Classroom Atmosphere

   

My motto for this school year is No Fear. My goal is to help create an atmosphere where my students and myself feel supported, encouraged and respected.  I want us to be fearless.  Instead of worrying about what happens if something does not work right, I want us to look at all of the possibilities and enjoy the journey of learning new skills and concepts.  They may seem like soft skills, but teamwork, work ethic, perseverance and self motivation are life skills that lead to success later in life.  Music is a great vehicle for learning these tools and I am more motivated this year than ever before to make sure that my students are gaining these essential life skills.

 
We will have no fear of...
1. not being the best.
2. not succeeding right away.
3. having to work hard.
4. trying new things.
5. making mistakes.

This year I will focus on the journey instead of the outcome.  I want my students to focus on learning and not on how long it might take.  Just like in life, we all do and learn things at different paces.  We need to encourage and support each other regardless of how long it takes to learn the skills/concepts.  In the end, I do not care when my students master individual skills or concepts.  I only care that they do master individual skills and concepts.

My Plan
1.  Focus on the journey and not the results.
2.  Have more student feedback and 1:1 discussion about individual progress.
3.  Clearly identify what skills/concepts my students are learning.
4.  Focus on my students as individuals and rid my classroom of anything that distracts me.