynolds. The message is an inspirational card on the FableVision website. I don't know about you, but I really needed this message today.

Follow Your Star

The journey has been a little tough for me and a few of my online friends....I came up with this animation to remind us all that we must keep following our star.

Everyone knows that I am a huge fan of Peter H. Reynolds and his book, "The North Star!" So, I used my favorite program, Animation-Ish to create this animation. The boy is part of the program library and it was drawn by the amazing Peter H. Reynolds....the rest was me. I even tried to emulate the Reynolds' style of coloring in the boy.

Brightest Stars

by Peter H. Reynolds Download your own inspirational card.

Hope One Mile Ahead

I have always been propelled by hope. But I never relied as much on hope as I have this year.

This sign is on the way to Minneapolis on Interstate 35. What a great thought..."Hope One Mile Ahead." So, if you lose your way on the journey...if things didn't seem to turn out how you wanted them to...if all seems lost... Hope comes in and saves the day.

So where do you find hope? That's the thing, it's is everywhere.

The laughter of a child.....the promise that in the darkest time, you will laugh again. There is something about being around children and listening to their gleeful laugh. I spent Friday night with me great nephew....I left filled with hope.

The random email from a friend.....brings back a memory a smile and something to hold on to.

The smile from someone who loves you...you know you are not on the journey alone, even if it feels like it.

A book, blog, video, tv show.... yep, hope can be found in the strangest places....if you look for it.

The sweet note or text message from a new friend.

Inside you.....even when you can't feel it or see it, lurking in you is a strong hope. A guiding light. Hope is one mile ahead...if not closer!

And if you have abundant hope, pass it around! Share something you have seen or read that inspired you. Take care of your friends or even a stranger. Share what you have learned and share hope!

"Together, we will journey beyond the darkness. The star of hope will guide the way." Gerda Weissmann Klein. The quote appears on one of the last scenes in the video of "Wings of Epoh"
If you haven't read "Wings of Epoh," I guarantee you will love it. I have spoken of it a lot on this blog...I framed the story before on this blog with its true intention, it's about a boy who is autism. But, this week, it was about me and it was about hope. You will understand when you watch it or read it. "Epoh" is hope spelled backwards!

You can buy the book and video from my friends at FableVision. Use AMBSHAY for 10 % off..... and while you are there, maybe you want to pick up "The North Star" "The Dot" and "Ish".... Make it an inspirational school year!

Might as well make a disclaimer here for skeptical people. I don't work for FableVision.....I just love what they do and the people they are.

Appreciation

I have now survived two days with kids and four days before that at school. It was so good to see the kids again. I am grateful to some wonderful people in my life who have helped me get my journey back on track. This post is a thank you to everyone who has said nice words, direct messaged about my blog, sent a text message, sent an email, Skype chatted, sent me a video link, or sent sweet Plurks. You have helped me more than you know.

Picture from "The North Star" Mini-Posters, by Peter H. Reynolds

Where Is It You Want To Be?

I have to say the graphic above is one of my FAVORITE from the North Star book! Absolutely a perfect representation of life. The 'signs' we see sometimes point us in different directions. Today was the first day of school. My new schedule is a killer and adding in extra 'first day' activities have left me absolutely exhausted.

There have been many signs lately that have left me questioning if where I am right now is where I should be. The smiles and hugs from students today helped me realize that I am where I belong for this part of the journey. Who knows where the signs will point tomorrow, but for today....I was exactly where I needed to be.


Graphic above from "The North Star" by Peter H. Reynolds. Used with gracious permission! Please go read the book online, or better yet, buy a copy. It is a beautiful book that you will look at time and time again!

I don't think I have mentioned this lately, but you can always get 10% of all things FableVision with my code: AMBSHAY

The Journey Begins...

Unless you are new to this blog, you know I am a huge fan of Peter H. Reynolds and all things FableVision... I must admit that my attitude this year has not been great because of scheduling issues, but five things that happened today helped to get me ready for the new school year journey to start tomorrow....

#1 - I got a message from Peter Reynolds recommending a video for me to watch. It was a great video that featured animation and it was great that he shared it. Beyond that, hearing from him reminded me of my time with the Fable group this summer, which I have talked about often...and in the middle of a very stressful day, I smiled. Thinking of FableVision reminded me to leave the struggles of the beginning of this school year behind and focus on what matters.....And what really matters comes bounding in the door tomorrow morning at 8:15 a.m.

#2 - At one of the darker moments of the day, I received an encouraging text message from my special Plurk friend I spoke of two days ago. Wow, that is one amazing person!

#3 - I hosted a viewing of "Wings of Epoh" which is the story of a boy with Autism and a butterfly named, Epoh. It is a beautiful book and video illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds and written by Gerda Weissman Klein that should be required reading/viewing for teachers. A few teachers came to watch it with me. Even though I have read the book many times and watched the video a few times, it was different for me today. It is the story of hope....Today, it was MY story. I felt like it was speaking to me. Not because I have autism, but because it describes the boy being in a very dark place and then being brought out in to a beautiful world.

#4 - Late morning, I received a thoughtful voice mail from my beautiful wife. Just when I needed it!

#5 - During my night class this evening, I was fortunate to bring the amazing Dr. Peggy Healy Stearns into my class virtually. I was honored that she agreed to visit with my students. Sometimes when you meet someone, you know immediately that you have met a truly great person....that is the exact feeling I had the first time I met Peggy.

