As I come in the driveway to my new humble abode, I am greeted by a plant that is not familiar. It looks like giant rhubarb or lily pads on stalks. I am no garden whiz, but am amazed that in the ten years I have been working with plants, this one has escaped my learning. I guess that is one reason that I like gardening as much as I like teaching. I'm always learning or trying something new, finding out how something works, and why something is the way that it is. It's fun to find out how to make things grow best. With the right ingredients, nutrients, and environment it will flourish and hopefully expand and grow. These enormous plants obviously enjoy Inverness as much as I do. We both are flourishing here.

That's what I'm always seeking for my children at school. The right ingredients, nutrients and environment that they will feel free enough to grow and flourish. I introduced an idea to my kids in music today. I learned how to play Hot, Hot, Hot on the marimba on Friday. As soon as they listened to it, they started moving, smiling and couldn't sit still. Right away, I knew it was a winner. What if...we played this for the grade seven graduation? They immediately loved the idea...and wanted to start right away. So as I taught them the melodies and harmonies that began the music, I felt a joy rise above it all, the students settled down in a real groove, and ebb and flow of rhythm. The environment to try something new + the ingredients of a good song + the nutrients to fuel the passion=an excellent music class.