Life Lesson Plans

Twenty five.  The number of teaching days left in this school year.  I am counting down, as is every kid  at my school.  I know this by their actions.  The end is in sight and they are checking out.

Many of my upper grade classes have recently decided the following: they don't have to do what they are told; my instructions are negotiable; and that they are too cool for our music lessons.  I undersand this attitude, to a degree, but it is contagious and if I don't nip it in the bud quickly, pretty soon I'm going to have a coup d'état take place in my classroom.  As dramatic as that may sound, step into a fifth grade class full of peer pressure, insecurity and strong personalities with attitude and you'll quickly realize that I'm outnumbered! ☺

My students don't have the knowledge of music that I have.  They are not aware of district, state and national teaching mandates.  And although some of them have innate leadership qualities, they are not equipped to manage groups of twenty or more people at one time.  These are the facts I presented them with today as we discussed our end-of-year attitudes.  I pointed out that although they may not see how our music lessons build on each other, that doesn't mean that a sequence isn't present.  

Their perspective is limited.  They see the small picture, the day-to-day, but I see the larger picture.  Not only do I see the year as a whole, but I can see years into their musical development.  I know that the skills they are learning now are critical to their futures.  Music reading, technique and even memory practice are all things they will need to learn now in order to be successful in band and choir someday.

If they don't master these skills now, does that mean they will fail at music later in life?  Absolutely not.  Will they all be performers when they get older?  No.  But, as their teacher it is my job to guide.  I know that music and ensemble skills often translate into real-life skills.  I don't want my students to have to work harder as they grow or repeat the same lessons.  My desire is that they get all the information and guidance they can now, so they will not be hindered in the future.  Sometimes this can be attained from games.  Other times it looks like a lecture.  And, some lessons are best learned through performance.  

No matter what form it takes, I assured my students today that they can trust that I am doing my best to equip them for their musical future.  I told them that I understood if they didn't like everything we do in class, but that complaining about it and having a negative attitude does nothing but bring others down and hinder personal growth.  I reminded them that I had a plan, that my perspective enabled me to see that it is the best plan.

As I sit here tonight, sharing my dinner with Maggie (don't worry, she's not eating off my plate), I feel overwhelmed that my life doesn't seem to be moving.  In fact, from my perspective, it's been stagnant much too long.  I have so many passions and longings that aren't being fulfilled.  I have talents and callings that aren't being utilized.  I see where I want to be, but struggle to figure out how to get there.  I feel like I'm sitting on the bench yelling for the coach to just put me in the game already.  

Tonight God is gently reminding me of my students today.  I am His student and He my teacher; as such, He is whispering to me that I can trust Him with my future because He truly does see the BIG picture.  He knows the skills and lessons I need to learn right now and how they will be put to the test in the future.  He knows what hardships wait for me down the road if I don't successfully master skills unbeknownst to me now.  He is using my interaction with my class as a visual for me to realize that my stinky attitude is contagious and a hindrance to not only my life, but to the lives of those around me as well.  A realization that my fight for control is futile.

Even though I feel like my students, just wanting to hurry through and get to the games, tonight I am choosing to surrender my feelings and my humanly limited perspective to a greater one.  I'm taking back my role as student and leaving the lesson plans up to the teacher.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

                                               For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts."

-Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV-