Retired Educators
“down time,” which can lead to classroom management issues, and you can always save the extra work for the next class!”
~ Sheri Vandehey
“Congratulations on finishing your degree and starting your first teaching job. Though my experiences are very dated, I still believe that the first year of teaching is right out of Charles Dickens, the best of times and the worst of times. You will be thrilled by finally putting your skills to work, but you will also make lots of mistakes and question your career choice. Be patient with yourself. You will be exhausted and need to find some work-life balance. Connect with other first-year teachers to share the burdens and the joys. A supportive cohort is a godsend."
“Retirement may seem unimaginably far off, but from your first year you are building your retirement. You are fortunate to be part of the Wisconsin Retirement System. The Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds is one of the best- managed systems in the country. Take time to learn about the system and your options. You have the power of interest over time in your favor. Good luck!”
~ Emalyn Nikstad
And as for the descendants of Al and Caroline Krohn? All of the voices of my family can be pared down to a few simple, important pieces of advice:
Be consistent. Choose a few feasible poli- cies, explain the reason for them to your students, and then follow through with them every time, every day. Ignoring a breach of an important policy (such as a cell phone policy) because you’ve grown tired of dealing with it, or just too tired in general, sends the wrong message and is unfair to those that do follow the policies. You don’t need a lot of rules, just a few that are truly important, and then follow through with consistency, no matter your mood at the moment.
Wisconsin School Musician
Watch what you say to a student – Part 1. Never make an obviously empty threat. My grandfather once told me never to tell a student you could just KILL them unless you’re actually prepared to do just that. Obviously, my grandfather would never harm a child in any way, but he would have never said that to a child, either. If you tell a student that a behavior will result in a specific consequence, then you need to follow through with that consequence if it’s deserved. Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
Watch what you say to a student – Part 2. No matter how you feel in the heat of a difficult moment – never belittle, insult or humiliate any student. That sounds like obvious, simple-to-follow advice, but it can be harder than you think, even for a generally patient person (which isn’t me). Teaching can be rewarding and magical, but it can also have moments that are sim- ply infuriating. Try to see the humanity of all of your students, even the difficult ones. Remember that their world is just as real to them as yours is to you.
Continued on page 18
Wisconsin Foundation for School Music
President:
Steve Michaels, Superintendent, Westby Area School District
President-Elect: Angie Houston, Principal, Howards Grove Middle School
Past President: Steve Plank, Principal,
Wauwatosa East High School Secretary:
Laurie Fellenz, Executive Director, Waunakee
Treasurer: Bernie Fiedler, CFP, Whitewater
Board of Trustees: Gregg Butler, Retired, Eau Claire, County Off Campus High School
Daniel Hopkins, Principal, Cumberland High School
Joshua Fiege, Principal, Prescott High School
Steve Michaels, Superintendent, Westby Area School District
Jeff Worzella, Principal, New Glarus High School
Sarah Anderson, Teaching, Learning & Technology Director, Marinette School District
Kevin Moore, Principal, Adams-Friendship High School
Angie Houston, Principal, Howards Grove Middle School
Mark Hoernke, Principal, Poynette High School
Charles Urness, District Administrator, School District of Jefferson
Steve Plank, Principal, Wauwatosa East High School
Members at Large: Stephanie Elkins, Program Director, Wisconsin Public Radio
Sarah Jerome, Retired,
Arlington Heights School District Staff:
Rebekah Batchelder, Finance Manager,
rbatchelder@wsmamusic.org
Darin Menk, Events Manager,
dmenk@wsmamusic.org
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