What Worked For Me
by Esther Clifton
Springfield Public Schools, Retired
Teaching is tough, but extremely rewarding. Teaching changes constantly. Here are some tips I learned over the course of 40 years!
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Greet your students with a smile and a positive attitude. I've taught in various socioeconomic areas. Students are basically the same everywhere and need to know you are glad to see them. I also learned if I focused on a student's strengths (the positive), he/she was more apt to let me correct the negative.
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Be interested in your students. If you have athletes in your music class, go to one of their events. Bus trips are great places to get to know your students. To pass the time on a long trip, play card games with your students. When you stop for a meal, sit at their table. Talk individually with students any time you can.
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Share the successes of your students. Let your principal and teaching staff know awards, ratings, and activities of your students. Many times principals don't know how hard you are working unless you tell them! Send out a building email such as: Please congratulate the following students for earning a "1" at contest.
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Be a life-long learner. Go to clinics, take lessons, and talk to your co-workers. You will stay fresh and excited about teaching. Don't be afraid to steal teaching tips from other teachers! They will be honored!
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Classroom management can be stressful. One of the best books ever written on this topic is by Jim Fay and David Funk called "Teaching with Love and Logic." The book's approach focuses on managing classroom behavior in such a way that is less stressful for all. With this method, the teacher/student relationship is left intact and puts consequences of the behavior back on the student.
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Most importantly...take care of yourself. Take care of yourself by doing something enjoyable and relaxing. As musicians, we teach all day and perform at night. It can be exhausting physically and mentally. Find a hobby, take a walk, do something for you. It will help manage the stress of your daily life.
By the way, keep making a difference!
| After teaching for 40 years in public/private schools, Esther Clifton retired from Springfield Public Schools in 2017.Presently, Esther accompanies at Evangel, Drury, MSU, has 20 private students, and conducts the Springfield Youth String Orchestra. She is a member of the Drury Civic Orchestra, subs for the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and performs with Dolce Elegant Strings. She is married to Robert Clifton and they have 2 sons: Austin and Joseph. They enjoy their 4 grandchildren: Jocelyn, Reese, Londyn, and Asher. |
