Why I Teach Music Blog Hop and Give Away

I’ve teamed up with some incredible music teacher friends this week to offer you a blog giveaway to spread a little good cheer this Thanksgiving holiday time and share why we teach music. I know many of you are stressed out right now-but I want to encourage you to remember why you do what you do! So…there’s a blog giveaway hop…keep reading for the links.
Some of you might relate to my story. I didn’t major in music education the first time around. It was “taboo” at my house to have anything to do with being an “artist”. I was told to major in something “safe” so I could teach if I needed to have a career. Exciting huh? Not really!  When you’re a music teacher-YOU ARE A MUSIC TEACHER!
I pretty much self taught myself to play guitar and piano and sat in my room most days after school writing songs. Later I dabbled in lessons here and there as I could afford them. I even taught myself how to compose and arrange music on a computer (way before “Finale”). Marriage and four children later I went back to school and “majored” in music education. I have to say, it’s kinda tough to go back to school with students who are your children’s ages-but they were pretty cool to me and it worked out great.
I’ve been teaching now for 16 years! I’ve taken a lot of PD courses and attended many music training’s. I seem to never stop learning about how to be a better music teacher.
I didn’t get to choose whether I worked or not, but every day I’m so grateful I get to teach music! I truly feel blessed to be able to share the gift of music with children. I love helping them make connections to music concepts and connecting music to their world-whether current or in the past.
Teaching music for me has enlightened my soul to what’s really important in life, enabled me to really “feel” things, and in a way been a therapy that’s helped me get through some pretty challenging times during the last few years.
For me teaching music is the life line that’s saved me from depression and provided me with a way to do good in a harsh and unforgiving world. Teaching music gave me the opportunity to have hope when there wasn’t much left in the rest of my life. Just think about it-when times are tough-most people turn to music. How lucky am I to be able to earn my income and get free therapy?
On the darkest days I’d come to school, turn on the lights, set up the equipment and greet the children with a smile and heart full of hope. Their sweet voices and willingness to come into my music world continues to create a safe haven for me that’s truly blessed my life.
I’m not trying to get spiritual on you here, but it really happened-and I’m grateful I teach music more than I can express here in my blog. And, I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my music and music teaching experience with you in my TpT store-Sing Play Creatively. Thank you for reading!
You can enter the giveaway and spread the love 2 ways:
comment on one of our blog posts (link in the giveaway below)
and share your own inspiration on social media with the hashtag #whyiteachmusic.
Don’t forget to include a link to this blog post so that other’s can enter the giveaway too!
We’re doing this until Monday November 21, 2016.
You can enter the giveaway on each different music teacher’s blog post!
I’m giving away “We Are Thankful” a lesson and song resource with Orff and Kodaly applications.

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