Dear friends:
As you well know, in the past week the world of music education (and education in general) have been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Canceled concerts, trips, and entire seasons have left a large swath of sad, confused, and worried students and parents in its wake.
And they are not alone.
Entire families are facing questions related to health, security, and economic uncertainty. And as much as they might try to shield it from their children, the angst can't help but unknowingly pass through the house, much like the virus that brought it about.
On many occasions in this blog, and on a stage, I have made the case that music teachers are not just the leaders of young people, but leaders of the community. And in times of crisis, leaders step forward and take action.
We are not doctors, policymakers, or fortune-tellers. We can not predict with any accuracy what the future may hold. Nor should we. Our false predictions will cure no one and diminish our credibility as educators.
What we can do is to provide a sense of normalcy, routine, and reason for hope. As we enter into a time where you may (or may not) be physically away from your students, that doesn't mean you cannot be an influence in their daily lives. Consider the following:
Create a YouTube channel and offer a practicing tip of the day.
Open the room up for students to get their instruments.
Have students post their practice sessions on your social media feed.
Send them a daily inspirational quote or meme.
Create an online musical scavenger hunt.
Have them participate in a music leadership course.
Send them a musical word search, puzzle, or game.
Have leaders check on their section members.
Send them sample menu items with musical pairings.
Send them silly music-based "Would You Rather" questions.
Text them a musical joke of the day.
Send music listening guides.
Host an online gathering/jam session/fun room.
Send them a video message reminding them that you miss them.
These are just a few of the many possibilities. This is the time to get your creative teacher juices flowing. Have a good idea that you want to share with others, share it with me and I will try to pass it along.
In hopes of filling in for lost time and lost learning, I have reopened my online leadership course LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY for FREE. The course is applicable for any secondary music student regardless of age or curricula. As a part of the course, students receive videos, worksheets, and online quizzes. In addition, they can use the chat boards to talk with other student leaders from all across the country and the world. When completed, students will have a binder full of lessons learned and thoughts to share when they return to your classrooms.
Students can sign up and complete the course 100% free of charge at www.leaderoftheband.org. I will be updating the course materials throughout this week. You can check on their progress by asking them to post on the chat boards. You could even host online discussion groups about the materials.
CHECK OUT LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY
Listen, I know you are frustrated, angry, confused, and concerned. I am as well. But, the emotions we feel are only magnified by the turbulence and insecurity of the teenage mind and body.
So as they struggle, we rise up and model what resilience, restraint, and resoluteness look like. That is who we are and what we do. That is a part of being a music educator and part of being a leader. Now is the time our students need us the most. The F#'s and Bb's will soon be forgotten, but how we respond in this moment will be remembered.
We cannot always control what happens to us in life, but we can control how we respond to it. I am proud of each and every one of you for your intelligence, creativity, and grace under fire. You are the very model of a professional educator.
If I can be of help in any way, please reach out and contact me.
Regards,
Scott Lang
p.s. You may be hearing from me more often than just Wednesdays in the coming weeks. Just a heads up. I won't overwhelm you, but just want to be present.
p.p.s. If you need a pick me up, sign up for our #YouMatter campaign. Join music teachers from across the globe in being reminded that #YouMatter.
p.p.p.s Please forward this email on to anyone (parent/student/colleague) that you think might benefit