At it again

Last year at this time (approximately, keeping in mind that I came here a week later last year), I was taking a class in improvisation. It really freaked me out, honestly. Satan used the fact that I was being stretched and uncomfortable to pelt me with lies. But I overcame them, and actually did teach some improvisation with my students this year. Woohoo!

So this week, he started doing it again. I am taking a class in general music (elementary) teaching methods which are (that are? Dani, where's your red pen?) very different than anything I've ever done before. Yesterday, I heard these things:

-You can't do this.
-This is too hard for you.
-You're not a good enough teacher to do this.
-Why should you bother changing? It's too much.

After talking to myself, praying, and talking to my great boyfriend Kevin, I felt a lot better about the whole thing. I told myself these truths:

-I CAN do this.
-It's hard for me now - that doesn't mean it'll be hard for me forever.
-I AM a good teacher, and I CAN do this.
-Change is good, especialy for teachers. How do we expect our kids to learn better than we did?

Today, I felt much calmer and more prepared. But then he started in again! Today I heard:

-This doesn't apply to you - why are you bothering?
-This class is a waste of time.
-You'll never use this stuff.

False false false! Truths:

-ALL music knowledge applies to me - I am a MUSIC teacher.
-This class is not a waste of time.
-I am a creative teacher - I can find ways to use EVERYTHING in my class. I just need to try.

So, yeah. He's still at it. But I can see it now - much more than I could last year at this time. I call that growth.

If you'll excuse me, I need to write songs in Aeolian and Dorian, learn songs in Aeolian and Dorian, write a chant in triple meter, and prepare to teach Learning Sequences activities for about 10 different lessons. I'll write more tomorrow.

Love you all!