The Corner of Bitter and Sweet

My way to say hello to the blogging world is to say goodbye. Recently, I said goodbye to teaching elementary school art. I had been teaching at the same school for four years, but am now moving on to high school art. When people hear of this change, they say, 'Wow! That's going to be a change'. To which I say, 'I can't wait!' But more on that later. Here are a couple of pictures of my old classroom.

Check out the beautiful rug!

All my kindergarten through 3rd grade students would start out art class on the rug. My first year I had an inexpensive K-Mart rug. It was WAY too small. I convinced my principal to spend a bundle on this gem of a rug for me second year. Oh, rug how I will miss you!

On another note, check out the stove. Students often asked, 'Why is there a stove in the art room?' There is no good answer. Stove, I will not miss you and the people you attracted to come and use you while I'm teaching. I will not miss your sweet smell of cookies and I will especially not miss your smell of Dog Gone Bones as my lifeskill friends baked dog bones as a fund raiser.

As with any job, there is plenty that I will miss as I move to a new school and a new age group of students. But like the stove there are things I will not miss and look forward to a change. But every new beginning must start with a goodbye. This blog is the story of me and my transformation from a trailblazer to a raven.

Abbey

P.S. The title of this blog hints at a book I just finished called, The Hotel On The Corner of Bitter and Sweet. It's a fast little read about a Chinese boy in Seattle during World War II. It reminds me of Water For Elephants because of the way the story is told by young and old Henry.