Season Four
Episode 100
Be Encouraged and Finish the Year Well
I don’t know about you, but I’m completely stretched in every area as a teacher right now. As someone who loves to learn, this time has forced me to jump into learning many new online platforms, which I did one at a time until I could layer in more new sites as I figured out how in the world to do this thing called virtual learning. I’ve found some new ideas for my students that have worked on Flipgrid, Soundtrap, Google Drive lessons, and Zoom class meetings. I’ve also found that I’m mourning what used to be. I miss the real-time interaction with students, hearing students sing together, working on musical pieces as an ensemble within class times, and being together to make music together. I haven’t found the perfect solution for making music virtually that compares to what I’ve experienced in the classroom setting, but I’m willing (as you likely are as well) to continue to learn how best to facilitate and lead my students in the ongoing learning of their music education.
It dawned on me about a week ago that I was feeling empty as a result of not being surrounded by music making all day long. I miss the sounds. I miss the energy. I miss the creativity. I miss the spontaneous ideas students share and of course I miss the music itself. I realized how little music making I was doing - other than recording videos or planning Zoom lessons that still feel choppy and less engaging than what I would have students do in the classroom because of delays in timing with the technology or me just simply not quite knowing how to read the room when I’m looking at 22 small squares of students or trying to incorporate singing or speech or body percussion while students are on mute because of delays. I realized that I was planning lessons around music making without much music making actually occurring. And it has been sad and frustrating. But I’m not giving up. In realizing how much making music is meaningful for me personally I decided to set aside time each day towards my own personal music making. I reached out to Ashley Danyew - an Instagram friend who hosts the podcast Field Notes on Music Teaching and Learning. Ashley is a pianist and educator and I knew she’d have some ideas for piano pieces that I could work on. I’ve begun every day rehearsing scales and specific songs to build my own musical development. This has been a huge shift for me.
Episode 100
Be Encouraged and Finish the Year Well
I don’t know about you, but I’m completely stretched in every area as a teacher right now. As someone who loves to learn, this time has forced me to jump into learning many new online platforms, which I did one at a time until I could layer in more new sites as I figured out how in the world to do this thing called virtual learning. I’ve found some new ideas for my students that have worked on Flipgrid, Soundtrap, Google Drive lessons, and Zoom class meetings. I’ve also found that I’m mourning what used to be. I miss the real-time interaction with students, hearing students sing together, working on musical pieces as an ensemble within class times, and being together to make music together. I haven’t found the perfect solution for making music virtually that compares to what I’ve experienced in the classroom setting, but I’m willing (as you likely are as well) to continue to learn how best to facilitate and lead my students in the ongoing learning of their music education.
What we do matters. As I’ve reflected during the past two months of virtual teaching, there are a few things that I’ve done that have kept me going on those days when I felt discouraged or anxious. These three things have kept me motivated to keep moving forward and helped me maintain a positive mindset and joyful outlook.
- Find ways to make music yourself as a musician
It dawned on me about a week ago that I was feeling empty as a result of not being surrounded by music making all day long. I miss the sounds. I miss the energy. I miss the creativity. I miss the spontaneous ideas students share and of course I miss the music itself. I realized how little music making I was doing - other than recording videos or planning Zoom lessons that still feel choppy and less engaging than what I would have students do in the classroom because of delays in timing with the technology or me just simply not quite knowing how to read the room when I’m looking at 22 small squares of students or trying to incorporate singing or speech or body percussion while students are on mute because of delays. I realized that I was planning lessons around music making without much music making actually occurring. And it has been sad and frustrating. But I’m not giving up. In realizing how much making music is meaningful for me personally I decided to set aside time each day towards my own personal music making. I reached out to Ashley Danyew - an Instagram friend who hosts the podcast Field Notes on Music Teaching and Learning. Ashley is a pianist and educator and I knew she’d have some ideas for piano pieces that I could work on. I’ve begun every day rehearsing scales and specific songs to build my own musical development. This has been a huge shift for me.- Attend Virtual Workshops
Sure, we’re all Zoom meeting-ed out. Sometimes the idea of one more Zoom meeting brings more despair and we just can’t stare at the screen for one more minute. I’ve been there after 6-7 Zooms in a day at times. I’d also like to share that making music in this way and learning from other teachers who are sharing ideas for virtual learning can be a game changer. I know there’s so much for me to learn and I want to continue to grow as an educator so that I can help my students grow. I don’t know how long virtual teaching will continue, but if I set my mind to the idea that it could be a while and I don’t grab the bull by the horns and go after it, discouragement, frustration, and despair are definitely going to set in. Instead if I can find one new idea. And then another new idea. Then I can begin to find success in giving my students the chance to become amazing musicians to the best of my knowledge with where we are. Use what you have where you are.
A few virtual workshops that are coming up in the next few months:
1- AOSA website (Mondays with Music Tech)
2 - SMU, Vandercook, and other Universities are offering online classes. Levels courses may not be occurring as usual, but there are still many online opportunities incorporating Orff, Kodaly
3 - If you’ve learned something that you think would benefit other educators, share what you’re doing in the classroom. Invite friends and educators - people you know to attend as you give a Facetime Live or Instagram Live or lead a Zoom session. If only two people show up, great! The difference you make in sharing with those two people is beneficial for you and them. If 100 people show up, great! We all have something to share and in this time we need to be more bold in sharing what we’re doing with students to provide more ideas of teaching. I’m preaching to the choir on this one.
One of the workshops I’m attending the next two weeks with with Dr. Carol Krueger. During a Zoom session on Sunday night, Carol shared this quote from Roseanne Cash: “The key to change is to let go of fear.” Man, that hit me so hard. This has been a time of change - changing everything during a lot of uncertainty, lack of clarity for the foreseeable future and what we’ll be encountering during the fall, and how to keep music going. I must let down go of my fears, try out new things, and embrace the possibility that some things will work and others won’t. We can’t be afraid of failing forward and continuing to try. Which leads me to the final point.
- Don’t Give Up
Each day has it’s own agenda. Some days I wake up ready to take on the world with lots of energy and anticipation of good things. Other days I’m doing good to get out of bed, get out of my pjs, choose a joyful attitude, and find the good.
Something I’ve shared with our girls is that if we can’t find the good, we need to be the good. Meaning that if there is nothing good around us and it’s been an awful day - even just in our minds - then we need to step out of ourselves and encourage someone else. To find someone who we love and appreciate and let them know how much they mean. To bake something and bring it with a note to say I care. To smile and say “I hope you’re doing well today” as you pass a neighbor walking their dog. To lay down in bed with one of my girls as they are crying about missing friends or not wanting to do work because they want to be at school like they used to be… and just snuggling them. Reading a book with them. Coloring with them. Taking some time to realize that there is good in this. There is.
I believe that being forced to teach virtually is going to result in more good. Think of all the things you’ve already learned as a result of teaching in this new way. Difficult situations always bring about the most growth so I’m trusting that there’s tons of growth occurring even when I feel like a failure. Even when I try new things and they don’t work. I learn. I grow. I try again.
Don’t give up. Your students miss you. They love you.
In this season - and I’m praying it’s just a season - good things are happening. As in many hard times it’s hard to see it right now. I know sometimes I’m only seeing what isn’t happening. But good things are happening.
Finish the school year well. Finish knowing that you gave it 110% to the end and being proud of whatever strides were made during this time. You’re amazing. You’re needed and you matter.
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