adult education in music


I Can’t Change the Direction of the Wind Tom Heninger, WMEA State Chair, Adult Education in Music


“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” ~ Jimmy Dean


As a person who has enjoyed the sport of sailing for many


years, this quote could not be truer.


In my conversations with so many music educators in the last few years, I have be- come aware that very much has changed since I stood in front of my student musi- cal groups. Budgets have shrunk at the local level and the teacher is ever held accountable to prove the worth of not only himself or herself as an instructor, but also to justify the worth of the very subject we teach.


The music teachers I have had the pleasure to know have invested themselves into their jobs producing exemplary learning


experiences even as the workload in- creases. Music teachers are being asked to broaden their teaching skills as band directors are asked to pick up the freshman choir or the general music teacher is asked to help with orchestral lessons. Often, this is not the job we signed up for but a reality we are asked to face.


Indeed we cannot control the direction of the wind but a new resource is being of- fered that just might help us to better trim the sails. Over the last few years WMEA has been exploring an easy-to-use musical resource that would not replace a more thorough course of study, but is designed as a quick reference that hopefully can help answer our immediate concerns.


A resource that all of us have used from time to time is asking a colleague for help and advice but, at times, we might not know a colleague that has the expertise in the subject with which we need help. This site will hopefully help bridge that gap.


Mark Your Calendar!


Rock ’n Stroll 5K Fun Run/Walk June 11, 2016


Wisconsin Center for Music Education,


Waunakee Join us for a morning of


running (or strolling), music and fun as we celebrate a great year of music in Wisconsin schools and get moving for a good cause!


Details and Registration: foundation4schoolmusic.org/rocknstroll 38


Tom Heninger is a retired band director. Email: heningert@charter.net


April 2016


Click here in the online version of WSM to sign up as a volunteer resource.


Step one in this process is gathering re- source people that are willing to answer questions in areas they feel they have something to offer. When this concept was presented to WSMA Field Representatives it generated a lot of excitement, as most are more than willing to contribute back into the profession. At the fall conference the resource forms were displayed at the WMEA booth and many resource people filled them out.


In the online version of this article there is a link to a webpage with forms for music teachers to volunteer to be a resource in the areas of general music, orchestra, choir and band. In each form there are numerous subcategories and a volunteer need only check the areas for which they are willing to be a resource. After the resource data base is created, teachers seeking advice will go to the WMEA website, click on the resource they wish to access and the email addresses of resource teachers will be displayed.


Though the direction of the wind has changed, public education and its direction does swing like a pendulum and older, more experienced teachers may have dealt with the current issues at an earlier time. On the other hand, when it comes to seeking help with more current issues, such questions of technology or profes- sional improvement plans, a younger, experienced teacher could be a valuable resource.


If you would like to be a resource person for this project, please fill out and submit the form(s) for your area of interest.


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