Keeping Things in Balance

As we continue to prepare for festivals, concerts, musicals, and our classes, the end of the school year looms in our future. It will be here sooner than later and with it will come a combination of relief, anticipation for summer activities, and nostalgia for the students who will graduate and the colleagues who will change jobs or retire. Through it all, the constant that remains is our love of music and our appreciation for the relationships and interactions with our colleagues and students. Sharing what we know with students, parents, administrators, and community people creates a bond with them that goes beyond simple conversation. Music and the arts connect us to one another in ways words alone cannot.

Much has been written and said about the tragic and horrific school shooting in Connecticut. It seems as if more questions have been raised than answers regarding the why and how of what occurred. My bigger questions include: How do we, as a society, respond and move toward prevention? What do we need to do and how should we do it? Part of the answer is that we must increase our efforts to help people establish and maintain relationships that allow them to feel more connected to one another on many levels. I am not referring to simple "let's get along" relationships, but those that allow deeper and more meaningful interactions. These areas are where music can play a role, especially how it is taught and supported in our schools and communities.

Dorita Berger's article in this edition of the KMR provides specific examples of how teaching students to be creative in music has the potential to allow them to express what they feel in ways that connect them to others. She lives in Connecticut and is a music therapist. Her perspective is very helpful and worth considering, especially by music teacher educators. To me, her most interesting point is that music is not just about doing it, but the individual's interaction with it on intellectual, social, and emotional levels. Although this may not be a new thought, her juxtaposition of it with regard to what should happen in music teaching seems more relevant, given recent events.

It also seems that tragic events are more likely to happen when a person's life is out of balance. Isolation, anger, emotional issues, and/or mental illness contribute to a person having a perspective that lacks a balance of friends, positive creative activities, and a sense of belonging. For many years, music teachers have provided just the type of situations where their students do interact, create, perform, and share with others through music. Now, more than ever, advocating for support of music programs in the schools is not only needed but essential if we are to respond and prevent future incidences that are so harmful to so many.

This edition includes other articles that are intended to help you keep things in balance as you complete this year and look forward to the next. Campbell and Barrett's article regarding continuous professional development is full of timely information. With the growing emphasis on teachers developing and achieving specific teaching goals, their valuable suggestions can help you develop and attain your goals. Also included is an article about preventing music teacher burnout. The various strategies are very helpful and the author focuses on how music teachers need to recognize the long-term aspects of music teaching. And finally, a look at a day of a first-year band teacher in a small town. It reminds us that, despite the other pressures and concerns we face, what we do is important in the lives or our students. Through music, we provide balance against bullying, difficult home lives, and other harsh realities of life. By teaching students how to create music, we provide them the tools to maintain their own balance long after they leave our classrooms.

During the past two years we have moved the KMR from a print to an online only publication. In doing so, we have just begun to use the potential of this format. I want to encourage you to look at some specific examples of what is possible in this and past publications. Avian Bear's "Message from Your KMEA President" in this edition is an excellent example. Instead of a written message she recorded it. We think this is a terrific way for potential contributors to use the KMR. Plus, Troy Johnson, KMEA Web and Technology Manager, is now including a column that provides technology information. Several articles and features that have been included in the online KMR the past two years include examples of embedded video clips and links. At the last KMEA ISW, updated guidelines and writing tips for the KMR were presented. Those are included in this publication and we encourage you to take a look and consider how you can contribute to this wonderful resource for Kansas music educators and students.

I just took a break from writing this column and went for a walk with my husband, Marvin, on our property. We own 40 acres with two ponds. It is a beautiful spring day and we felt rejuvenated by the signs of spring finally springing up around us. We are lucky to have these surroundings and talked about not taking what we have for granted. That helps us keep life in balance as well. Take a few moments each day to be grateful for what you have and what you can do. Being able to make, enjoy, and teach music really contributes to the positive side of the scale. In fact, it exceeds many other things when it comes to providing positive energy and an enjoyable life. So, enjoy the rest of the school year and embrace those big and little things that make you grateful for your job, students, family, and friends. To truly help our students find balance, we must first establish it for ourselves. Then, we can genuinely model it for others as we face the challenges and rewards of daily life.