Uniquely Y9

My head ached.

Walking into my homeroom at this morning for class assembly, I saw my students crowded around one 14 year-old and his electric guitar.

“The school bell rang; that amp and guitar should be put away!” I felt like a broken record, yelling this every week. But by now the musically inclined boys in my class knew the rules and quickly stuck the instruments in the storage room.

If only my head would stop aching.

My students shuffled to their seats and I pulled out my Bible to begin class assembly.

A. suddenly blurted out, “ask H.S. to play the song he wrote!”

The opportunity to snap, “Nope, it’s time for our devotional, so sit down and be quiet” flashed through my throbbing brain, but luckily I squashed the cranky part of me.

"What ever crushes individuality is despotism, no matter what name it is called."
-John Stuart Mill

The next 15 minutes were spent with two boys singing and strumming songs they’d written on the guitar. One was a group effort, with C. singing a heartfelt “goodbye” he’d written for a girl who’d moved back to Canada last summer, accompanied by H.S. on the electric guitar and O. beating time with drum sticks. The students and I all loved this impromptu concert.

Each of my Y9s is unique, with varying talents, be they musical, athletic, interpersonal, etc.

Ouch. How am I going to say goodbye to them and head off to Tanzania in June?