I'm so glee-full!

Warning! Lots of spoilers so don't read if you have not seen the finale of Glee and plan on doing so....

Glee's first season has finally ended and I thought it was an absolutely wonderful end to an awesome season. I have been hooked since episode one. What I love about this show is that not only does it have talented actors and amazing covers, the show portrays amazing messages that I feel like are often absent from our culture. Sure, it's unrealistic, but if you are looking for a true to life drama with intense story lines, you probably need to find another show.

As unrealistic as it may be, if you really think about high school and teen life, it's not THAT far off. We have all dealt with cliques, feeling insecure about not fitting in and being bullied, the bully or perhaps even both. As a teacher I am very passionate about ending bullying in schools. It is something I do NOT tolerate in my classroom. I teach my kids that we are a family in our class and we are to treat each other as family. That's why Glee touches me so much - they are a family. They have grown to see past the stereotypes of their school and love each other.

It is so easy in our culture to fall into the trap of judging others by how they look and act or by what they do. It's often much easier to join the crowd and tease those that are "not as cool" as us then be teased by those who are "cooler." I like how Glee pushes the envelope and shows the uniqueness of each character. It touches on gender, racial, sexual orientation and even physical handicapped stereotypes. I love all the characters in the Glee club and mainly because they are all so different, yet so amazing and "cool." It's cool to be a Gleek. :)

This show has really touched me so I wanted to share a few things I have learned from it. Enjoy!

Top 5 Things I have Learned from Glee:

5.Being part of something special makes you special. - As Tina said, Rachel got it right, when you are part of something special, you become special. Now this doesn't mean you become special to everyone else. You find a new sense of meaning, a new confidence, and most likely, you stop caring if others think you are special. (SPOILER ALERT!) I think that's why the kids were upset about not winning regionals, but not crushed. As Rachel said, they didn't care what the judges said. They were the ones who won. These 12 students were all misfits in some way or another, and this group was home to them and they traveled a long way as a family. I hope you all have something special in your life right now. If you have found it or have yet to find it, hold onto it and treasure it. You are special! :)

4. Everyone has some good in them (Yes, even Sue Sylvester) - Now, one of my favorite things about Sue is how EVIL she is. I laugh out the loudest when those outrageous statements come out of her mouth. But my OTHER favorite thing about her (besides her awesome dance moves) is the glimpses of humanity and kindness she shows us. She is not a 2-dimensional TV villain. We saw her loving relationship with her sister; we saw her insecurity and vulnerability over her looks and being rejected by Will; and perhaps my favorite, (another SPOILER!!) we saw her finally SEE the amazing transformation of the Glee club and vote for them to win regionals. She ultimately is the one who convinces the principal to give the club another year to prove themselves. Who knew that the person responsible for the imminent destruction of the Glee club would end being their savior? She has many layers and I look forward to seeing her grow in more seasons (but mainly I look forward to more OUTRAGEOUS comments about Will's hair and failure as a human being)

3. The journey is often more important than the destination - I am SO happy that Glee didn't win regionals. Now, that may sound weird, but I love the message they gave off by their reaction. Mr. Shu even said if they are only concerned about winning then he has failed them and they should just go home. The fact that they get to sing and do what they love should be their concern, not getting the biggest trophy. As evident by choosing all songs by Journey, they were proclaiming the power of their journey and how it has affected them all. Sure, it sucked to lose, but life isn't about winning and losing. It's about LIVING and loving what you are doing.

2. Teachers make a difference in their students' lives.... - Mr. Shuster (or Will) is an amazing teacher. Not only is he committed and talented at his job (and singing), he truly, deeply cares about his students. How many times over the season did he worry and toss and turn over the outcome of the Glee members and their club. His dedication and love for students got them to where they are - confident and full of heart. I cried when his students sang him "To Sir, With Love." Almost all of them were crying too, including Mr. Shu. Finn even compared him to a father figure. I wish there were more teachers out there like that. When you care about your students and set your expectations for them HIGH, they will reach it. This group went along way together and touched each other's lives greatly, which brings me to my final thought....

1. ...and students make a difference in their teachers' lives. - No one can deny that Mr. Shu loves his kids. You could just see it in his eyes as he watched them to sing to him and later when he sang back to them. They were not the only ones who changed. He changed. He found a passion for teaching and went for it. He became more humble, more sacrificing and more loving. I know very well that students can change their teachers lives, for better or for worse. That's my favorite part about teaching - the relationship between student and teacher. I am so thankful there is a show out there showing how teachers should love their students. (Of course, we can't be AS involved as Mr. Shu....that's a wee bit unrealistic) I know that if you let your students change you, you won't regret it. I sure don't. :)