Work and Life Balance

Student Teaching Will and Should Take Up a Lot of Time

  • You need to immerse yourself in teaching life to get the most benefit from this experience
  • Use this time to absorb every aspect of running a band program and becoming a master teacher
  • If you see members of the staff arriving before you or staying after you; you should arrive earlier and stay later to find out what they are doing and why
  • This time is an investment in your future self and there are no 'do-overs'
  • There should be no regrets when you are finished with your student teaching and are going into your first job - you should feel that you have done everything in your powers to prepare yourself for your future students

Balance

  • Strive to find balance between relying on your cooperating teachers and being self-sufficient
  • Mentally be where you physically are
    • Many time, especially when things aren't moving at a fast pace, people tend to allow their minds to wander
    • Teaching and learning a musical instrument is a slow process; sometimes it seems like watching grass grow
    • Training young musicians is a gradual process and requires a lot of teach and re-teach from both the student and the teacher
    • Even though technology has changed over the ages, it still takes the same amount of time to learn to play a musical instrument as it did 200 years ago!

Organize Your Life Before You Begin Student Teaching

  • Try to take care of as much of your chores or errands as you can prior to student teaching
  • If you know your car is up for its inspection soon, just go ahead and get it done before you begin student teaching
  • Trying to juggle life and student teaching can be tiresome if you are not organized
  • Gel all appointments out of the way
  • Try to get all of your graduation tasks done too

Stay Healthy

  • Get plenty of rest regularly
  • Stock your pantry with healthy foods and plan on bringing your lunch each day
  • Most of us eat at our desks while we are doing paperwork
  • Take vitamins - start now!
  • If you know your allergy season is during your student teaching semester, be proactive in taking preventative measures

Make Time on You Own Time to do Things that Give You Joy

  • There will be time for you to enjoy life as long as you stay organized and don't get behind
  • Just remember that you do have to be at school and alert each day; think about how early that alarm clock will be going off before you decide to stay out late on a school night