I know this blog is supposed to be about food, but my job is of course a big part of my life, too. I think I have the best job in the world. I get to sing and dance and play all day. I don't really have to grade stuff, I only see the kids for a little while so I don't really have to deal with discipline, and I'm pretty much the most popular teacher at school. Not really through any personal virtues, but what I teach is just so much fun.
I know I am very blessed too in that I have a great job position. Some music teachers have no money to spend on equipment, many don't even have a classroom, and are thought of as a waste of time and money by administrators and fellow teachers. I admit there are a few teachers at the school who think I am just a babysitter, but most are pretty respectful of me. And I have a fantastic administrator who supports what I do, and more money than I know how to spend. Seriously, I have never spent this much money in my life. I have every instrument I could ever desire, plus backups. It's ridiculous and fabulous.
However, I have been pretty discouraged this week. I have been making recordings of students to audition for a choir. And thus far have not found even one that I will send to the judges. Some I might keep just to listen to and laugh over when I've had too much wine. Still, I feel that it reflects poorly on me when my kids can't sing. But then I remind myself that I am a good teacher. I know that. I have LOTS of room to improve, but for my second year I'm doing pretty good. These kids, however, have had only two years of good music instruction, and I guess singing is harder than I thought it was.
I think deep down I always believed most people could sing on pitch without having to work at it. It was never that hard for me. And being a musician I probably surrounded myself with other musical people. I am blessed with a very musical family, too. I don't know if I ever heard someone really awful until I started teaching. So much of musical aptitude has to do with childhood. Growing up I always remember singing. My grandma sang all the time, and my mom. Those are some of my best childhood memories. A kid asked me the other day how I know so many songs, and I said most of them I remember from when I was little. Children aren't sung to anymore, or rocked, they don't listen to music, they're told to be quiet when they sing. And music is quickly becoming a lost art, which terrifies me. So, thanks Granny, and Mom, and Donna, and Dad, for singing to me, for giving me music to listen to, for letting me sing.
The Pants That Brought Me Here
8 years ago
