NAfME BLOG
Music Mentorship: A Tailored Fit Approach
Music Mentorship
A Tailored Fit Approach
By Kathy Stefani and April Peterson, Idaho Music Educators Association
Before the days of ordering clothes online to be delivered the next or even same day, everything we purchased had to come from a store where we usually tried it on first, prior to purchasing. Today, “one size fits most” is the mantra. But for the portion of the population, dare I say “most,” who fit on the short or tall end of the spectrum, “most” might be close but still is off target. Wearing sleeves that are too long or pants that are too short can be done, but no one is truly comfortable without the tailoring needed to customize the garment to the customer. This is especially true for something that you spend a little more money on, something you intend to last for a long time.
The same can be said for building a mentorship model. Helping teachers is an improvement over the days of just figuring out music education alone in your classroom, but having help “custom tailored” to fit what you need is so much more valuable, is worth the investment, and yields dividends that last.
Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash
In the Fall of 2019, Idaho Music Educators Association (MEA) began their mentorship program with 19 new teachers. As a new, fledgling program, making our way with just a little guidance, we set out to find mentors to match each of these new teachers, looking for retired teachers who were willing to share their expertise with a new generation. We learned that many retired educators are interested in helping, but they soon realized that being “off the clock” has a lot of appeal. To reach isolated teachers meant a little traveling to distant schools, and though once or twice was affordable, traveling too many times became burdensome. Phone calls were an option, but finding time for busy people to connect was always a challenge, and retired teachers felt that their proddings were simply adding more work to a new teacher who was already feeling the overload of new challenges.
Relationships were built, and lessons were learned. The success was considered “hit or miss,” and plans were made for a different kind of approach for year two. Using a model recommended by NAfME colleagues, we endeavored to continue pairing new educators with a retired teacher. However, working harder to pair instrumental with instrumental, vocal with vocal—still as a difficult task as locating retired teachers—continued to be a challenge. When teachers leave their school, they lose their school contact information which is often the only contact info the MEA might have.
This year we chose to add a triangular approach, adding a third partner to the pairings, a teacher who had been in the classroom two to five years. We found there were many questions that were better addressed by someone who had just recently experienced the situation. The knowledge that both experienced educators brought to the table was invaluable, but each offered a different perspective. Modes of communication were enhanced as some preferred phone calls while others preferred texts. Some questions were short and easy; whereas others were longer, needing more thought. From finding resources to working through classroom management, new teachers had two places to turn. It was noted that new educators often felt like they didn’t want to bother the mentor over and over, feeling like a burden, but this method gave them options. Retired educators liked sharing the load with someone else as they were not always accessible for questions when traveling, visiting family, etc. And though the plan was to provide each new teacher two experienced teachers to help them, recruiting both retired and active educators interested in mentoring was a process that took several years to achieve.
Year two was more of a success as at least every teacher HAD a mentor, and mentors from year one offered to help a second teacher for the short term. Mentorship was providing community, and new teachers were glad to find a helping hand, but still there was a need for more specific pairing. Many jobs in our state required a combination of skills, perhaps full-time band director with one period of choir or orchestra, or a full-time choir director with one period of elementary. Many schools want guitar offered to their students and do not realize that not all music educators are proficient in guitar. Future years brought more intentional “tailoring.”
Photo by Collab Media on Unsplash
From Mentor Coach, April Peterson:
Finding the right mentor is crucial for every mentee, as strong guidance can encourage so much growth in a new teacher. In fields like music, where passion and technical skill are intertwined, it is important to find mentors who have not only mastered their subject area, but also possess the right personality and heart for teaching and mentoring. We have all met people who were outstanding at a given subject, but didn’t have the communication skills or the ability to connect with those around them. After coming up with a list of mentees, the work began in finding mentors for them who were not only experienced with the subject matter, but also were empathetic, good listeners, patient, and committed to helping.
When creating pairings, I tried to find those who had experience teaching in an area similar to where our mentees accepted their jobs. It didn’t make sense to put a big school-big budget director with someone from a small school teaching K–12 music without a dime in their account. Mentors with similar backgrounds can offer relevant insight, practical advice, and have a better understanding of the teaching challenges. While this was a lot of work, we were excited to see the connections grow and watch our mentees thrive as teachers.
We’ve all worn shoes that leave sores on our toes or had elastic that was too tight or too loose, or hats that fell down over our eyes or didn’t even cover our ears. As our new teachers enter the workforce, with what “tailoring” can you help? What time can you spare or skills can you share that will make music education the perfect “fit” for the next generation of teachers?
For further reading:
Kathy Stefani, “State-Level Mentorship . . . More Than Spinning Plates,” 21 January 2025.
About the authors:
NAfME member April Peterson comes from the Treasure Valley where she has taught 5th–12th grade band and choir over the course of her 30 years in education. She is currently in her 26th year as the middle school band and choir director at Kuna Middle School (KMS) in Kuna, Idaho. She received her Bachelors of Music from Boise State University in 1995 and her Masters from Southern Oregon University in 1999. Peterson has held positions with the District 3 Music Educators, Idaho Music Educators Association, and is a frequent manager for district festivals and honor groups. She has been a member of NAfME, IMEA, ACDA, and WBDI during her time as an educator. Peterson has been the recipient of the KMS Teacher of the Year, Kuna Grange Teacher of the Year, Idaho Grange Teacher of the year, VFW Citizenship Educator of the Year, and was a runner up for the District 5 VFW Citizenship Educator of the Year.
A Moscow, Idaho, native, NAfME member Kathy Stefani has taught both elementary and secondary music for many years. She received her Bachelors of Music and Masters in Music Education from the University of Idaho. She plays numerous instruments, is an Orff Level I specialist, and is a Past President for the Idaho Music Educators Association. Stefani is the recipient of numerous grants, and she and her programs have been recognized by the Grammy Foundation. The love of music came late to Stefani, and her hope is to instill that love in her students early on.
Stefani has received the NFHS Music Teacher of the Year, Section 8, 2023, the Governor’s Award in the Arts, 2022, and the Music Teacher of the Year from the Idaho Music Educators Association, 2021, for her work as a member of the organization, establishing the IMEA Mentorship program, and as a music instructor in a small town.
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