Key Takeaways

Especially in your first 5 years you have to give yourself a lot of grace

You have to allow yourself to make mistakes in order to become the educator you were meant to be. It takes grace to get past the struggles, criticism, and self-doubts that are common in the first few years.

Music can be a job and a hobby

Whatever feeds you – whatever makes you feel good – IS good. Just because you teach band by day doesn’t mean you can’t play in the community band by night. Go with it!

Find a mentor

This might be the most important advice I hear again and again. Find your tribe. Reach out to the more experienced directors in your area. They are so often willing to help and can become your lifelines. The hardest part is simply asking them for their help.

podcastElisa Janson JonesNovember 9, 2018band directors, band composers, composer, everything band, podcast, batch 2

Introducing the Music Ed Mentor Podcast, #001

What do you wish you’d known before you became a music teacher?

You probably have more than one answer. You might think of those topics you still consider a challenge, obstacles you’ve worked hard to overcome, or issues that you know that other teachers are still struggling with. Whatever comes to mind is an important piece of knowledge, and one that would be great to share with other educators – and especially new ones.

I asked 100 music teachers this question. For the first episode of the Music Ed Mentor Podcast, I’m sharing the results. You may be surprised at how many responses came up time and time again.

Check out the episode below where I share what these fellow educators wished they had known before they started – as well as tips on how to leverage their responses to enhance your teaching experience today.

podcastElisa Janson JonesJune 9, 2017podcast, 01, what i wish i'd known, batch 1