Back to school with renewed energy and excitement

Dear Orchestra Teacher Friends,

It has been a while since I’ve posted on this site, but I wanted to give you an update as to what is going on. This August I began a new chapter in my career as I headed back to teach full-time in a high school orchestra classroom after spending four years in a college teaching position. While everything went well in my college position, there was something important missing — my own joy of teaching.

I can’t even explain how thrilled I am to be back working with kids in an orchestra classroom everyday.  I can feel the energy and excitement from my students and appreciate their desire to learn.  It’s contagious! I feel extremely fortunate to be directing an orchestra program that has been well taken care of since its inception (Thank you, Mr. Sheldon Fisher!) I am also very grateful to have the opportunity to teach in a school with an extremely positive learning and working environment. The students are incredible, my colleagues have been super helpful, and the school staff and administration is among the most supportive I have witnessed in my 20+ years of teaching.

Many people might think that moving from a college faculty position to a public school teaching position would be a step down or perhaps even a demotion, but I can assure you that this is is not the case. Being happy with where you are and what you do is what is most important. For me, the decision to move back to the classroom was two fold: (1) I would find more joy in my day to day operations at work; and (2) I would be able to better provide for my family.

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” 
― Anonymous

This summer I posted a blog entry on my personal website talking about success and “getting to the top.” You can read that blog post here. Because everyone is back to school, I thought it might be appropriate to share this with you because I am willing to bet that some of you may have attempted to change schools, move “up” in rank, switch roles, or perhaps get out of teaching all together. Some of you may be starting those new positions and some of you may be back in the same classroom you were in last year.  Whatever the scenario, it is most important to remember that you must find what will make you happy at work and experience joy in what you do.