Sara Bareilles

I. LOVE. THIS.

Most Fridays I start my classes with what I call Video Friday.  I told my students at the beginning of the year that I would be sharing stuff - usually music - that I love and think they might not get a chance to see otherwise.  I've shared everything from the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles singing "Channukah in Santa Monica" (I'm saving their powerful performance of "We Belong" for the end of the year) to John Green's beginning of the school year piece (hilarious).

Yesterday I shared this new video by Sara Bareilles.  My son introduced me to Sara a few months ago, then gave me her Kaleidoscope Heart album for Christmas.  My very favorite Sara song is "Let The Rain," which I posted here a while back.  But this new song may just nudge it out, or at least join it at the top of my list.

To be honest, I didn't make the connection about what happened in the classes that day until after I'd been home a while.  I was doing a lesson in which I asked students to come up with some ideas for a list we were going to work with.  I gave them a few minutes to talk in groups about their ideas, then asked them to share the ideas so I could write them on the board.  Students who, in an entire school year, have never - NEVER - N.E.V.E.R. - raised their hands, had their hands up and volunteered to participate.  Yeah, sometimes I'm slow to make the connections, but I eventually get there.

I believe they were encouraged by this video to "say what they want to say."  To "let the words fall out."

Honestly.

As the last class left, I heard one girl say to her friend, "I wanna see you be brave."  Was she joking?  Maybe.  But I'm thinking this song struck home with them.

I know it did with me.  This is something I'm still working on.

I wanna see me be brave.

My favorite? 

"Show me how big your BRAVE is."

P.S.  So while I was tracking down the BRAVE video for this post, I found Sara's Webisode about "Let The Rain."  Fabulous.  What a great way to start my morning.

And now, off into the roses.

Hey?

"Show me how big your BRAVE is."  Honestly.