President’s Message
Karen Salvador
On a recent trip, during the boarding process, four TSA security personnel were in the jetway with us, “randomly” pulling people out of line, checking their documents, and asking questions about passengers’ origin and travels. People around me wondered aloud if it was safe to board the plane, and I tried to reassure them, by say- ing, “I think this is intended to help us feel safer.” However, when I sat down, it became clear that my seat companion, already a nervous flier, was really upset. He told me about his work in sales for a company in Ohio, and about how he had never flown for business—only driven, and that he was worried about being on a plane for four hours, he had never been in the air longer than to get to Florida, and he felt trapped in his middle seat before we even got off the ground.
As soon as the beverage service came through, he ordered two beers. And when they came back through the cabin about an hour later, he ordered two more. He told me that aſter a dental pro- cedure he started to take Percocet to relieve his anxiety about flying, even for the short flight to Florida, but that his doctor would not prescribe him any more. As he drank four beers in the course of about 90 minutes, I got to know him pretty well. He was a nice guy. Just really suffer- ing… and apparently the way he knew to cope was alcohol.
Why I am I telling this story in the context of an MMEA From the President column? Well, it is certainly not to judge this man. I have struggled with anxiety, and lots of people are afraid to fly. I am sharing it because I believe that an increasing number of people are suffering and that we as a culture do not have enough healthy ways to cope with our suffering. More specifically, I know that students all over Michigan are suffering. Children can tell that we live in anxious, fearful times. Some of these kids have parents like the man I met on the plane, who do not know productive coping strategies to manage their own experienc- es, let alone to help a child who is struggling.
I believe that music education can help these children. Music educators are not therapists, but in teaching music skills and content by immers- ing children in musicking: in singing, moving, playing instruments, and listening, we reaffirm the reasons that music is an essential component of life across cultures: Music brings us together. Music allows us to feel the full range of human emotion. Music helps us forget, and also allows us to remember.
Music soothes our suffering. Music emancipates and empowers us. Music teaches us--and reminds us--who we are.
Tat is why I believe all children should have equitable access to ongoing, sequential, high quality music instruction, and MMEA is working to make that a reality.
• We continue to offer outstanding profes- sional development opportunities for teach- ers (including the upcoming Technology Workshop) and performance opportunities for students (such as MMEA Young Singers Choral Workshops and MMEA Instrumental Clinics). For more information, please ex- plore our website (
http://mmeamichigan.org)
• Tis spring, working with Representative Erica Geiss, MMEA reintroduced legislation in the Michigan House that would mandate elementary music instruction for all Michi- gan students k-5. Michigan is currently one of only 5 states in the US that does not have such a mandate.
• MMEA issued suggested language regard- ing music education for our members to use during the comment period for ESSA implementation. Our policy team is working to stay on top of the implementation process and other Michigan-specific policy issues, and we will continue to work on your behalf and to keep you informed.
• MMEA partnered with MSVMA for another highly successful Michigan Music Advocacy Day, including visits to legislators, addressing the state board of education, and hosting a lunchtime concert.
• Te MMEA executive team communicates regularly with the Michigan Department of Education’s various people/groups/offices, particularly regarding matters of certification, student assessment, and teacher evaluation.
• MI-SMTE, a branch of NAfME, issued guidance for teachers and administrators regarding teacher evaluation practices and will continue to present this information to teachers and administrators.
As MMEA continues our work toward increasing access to music instruction for all students, I hope you will join us in actions such as public com- ment or making phone calls. In acting as an orga- nized group, we can make our voices heard. I also hope that you will tell us what we can do to make your job easier as you work with your students who already have access to music instruction. We remain dedicated to serving music educators and advancing music education for all students.
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