It's a very busy time of year...and posting "part II" has been on my mind for weeks...some days you just have to make time!
Let Go of the Desire for Absolute Perfection
As musicians, it's in our nature - if it's not perfect, it's WRONG!
But...there comes a time when you need to be realistic. In the case I
just mentioned in the last post, I had almost NO time to prepare and the students I would be
working with would be YOUNG. You need to step back and say, "If I
were watching this as a non-musician, what would I think of it?" For
most people, it would barely be a blip on their personal radar screen (unless
their own child was in it) and for even more people, it would probably be
little more than background noise. The Academy would not be watching
this. The daytime Emmy's would not be weighing in. I knew I needed
to simply do the best I could and let the chips fall where they may.
Guess what? They were STELLAR if I do say so myself. And it was all
done with virtually no stress.
So when life throws you it's challenges, do your best, don't freak out, and move on.
Get a System
I find that people who seem to always be running are victims of their own
circumstance. These are the people who frequently misplace their
keys. They forget appointments. Sometimes even their personal
appearance is disheveled. While we can't prepare for everything and we
all forget something sometimes, the best way to avoid this happening on a
regular basis is to get a system.
What I mean by a "system" is to set places and times for regular
things you have to do and use. For example: my cell phone. I
have basically two (sometimes three) places where it will be at ALL times - it
is either on the docking charger next to my bed or in my pocket. These
are the ONLY places it goes. I don't take it out because I "need
more room" and leave it sitting somewhere - NO! This is how I know
where it is. If you become picky about having things in your pocket or
wherever, you'll need to get over that. What would you rather do - have
peace of mind about an expensive item or go running around like a chicken three
out of five days wondering where you placed it? I do this for other
things - my keys (they're either on a special hook by the front door, in my
pocket, or in the ignition of my vehicle - I never have to look for my keys very
long!), my brief case, my wallet, etc.
I'm sure at your school you have "duty." The way it is set
up for us is that we have duty one day out of the week all year long.
Mine is on Mondays (guess why I was assigned that day?). Duty day
requires that you be at work a little earlier than usual. There was a
time when my day was Thursdays. So...what are the options here? Get
up at a certain time every day but on that ONE day get up a little
earlier. Maybe, but no. That doesn't work for me. I get up at
the SAME time EVERY day so I know I can get to work without panicking that I
will be late for duty.
My lesson plans are due every Thursday. I make sure they are complete
by Tuesday - this means: creating the plans, preparing any materials I
may need, setting up iPod playlists, entering the assignment in my online
gradebook, and creating an online backup copy of each plan.
Having certain places for items and systems in place will make your life MUCH calmer - trust me. Set these things up, and DO NOT deviate. However, sometimes deviation is necessary. This takes me
to the next part...
Plan for a Change of Plans
Murphy's Law rules the world - if something can go wrong, it probably will. If it does, what will you do? Panic? Throw your hands up and yell, "Why, why, WHY!?!" Or, will you take the second option - to steal from the Boy Scouts: be prepared. I realize that "planning for a change of plans" borders on paranoia, but it is a fact of life. What will you do if something changes?
This is especially true at this time of year. The end of the school year is NUTS. Music teachers like to talk about the frantic month of December, but...if you ask me, it's May that runs me into the ground. Disruptions in schedules due to testing, field trips, end-of-year performances, awards ceremonies, closing up your classroom, and on and on and on. Add to that the fact that we're all just really, really TIRED! The answer to remaining together during these turbulent times is to first be flexible. You had a really cool activity planned out for your fifth graders and your classes got canceled due to re-grouping for re-testing? Oh well...put that one in the archives and move on. Freaking out won't do you or anyone else any good. Relax. It is what it is.
The second problem I see more often in teachers - they just go on the assumption that the Internet will be working, those electronic devices will function properly, the projector bulb won't burn out, and the batteries won't die. They assume the fire drill won't happen, the power won't go out. They build an entire lesson around these assumptions. Then one of the above mentioned things happens and...OH NO! And, I think we can all agree, there is NOTHING more chaotic than a room full of elementary children with nothing to do! So...you may have something alternate planned or you simply may have something in the back of your mind, "Well, if this doesn't work, I'll be able to have them do this instead..." ALWAYS having a "plan B" will keep you together. When preparing something important, think through the possibilities of what could go wrong and work from there. A good example is this blog. Here I am spending a good part of my Sunday typing and typing away. What would happen if the power went out right now? What would happen if my computer suddenly failed? I'm not worried. Why? I am comforted to see that little flash in the upper right corner of my screen that simply says, "saving" every minute or so.
I hope at this busy time of year these few words in parts I and II can help you get through it with ease. And always remember...summer is nigh!
Until next time...
