Music, Teaching, Learning, and Life

Discovering the world of musicians, educators, and techies on the internet has been both inspiring and intimidating.  I often see posts by others and feel totally inadequate. There are so many teachers with wonderfully creative ideas, musicians who perform at levels much higher than I , and techies who are on the cutting edge.  I lag behind in each of those areas.

I decided to revamp my school blog during November after a few posts by other music educators. I heard several conversations on twitter about Skype sessions between music classes. What a great idea! (I’m now in the process of scheduling a Skype session with another music teacher in the northeast.) I also heard a podcast of a fourth grade choir singing in two-part harmony. It was a rehearsal, not a polished performance. During those weeks I also began following Brenda Muench’s school blog on a regular basis. Those posts reminded me that a school blog is about students, not me.

I’m posting podcasts of class sessions. Those podcasts are real life. Students are still in the process of learning. Singing is often off pitch. The recordings themselves aren’t great quality. However, as I’ve played them back for various classes, I’ve seen students evaluate themselves at a higher level. Students are also excited about visiting links at home. They’re more motivated!

The blog is also serving as a medium of communication with parents. They can hear what their children are doing and learning in class every day.  In the process of blogging there, I can further educate parents about the value of a music education.

I still have so far to go, so much to learn. I’m continuing that journey with the revamped school blog. I needed to “just do it.”

This morning I called my Dad to wish him a Happy Thanksgiving. During the conversation he mentioned going to the annual Thanksgiving Day cane grinding at my uncle’s farm.

Daddy was born and raised in a very small, rural community. One of thirteen brothers and sisters, they grew up on a farm, about 250 acres large. They grew vegetables (canning and freezing many), raised animals for food, milk, and labor, churned their own butter, harvested grapes, etc. They were considered poor even in their small community, but they always had food to eat and a few items of clothing to wear.

As a child growing up, I spent many Thanksgivings at my father’s parents’ home in northern Florida. Crossing over the state line (a river) from Georgia on the way, our family had a tradition of singing “Over the River and Through the Woods.” We also played a silly game to see who could be “first” in the car to cross the line. As the youngest, I somehow was allowed to win this game frequently!

Even in the 1970′s, Daddy’s parents were still using milk on the table that had come straight from the farm cows. I can’t say I enjoyed it, but grandmother’s homemade biscuits are still some of the best I’ve ever tasted. She made them without a recipe, using lard. I learned to mix peanut butter and my uncle’s sugar cane syrup for a delicious dip for the biscuits.

Every Thanksgiving we spent in northern Florida, we went to my uncle’s place a few miles away for the annual sugar cane grinding and syrup making. My memories revolve mostly around playing with my cousins, and chewing on pieces of cane to get the last drops of sweetness. I wish I had paid more attention as a child to the details, but I do remember the huge vat where the juice was cooked down to the syrup’s sticky consistency before being bottled in hundreds of jars for family, friends, and for sale. I remember the barn being a stifling, steamy place, too hot even for a chilly Thanksgiving morning. It seemed run-down to me even then. But the sugar cane syrup made there is still my favorite of any, ever.

My Dad told me this morning that my 88 yr old uncle and his family no longer make the syrup. They still harvest the cane, but the syrup isn’t made at that location. I was there on Thanksgiving Day for the cane grinding several years back for the last time. Even though it hasn’t been a part of my life except that once in many years, I’m sad to hear that part of my extended family’s Thanksgiving tradition is over.

That one memory has brought to the forefront of my mind many of the ideas and struggles that have been a part of my blogging in the last few years. Perhaps the questions I’ve struggled with are questions some of you struggle with as well: Who am I? What is my calling? How can my life make even a small difference in this world?

I’m still working on the answers to those questions. However, this morning I was reminded of one thing. I’m still my father’s daughter, and I’m very thankful for that!

Yes, I’m still moving forward, but in ways I didn’t anticipate when I wrote my last post.  I’m discovering that moving forward can mean making the most of the best elements of my past while working within its framework to change those aspects that caused pain or disappointment.  Within days of my last writing here, my husband and I decided to reconcile.  Those words look so flat on the screen compared to the raw emotion involved when both of us reached that decision!  Maybe one day I’ll write more on the subject, but for now I’ll only add that it was probably the best decision of my life.

A part of the growing process has been determining priorities.  I suppose that’s huge for all of us.  My twitter profile states:  elementary music teacher, wife, mother of two girls, clarinet player; loves reading, writing, and learning.  All of those are still true, but I’m coming to terms with the amount of time I can afford to spend in each area…and I’ve reached a conclusion…for now.  The most important areas of my life right now are my family and my job as a music teacher.

Continuing to learn is still vital.  I’ve learned recently in classes, by reading, writing, taking private clarinet lessons, and by performing in community groups.  I don’t have the energy or time to spend on a daily basis in every one of those areas and still make my husband and daughters top priority.  I also don’t have time to labor over that last sentence to get it just so!!!  I know. I’m getting wordy and probably redundant…”blah, blah, blah,” I’m saying in my head.

I’m thrilled to say I love my job as a music teacher.  When I get in front of a classroom of eager (and a few not so eager) students, I’m reminded they need someone to open up the wonders of music to them.  I’m so thankful I can be that person for the students at my little school.

Also I started a separate blog for my ramblings as a music teacher…more “blah, blah, blah!”