It’s the end of the year, and some of you reading this may be days away or already done with your year. Cue the reflection season! As we near the last school day, final concerts, graduations, and banquets, we take time to close this chapter with this group of students and consider what lies ahead. It’s bittersweet—we cherish the experiences we’ve had and yet feel hopeful at the thought of a fresh start and bright opportunities ahead. Currently, I’m closing the chapter on 13 years of high school and elementary school band experience to transition to a junior high school—not only am I reflecting on the past year, but my career is also in focus. With summer season ahead of us, I invite you to make time to connect the end of this year with the next and reflect on your own status.
Rebuild: “Those who teach must never cease to learn.” —John Cotton Dana
Moving into the summer is a great time to retool and change something big or small about how we do this. Systems and consistency are important in our programs, but the educational landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and we must evolve with it. Consider finding something to read up on to help you prepare for the coming year. As I am transitioning to teaching a different level, I plan on reading Successful Habits of a Middle School Band Director by Scott Rush, Jeff Scott, and Emily Wilkinson, as well as The Anxious Generation by Johnathan Haidt; both have come highly recommended and cover two very different areas of teaching.
Recharge: “Resting is not a waste of time. It’s an investment in well-being.” —Adam Grant
Simply put, find a way to separate. Many of us are in all-consuming jobs, and, while we find joy in thinking about the future, forgetting to focus on the moment and ourselves does not lend itself to longevity. Consider simple ways to disconnect, like setting up an autoreply for your email address and removing school email from your phone. This small change can help us cut ties for a short time and support a healthy reset.
Reflect: “In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.” —Haim Ginott
I have this quote in my office and I read it daily, especially on the days I wake up struggling with motivation. Ask yourself: Was I an element for good in the room this year? Did I struggle to connect with students, or do I feel I was a force for good? Depending on our life situations, teaching locations, general struggles, or new concerns, negativity and cynicism can creep in like a cancer. We are the energy in the room, and our “aura,” as the kids say now, can become a mirror of what the students do. If this was a challenging year, find a trusted colleague to share your struggles and frustrations with. Another trusted music educator can be a great resource to offer suggestions, help redirect, or create greater connections within our field to help us evaluate where we are.
Goal Setting: You must have long-range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-range failures.” —Charles C. Noble
Goal setting is deeply personal because every educator and program has different needs. As you evaluate yourself and your program, consider two areas of improvement: the day to day/year to year as well as the new. Whether you’ve been at your program for many years or are just about to start year one somewhere, develop a tiered multi-year goal list and keep it visible in your teaching space. When I started my current job, I set up a three-, five-, and 10-year goal sheet with a variety of goals. I recently rediscovered it and was impressed to see what had been achieved, and what I felt was important 13 years ago—much of which has changed for the better.
As we close one chapter and begin preparing for the next, it’s important to remember that we are constantly evolving alongside our ensemble programs. Students graduate, new leaders emerge, traditions shift, and educators grow through every season of teaching. Sometimes the most important thing we can do during the summer is pause long enough to appreciate what was accomplished, learn from what was difficult, and give ourselves permission to begin again with renewed purpose.
Whether your next chapter includes a new teaching assignment, a rebuilding year, or simply another opportunity to refine your craft, I hope you enter it with reflection, balance, and excitement for what lies ahead. Our students deserve educators who continue growing alongside them.
