Monday, August 27th, is my first day with students for the 2012-13 school year. This year I will be floating between two schools. Being a traveling teacher is not the vision I had in my head when I entered the teaching profession. Vision aside, it's a reality. Teaching load, number of classes per day, has also increased this year. Currently I am scheduled to have four days with six classes per day and one day with seven classes. It could be even worse. I won't know that until after the first day. 
Despite this turn of events, I can't think of another job I'd rather be doing, and plan to do my usual best at both schools and in all classes. This change of my schedule was not my desire, nor the desire of my old school administration or the new school. Both schools I'm certain, would prefer to have full time employees based at their schools. Even though it looks like all bases are being covered and all teaching spots are filled, the truth is any employee, teacher or otherwise, has their limits and can only be stretched so far until the rope frays. This year will be a test of my fiber. Will I stretch, fray or snap? I am counting on stretching and continuing to give my best to all students I teach, no matter at which school they attend. I proceed with faith that I will endure, but, having never been in this working situation, I do not know. I am, however, arrogant enough to say that even when I'm not at my best, I am well ahead of the average elementary music teacher. Wow! Did he really say that? Ha. If I didn't think I was good at my job, I'd be doing something else, folks. As you well know, teachers don't go into this gig for the bucks. The only time I was wowed by my teaching salary was when I was fresh out of college and had never had a full time job. That $6,000 I earned my first year seemed like a fortune. I could eat out at Sonic every week on that loot!  Have a great year! Your students and community are lucky to have you!