nafmeadmin.
nafmeadminI will be out of school for 4 weeks due to surgery. I have not told my students this yet. It will interfer with our December performance. I will have to cancel it because I will be out the month of December. I have no choice but to have this surgery. They are removing melanoma cancer. Does anyone have any words of advice on approaching my students. I should also add I teach elementary strings (3-5) so it is a little harder.
nafmeadminRather than totally cancelling – why not plan to have something in January a few weeks after you get back.
It would give them incentive to keep practicing during the weeks that you are away, and it actually splits the year more in half anyway.
Best wishes with your surgery, hoping everything turns out well.
nafmeadminMaybe I should add more to this. I teach elementary in a visual and performing arts magnet school. The rest of our calendar is full. Our Choir will continue on with the December show but there are no other openings in the school year (February – Dance, March – MIOSM, April – State Testing, May – School Musical). My leave will take me up to the Winter Break so I won’t be back until January. I guess when I come back we will start workingon MIOSM and music for the pit for the musical (yes, I said pit my kids play the pit in elementary)
nafmeadminIs there anyone that could fill in as a substitute conductor for the concert? You could also consider having an in-school concert and invite parents to watch the students perform their pieces during your normal class period either right before you leave of after you return. If you do end up having to cancel entirely I would let the students know sooner than later that way so it’s not such a shock. Also, consider giving them some sort of fun activity/assignment to do while you’re gone, perhaps a music video project or something that they could send you before winter break to keep in contact throughout your absence.
Good luck with everything!
– Jessica Holcomb
nafmeadminHello! I loved all the ideas posted for suggestions. How did everything work out for you finding a substitute or replacement in December? Whatever happens in your absence, remember how much you love your students and they love you.
Wishing you a successful surgery and an easy/speedy recovery. Please let us know how you are doing.
Best of everything,
Andrea Meyers
NAƒME Mentor
Christopher M. Johnson, Professor of Music Education and Music Therapy, is currently the Chair of the Music Education and Music Therapy Department and Director of the Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas. Johnson earned his Ph.D. from the Florida State University.
Since his arrival at The University of Kansas, Johnson has taught courses in Instrumental Conducting, Teaching Instrumental Music, Managing Behaviors in the Music Environment, Psychology and Acoustics of Music, and Research Methods in Music Education and Music Therapy. Johnson served two terms as the editor of the International Journal of Music Education: Research, the research publication of the International Society for Music Education. He is currently serving his second term on the National Association for Music Educations Executive Committee of the Society for Research in Music Education. He also served on the editorial board of the Journal of Research in Music Education, and one earlier term as the Chair for the MENC Executive Committee of the Society for Research in Music Education. Johnson also served as the Chair for the Research Commission of the International Society for Music Education.
Johnson’s research interests include applied research in music education, and basic research in all aspects of the psychology of music. He has published articles in many journals including the Journal of Research in Music Education, the International Journal of Music Education, the Journal of Music Therapy, Journal of Band Research, Contributions to Music Education, and the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, among others. Johnson has also been an active member and contributor to the Research Seminar of the International Society for Music Education and World Alliance for Arts Education.
Johnson received a university teaching award – the Ned N. Fleming Award for Excellence in Teaching and received the recognition for Graduate Teaching Achievement from the Center for Teaching Excellence. Johnson was also awarded a lecturing & research award as a J. William Fulbright Scholar and recently received the Ella Scoble Opperman Citation for Distinguished Achievement from the Florida State University College of Music.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.