Teacher Talk
This is such a Roger Sams phrase! It makes so much sense! Of course, you know what teacher talk means…all those thoughts, good ideas, insecurities, doubts, and small gems of victory we carry around with us that in many ways might only make sense to us music teachers.
Specialist teachers have a unique perspective. We see the longitudinal development of our students, not just academically, but emotionally and socially. From watching that shy Kindergartener blossom into a confident fifth-grader, to understanding the quirks of each classroom dynamic, our role allows us to connect with kids on a different level. So, let’s dive into some teacher talk!
Many of us are a good 10-12 weeks into our school year…maybe longer for you. How are those routines and procedures going? Are the kids picking up on your patterns and consistencies?
Is your schedule settling in or are you becoming saturated with meetings that could be accomplished with the click of an email? Ha! Right?!?!
What about your classroom….are you building bulletin boards that reflect the content covered? Does the room feel organized with easy pathways that you can build routines around with your students?
Oh gosh, and I know, some teachers are planning concerts!
Well, all of this, for me, is nowhere near a walk in the park.
At my old school in Ohio, oh yes, by now I would be skipping through a park. But here in Poland, where I am only in my second year at this school, I am challenged by a lot of what I listed above. Our school has and continues to undergo a major renovation. My room has no shelving or storage, just simply 3 walls (and a wall of windows) and a projector.

So when the fire alarm isn’t going off or it’s a late start Wednesday for meetings, which only gives me 25-minute classes, I’m trying to be consistent. Bulletin boards right now? Not happening. Big class activities with instruments and dance? Pushing the pause button on it. Building consistent routines? Gonna take more time.
However, I’m working hard to look at the great things I DO have in place and let go or at least be patient with the rest.
For instance, I’m so lucky to have a well-endowed instrumentarium, full of xylophones, tubanos, and un-pitched percussion. A student is never without an instrument. The floor-to-ceiling windows and door overlooking a garden provide everyone who walks into my room a sense of peace, that is when the drills aren’t humming away. And, unlike some colleagues, I have a connected projector!
I’m realizing that perspective is everything.
Instead, I am celebrating that students and I have joyously started the year with folk dancing. Tubanos came out and students transferred body percussion to drums and enjoyed choosing different shaker parts and in some cases melodic improvisation over the top to create very cool pieces. For the most part, students are picking up (mostly) on consistent signals, routines, and patterns from one class to the next. Regardless of what other specialists or homeroom teachers practice, students can meet YOUR set of expectations for the music room. Patience and perseverance will pay off if you practice it. This is my personal pep-talk to myself every morning.
Frankly, I haven’t given enough credit to how it takes time (that is, more than 1 year at a school) to build a deep rapport with students, create fun traditions, and trust that practicing expectations will build a stronger classroom foundation. I’ve been hard on myself for not reaching my expectations. Anytime you hear yourself speak a sentence with the word, “should,” rethink that and consider a shift in that perspective. Choosing to celebrate proximity does not mean I am sacrificing teacher/educational integrity. It’s all about what you can and can not control.
(Since I wrote this article, guess what? My shelving arrived! But really, it’s been 18 months without any of it!)