My Dream Come True

As you can see from my about me information, I have had the dream to become a music teacher since I was only 8 years old. I made this decision back in 2nd grade when we were asked to write a short paragraph about what we want to be when we grow up. I still have this paper and other journal entries like it. They all stated close to the same thing.

"I want to be a music teacher just like Mrs. Schmidt! I want to be a music teacher because I love to sing and I love music!"

It is funny how the innocent dream of a young child can come true about 14 years later. Now, here I am out of college and going into my 3rd year of teaching music.

Since becoming a music teacher I have often been asked what I actually do. I often find this question disconcerting and kind of strange. Didn't other people have music teachers as elementary students? Do they not remember the wonderful experiences of singing, playing instruments, listening to music, etc? Why do they understand what a middle school choir teacher does, but not what a general elementary music teacher does?

The answer I often give is "I teach all the basics of music to get students ready for band and choir at the middle and high school level." People still look at me with confusion. So then I continue... I teach students the difference between singing, whispering, humming, shouting, etc. I teach students how to read music, count rhythms, and play instruments. I teach students how to act in a concert setting. I help students prepare for at least one concert each year to get their first experiences on stage. I introduce students to classical music and teach them the lives of various composers. I introduce students to the wonderful world of music! I open the door to all of their later music experiences!

There is so much to a music teachers job that I cannot explain in just one post. So instead, I have decided to start writing this blog to share some of the experiences I share with my students. Look forward to bulletin boards, lesson plans, and much more!

Thanks for reading!