I want this story to inspire you, so I want you to hear it from him. Jake Douglass, today’s guest, was raised by affluent parents, and was introduced to music at a very young age. Throughout childhood, he studied Suzuki flute, piano, saxophone, voice, and percussion. He still practices drums for hours each day despite a busy schedule founding and running a music education company.
Read MoreTeaching is hard work. Being responsible for hundreds of children every day takes a lot of physical and mental stamina. If teachers are going to build successful music programs without burning out, they need to have resources and strategies to sustain themselves so they can thrive and help their students do the same in the classroom.
What happens during the first four minutes of your class sets the tone for how productive the rest of the class will be. This episode includes a few key strategies for setting your rehearsals up for success before you even play a note.
Spoiler alert! At the risk of ruining the suspense, I think the real key is to stop taking care of yourself.
Here are some time-tested ways to do just that:
Get less sleep and rest
Emphasize poor nutrition in your diet; especially avoiding whole foods
Replace exercise and mediation with more social media ranting
Do more! Be sure to say YES to everything anyone ever asks you to do
Never take a break from music. Not in the car, while you sleep, or in the shower. Never.
Be certain no one appreciates you, even when evidence suggests otherwise
And most importantly:
Remember to take EVERYTHING, including yourself, VERY seriously
In this episode we talk about:
What we can do to be calmer and more centered: no matter what is happening in the classroom
How can we deal with frustrating students, parents, colleagues, and administrators
How to bring some zen into your classroom to improve student behavior, increase student retention, and gain an overall joy of teaching
Bring in others to listen
Have the vulnerability to bring somebody in to observe your rehearsals. It’s important to get this outsider perspective. Of course you can pick someone you’re comfortable with and from whom you’d welcome feedback and constructive criticism.
Say no more often
It’s okay to say no sometimes to somethings, both at work and at home. This is an important thing for us all to learn and practice. Take a minute to step back, evaluate, and prioritize.
The best educators delegate
You need to have open communication with parent boosters, student leadership, music staff, and other partners. Asking them for help doesn’t mean you can’t do things; it means you’re a good manager and that you value the contributions of others. Remember that people do like to hear “I need you.”
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