I was afraid to enter Jr. High. It seemed to be a scary, big, old building with kids I didn't know. There would be older kids in the eighth and ninth grade there too and I didn't want to go! Tossing and turning on my bed all night, I worried about what the next day would bring; what would I wear, I hated my hair, would I see any of my elementary school friends? I finally fell into a fitful sleep, waking up every hour or so to look at the bedside clock that seemed to be ticking unusually slow. Tick, tick tick...... The morning was a mad rush of everyone needing in the bathroom at once, running through the house trying to find matching socks, stray shoes, and gathering school supplies. We hurriedly sat down to the breakfast my mother had prepared. I just couldn't make myself eat. My stomach was in knots. I thought about the foreboding place I was about to go.......JR. HIGH, the unknown, the place all sixth graders dreaded and talked about all summer long. JR. HIGH! Oh no! There was the usual chattering going on in the car; my mom telling us details about her JR. HIGH days and oh what fun she had. It was going to be great, we would see. Yeah, right. We pulled up to the front door of the school. There were hundreds of kids everywhere! I quickly scanned faces and felt a wave of panic when I didn't see anyone familiar! I gripped the door handle and forced myself to get out of the car. I pulled at my clothes, rearranging and fussing with my skirt, smoothing my hateful hair, balanced my armload of supplies and forged ahead.......to JR. HIGH. I had my schedule somewhere. I fumbled through my load, while trying not to look as nervous as my insides screamed that I was. Here it is......Mrs. M.....1st Period....Choir Class....Room 209. Ok, I loved singing and had been excited about signing up for Choir Class when we filled out papers back in the sixth grade. But now.......boy oh boy, WHERE was room 209?!! I climbed the stairs, amid a rush of loud, boisterious boys in brand new gym clothes. They were running down the stairs on their way to their first gym class of the year. I timidly moved over to the side banister and let them push their way through, then I proceeded to find Mrs. M......1st Period.....Choir Class.....Room 209. There it is! My heart was pounding in my chest. I saw dozens of boys and girls streaming into the brightly lit classroom. They were all laughing and talking loudly. I followed behind.

It was a chaotic, noisy and brightly decorated room. A big, old high-back piano stood in the very middle, its back facing the front of a stage. Four long rows of risers filled the mini stage. So, that's where we would stand and sing! What an unusual class this would be! All of the sudden, the noise is interupted by a fiesty, lively song pounding from the piano; a little, tiny lady with blonde hair piled on top of her head jumps out from behind! She keeps playing and smiling at everyone, then starts singing "Good Morning, Good Morning", loudly and calling for us to join in. We all shyly joined in, then she went into some old familiar songs. We sang a few lively verses. She's very energetic and animated. She went from person to person, patting each one, smiling, asking names. She has something friendly to say to each one. She tells us her name, about her years of teaching and says she wants us to learn music and enjoy the class. She is very upbeat and happy. I'd never met anyone like her before! Amazingly, I forgot my nervousness and my fear of JR. HIGH that day in the very first class because of this wonderful teacher and her unique approach to teaching. My seventh grade year was full of wonderful choir concerts, plays and fun.....the most fun I had ever experienced in a classroom. Mrs. M. not only taught us to use our voices, she also taught us patience, laughter, friendliness, great spirit and most of all..........love. I'll never forget..........Mrs. M.,.........1st Period.......Choir Class......Room 209. ©Author, Sharon K. Shubert, 2000-2011. All Rights Reserved.