early childhood education
I took the position. During my tenure there, I learned lessons that I could not have learned had I stayed at my small rural school – important lessons that still reso- nate in my methods classrooms today.
Just Minding My Own Business Again… Home is where the heart is. We eventually returned to the smaller school for several years while our kids went through junior high and high school. I became, of all things, the volleyball coach. Despite my initial ignorance of the game, my teams became very good after a few years – due in part to the fact that we attended several volleyball camps each summer.
One of the camps was at the college where I now teach. One day, while attending the camp, the camp director told a college ad- ministrator that I might be the person they are looking for to build a band program and head up music teacher education.
I was called in for a Q & A session, and am now in my 15th at the college.
year of teaching
A Methods Class Changes the Script The following year, I agreed to teach at the college. Knowing that I would be teaching my first elementary general music meth- ods class, I asked Dr. Cynthia Taggart, then chair of the Michigan State Univer- sity graduate music education program, if she might be offering a summer course that I could take as a refresher. “Sure!” she said, and I registered for my first Gordon workshop. Little did I know that it would not be an elementary workshop, but rather, an early childhood music workshop – worlds different from one another.
I must have had a strange look on my face during that first session, because during the break, Dr. Taggart came over to me and asked, “Are you alright?”
I was, and I’ve been sitting criss-cross applesauce with two-year-olds ever since.
Wisconsin School Musician 41 Summary
We plan and prepare with goals in mind – specific and general. In the middle of all these plans we seldom pause to imag- ine when our next event of serendipity; whether perceived as coincidence, destiny, providence or merely good luck; might arrive.
One thing is certain. It will come in the middle of a very ordinary day. Maybe today…
Rick Townsend is director of instrumental music and director of music teacher educa- tion at Maranatha Baptist Bible College. He also serves as managing director of the Early Childhood Music and Movement Association. Email:
rtownsend@mbbc.edu
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