My Favourite Christmas Card

Having caught up with many of the interesting and informative blogs on this site over the Christmas break, I thought I'd share a very small story with you.

In addition to my work with the NMPAT Musical Inclusion Team, one of my freelance roles is to run weekly small group African drumming sessions at a handful of primary, high and academy schools in Leicestershire, with children from Years 3 - 9, and at the end of last term there was the usual whirlwind of Seasonal Concerts in which many of my students were performing.

At one primary school I was disappointed that two of my Year 6 students were unable to take part.  Oliver had fractured his wrist playing volleyball the previous day, and Maya (who has featured in previous blogs) had missed 3 weeks of school with a chronic chest infection. 

I received a Christmas card that Maya had made during this long period off school.  The front, pictured above, was a painted, red nosed reindeer, designed and created from cut outs of her foot and hands.  Inside she had written:

"To Julie, I absolutely hated school, but when I joined drumming lessons my life got turned round.  You are the one that made me a Level 4 in writing.  You're the one who built my confidence up.  I am so grateful.  You are a great person.  Merry Christmas."

I would like to think that all of us who are out there facilitating and teaching music, at whatever level, in whichever genre, have had similar feedback at one time or another.  I just wanted to share this with you, in the hope that you have time to stop and think about all the children and young people that cross your path.  Remember, whichever organisation may be employing or contracting you to work with them, whichever body is funding those important projects, whichever schools or parents are paying for your expertise, it's you who is connecting with the children and young people, and you who is, ultimately, making the difference. 

Unsolicited feedback can often be the most honest and the most rewarding, and be delivered in the most unexpected ways ... I'm glad mine came by reindeer.