Take A Moment To Remember

Summer has officially begun and it will be full of activities, family visits, and events. Before I get swept up by it all, I want to pause and reflect on this past year.

This was my second year teaching music in an elementary school setting, and it was my first year in my own classroom. There is still so much I have to learn!

What Went Well:

Songwriting! Whether it was composing hymns in 5th Grade, writing raps in 1st & 2nd Grade, or composing simple melodies and rhythms across the grades, the children all loved it! Music class should be a place for children to be creative and express themselves.

Remember next year: Make music more, lecture less. 

What Didn't Go As I Hoped:

Behavior Management. At the beginning of the year, I wrote a post about how I planned to manage behavior in my classroom. It started off great and continued to work well in my 3rd-5th Grade classes, but it became especially challenging for my 1st & 2nd graders. I think there are two reasons for this:
1. A large open space for a bunch of 7 & 8-year-olds is challenging. There were a handful of boys (my son included!) who had such a hard time focusing and doing their job because they just wanted to run!
2. The sense of personal responsibility is strong at this age. They have a hard time accepting whole class consequences.

Improvement Plan: Next year I'm going to try Class Dojo and see how that goes. I also plan to have my students sit at tables unless we are doing a movement activity or practicing for a performance. I think this will help my extra wiggly kiddos. 

What I'm Most Proud Of:

The joy my students have! Can I just take a second and share how good God is to me?!  The joy of the Lord is my strength. Happiness comes and goes, but even in the hardest of times, there is joy rooted in my soul. Praise God! I know this God-given joy is evident in my life. My one coworker high-fives me and says "Go Team Joy!" just about every day. ;)
We start each school day with worship and prayer, we pray throughout the day, and my classes are often filled with children singing praises to God. How can I not have joy when I'm surrounded by His goodness all day long?
I believe joy is contagious. I pray that I would pass joy on to those around me, and by His grace, my students remain joy-filled! At every performance, they sing their hearts out with big smiles and a light in their eyes. It's absolutely beautiful, and I cry every. single. time. 
I'm so proud of them! They don't just perform when they are on stage, but they recognize it's an act of worship.

"Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 NIV

♫

Being a #nontraditionalmusicteacher is a gift. I want to use my gift well! Learn from my mistakes, have the courage to do new things, and grow personally & professionally. Every day, I want to remember how God has led me to this place and what an honor it is to share the gift of music.

♫ Take a moment to remember

Who God is and who I am

There You go lifting my load again

Your love carries

Your love carries me ♫

-Will Reagan

♫ ♥ Ashley