YOU HAVE ALMOST MADE IT!

Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
Congratulations! You have almost made it through your FIRST year of teaching. As you look back on this year of learning, we hope you will take time to reflect about what this year has meant to you professionally and personally. Sometimes, in the midst of the year, you do not have the time to think about how you taught, what were the positives, etc. But what you have done is taken that first step to set yourself on a path that will change lives through the incredible world of music.

Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.
Whatever you do - DO NOT GIVE UP! If you are experiencing burn out this time of year, remember that is perfectly normal. When you face a challenge, do not forget to ask questions. There are always people around you who have "been there" and "done that." One of the GREAT things about the mentor program is that there is someone there for you to share thoughts or to talk in confidence. Speaking of mentors, do you have one by now? If not, take the time to get in touch with your district mentor chair. As was discussed during the KMEA ISW, please contact either Kelly or Holly if you are having problems getting a mentor. We will do what we can to get you connected. It is NOT TOO LATE!

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.
Always analyze what you have done and improve upon it! If you take the time to stop and think about what you have accomplished your first year, you will find that a lot of great things happened. If your year was a bit disappointing do not get discouraged. Look at what did not go well and talk with your mentor, that will start you toward more success next year. Do not think one and done! Ideally, it is good to have a mentor the first three years of teaching.

If we all did the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves.
We want to thank all of you for your participation in the KMEA "tips" session and the new teacher luncheon. We hope that some of the connections made will last your entire career and then some! It is so important to understand that you are not a one-person island, but that you are surrounded by many who are willing to help you in your first years of teaching. Also, it was AWESOME to see so many college students at the "tips" session. A nice way to get a head start on your career.

You just can't beat the person who won't give up.
So, if your year has left any doubt in your mind, learn from it and teach another year. If you had a great year, then keep going, but keep improving. A terrific story that can help you get through an uncomfortable situation is the following about an hourglass told by a great teacher and mentor. When feeling a lot of pressure and stress, imagine life like an hourglass. There are times when life is easier and less stressful, similar to the big open bulb chamber at the top of an hourglass. Then, there are times when the pressure is great and very stressful as when the sand begins to pass to the bottom chamber through the neck of the hourglass. Sometimes the neck is longer, sometimes it is shorter, but the reward is making it to the other side and dropping into that open less stressful chamber at the bottom of the hourglass. The lesson is... Have you ever seen an hourglass with one grain of sand in it? No. There are always thousands of grains of sand in an hourglass. Life is also that way. No matter how alone you may feel there are always others going through it too; some before you, and some after you.

Have a great end to your first year!