Tomorrow starts a new page of my teaching journey... I do not have every single thing ready, but my heart and mind are ready. I am now more focused on navigating my journey by watching my guiding stars.... the guiding and wonderful stars. Thank you to all who have made my life richer. I am one very lucky man!


Graphic from "The North Star" by Peter H. Reynolds. Read the story here!

What is Real?? I will tell you....

A while back, I posted here with a long drawn out examination of 'real' friends and online friends. Well, I have to tell you a story that changes everything...and I mean everything.

The other night, I was lamenting my journey back to school. I love the kids there and always will, but parts of the atmosphere have grown unhappy. On Plurk, I received a private message from a wonderful person I have gotten to know. I am going to leave the name out because I don't want to embarrass. The message included a cell phone number and the message included an invitation to text if I needed to.

Can you believe that? What an incredibly wonderful thing to do for someone. What an amazing act of kindness. I can tell you that that bit of magic got me through a really stressful day. Of course my wonderful wife is always there for me, but I sometimes feel like a burden with this seemingly never-changing issue. It was uplifting to know that someone else was there for me. I only ended up sending one message. I should have sent two....at least one should have been a thank you.

Lesson learned! The manner that you meet someone is of little consequence to the strength of the ties! I am truly blessed by great friends! Thanks for the help on the journey.

Graphic from "The North Star" gallery, from the book "The North Star" by Peter H. Reynolds. Educators may get their own poster here...for free!

Losing Your Way

From "The North Star" by Peter H. Reynolds Clip Art Collection

We all need to remember we are on a journey...sometimes the going is easy and sometimes...


We need hope to pull us through.


Animation created with Animation-Ish.
The Journey in TJ on a Journey is a reference to "The North Star" by Peter H. Reynolds.

Inspire Me

My favorite new program, Animation-Ish, from my friends at FableVision, has a great feature...
A button called, "Inspire Me." When a person is working in the program, they can click on the winged lightbulb and a video featuring Peter H. Reynolds pops up with a short clip with inspiring words or an idea for an animation. This morning, as I am packing away my office and room away for the summer, I am wishing that I had a button like that. It's hard to pack up everything that makes my office feel a little like home and shove it away for two months. Maybe Peter could pop up on a screen in my office and give me the motivation I need to finish the school year (tomorrow at 10 a.m.) and then I could take some time off to get recharged for next year.

So many great things have happened in this last year....along with some struggles. My students were asked to sing the National Anthem at the Iowa Girls State Volleyball Tournament, I was asked to create some lesson plans for Animation-Ish, and at the same time, I had one of the least respectful high school choruses during the first semester. After twenty-two years in the classroom, I understand that everything is cyclical. Good classes come and go. That special kid that makes every day worth teaching will graduate and another will morph into his or her place.

Although this year has been a difficult one for me, I know that in the fall a great group of inspirations will walk through the door of my classroom and start challenging me, inspiring me, and demanding me to be a great teacher. Although I have NO control over what happens outside of room 108, what happens inside is part of my Journey and I control that. SUre, some of the things that happen are still not under my control, but at the very least, I control the way I handle the things that happen. Like the little boy in the North Star book by Peter H. Reynolds, I will follow my path toward my own personal star. I will try to help the kids in my room along their path with as much love and gentle pushing as is necessary.

So, I must find my own inspirations for packing up today... I must get things put away and start the anticipation, the dreaming, and get a firm grasp on hope for next year. This summer I can look forward to personal inspiration with Peter H. Reynolds at NECC and hanging out with my pals in San Antonio. Best of all, I can spend a lot of time imagining new ways to use Animation-Ish and I can hit that "Inspire me" button as many times as I like!

The North Star and North Star Musical Journey

My friends at FableVision have an amazing company. Ever wonder why I am their biggest fan? Here is just one example. I love the story of The North Star by Peter H. Reynolds. I think it is an amazing book with a great lesson for kids (and adults too.) One of the first amazing things I learned was that you can read the North Star book on-line....for free! What author or company lets you do that? They sell the book and it is a beautiful book that I highly recommend, but you can read it online for free. The reason they do that is that the company believes in its mission and the potential of children and the educators that guide them.

The North Star Musical Journey, which is the musical based on the book, was performed during my elementary school's Winter Concert on December 19, 2007. As a small, rural school, the North Tama Winter Concert is typically filled with traditional Christmas music. Since the story of Christmas uses a star as a main symbol, it seemed like a good fit to feature the North Star’s story about a journey toward a star.

The show began with all 225 students in grades one through six singing “Journey,” followed by combinations of fourth through sixth grade classes performing the remaining songs. Five sixth grade students played the main characters and the narrating duties were divided between three different students.

Before beginning to learn the music, I read each class The North Star. The students’ reactions to the story were extremely positive. With every class, after I read the story I asked, “What kind of story ends with the words ‘the beginning’?” The classes immediately understood the concept of life as a journey and that although the book had ended, life was just beginning. When they began learning songs, it was unlike any previous concert preparation experiences, the students were excited to sing the songs time and time again.

My blog title is a reference to The North Star as I am truly on a journey..."a remarkable journey." How are you traveling on your journey?