Where do you teach?

Duncombe Elementary and the Early Childhood Center

What grade/

subject do you teach?

TK-4 Grade Music

Why do you teach?

I actually started college with a different major in mind. My mom and dad were both music instructors and I think I was just trying really hard to go a different route. When I was a student at Iowa Central, I was given a lot of responsibilities regarding work with fellow students, both instrumentally and vocally, as well as working with students in our local middle schools. I was a Music Education major by the time I reached second semester of my freshman year! Working with people of all ages, and teaching them how to better themselves as performers and musicians proved to be extremely rewarding. Listening to children talk about their progress, and how proud they are to be part of a performance that we have given together … those are some of the best moments.

What is your favorite

part of the school day?

My favorite thing about the school day is when ANY student has an “ah-ha” moment. When they finally see or hear something that makes them say, “OH!” One of the great things about my job is that it involves content that can be very subjective, and all about opinion. I love hearing kids talk to me about what they hear, and how they interpret sounds and lyrics.

What are you working

hardest on right now?

Right now, the art Instructor, Mrs. Schreiber, and myself are working on a Fine Arts Day for our students to present to (and with) their friends and families this spring. Our hope is to have grade level musical performances, as well as focus on the visual projects our students have done in their art classes. We are also planning to add the opportunity for “community projects” to be done together during the event, combined with a small project the kids can do with their families before they leave for the day.

What are you most

proud of as a teacher?

I feel like there are things every day that I am proud of when it comes to my work. But when I look back on the last 21 years, I think I’m most proud when I’m told what an impact I’ve had on former students. These kids will literally come out of nowhere with letters, emails, social media messages, and they will tell me things about their experiences with me as their teacher that I never even realized I was doing at the time. I’ve had students thank me for providing them with solos or speaking roles in musicals, telling me that an experience like that, in second grade, brought them out of their shell. I’ve had students thank me for helping them be bold with who they are, simply by talking to them when they needed it. I’ve had students remember a very specific moment in one class, where something I said changed them. It all kind of reminds me of those famous Sondheim lines; “Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do, children will see and learn.” I’m proud of the fact that some of the things I’ve said and done have brought positive change to the lives of the kids who have come and gone from my classes.

What makes you

happiest as a teacher?

As a teacher, watching my students smile and be full of pride after a performance is the thing that makes me the happiest. Even in the conversations where we discuss what we can do better next time (because we can always do better), they always seem to be so proud of what they’ve already accomplished, but clearly want more. I love that.

How do you contribute

to/how are you involved

in our community

outside of school?

Prior to the pandemic, and in other communities where I’ve lived, I’ve done a lot of performing for various events. I’ve also served as a volunteer at a grief camp for kids in the past, as well as director of adult church choirs. I’m hoping to get back to serving the community in as many capacities as I can as things start to become more routine.

What are your interests/

hobbies outside of

school?

When I’m not at school, I like spending time with my husband and family, going to concerts and musicals, seeing movies, and riding my Vespa.

What do you wish your

students/families knew

about you?

I do this job because I was raised by two music educators, and I fully believe that being around, learning about, and appreciating music as a child has made me the person I am. I’m not even just talking about being a music instructor. I’m talking about who I really am, the things I notice, the things I find important, the people with whom I have been able to surround myself. I want my students and their families to know that I really believe that finding something in your life that you love, that calms you, that makes you happy is the greatest thing you can do for yourself … and that I’m here to provide that for those who wish to take it from me. I hope I’ve already given that to the countless students who have come in and out of my class. I hope.

What does Together We

Rise mean to you?

This spring, as Mrs. Schreiber and I work with our students on the upcoming fine arts event, we have focused on one of our Leader In Me habits; Habit 6: Synergize. I have been talking with the kids about what that means, and many of the responses have to do with working together, or variations of that. I think Habit 6 sort of encompasses our school motto, “Together We Rise.” I work with some amazing people, from teachers and custodians, to paraeducators and bus drivers, to administration and our technology department, and many more. Everyone is doing a different job, with a lot of common goals in mind every single day, and at the end of it all are our kids. Our kids can and will do great things when we work together, as one unit.