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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.
nafmeadminAs far as what to tell them about the reason you will be out–I’m not sure what age your students are, but you do probably want to give them basic info because they will probably ask questions anyway–maybe ask the school nurse for advice on how to explain your surgery to them using words they understand but so that they won’t be overly worried about you. Most kids have heard of cancer–you might be able to simply explain that you are having a small operation to stop the cancer and make sure you stay healthy, but after you’ve had a little time to recover you should be just fine and back to teach them in just a few weeks.
Regarding the performance–although their December performance has to be cancelled, is it possible to reschedule another performance for them later in the winter or early spring after you come back? Or maybe a more informal parent visitation week or something like that, so that they don’t miss out entirely (unless they already have another performance planned later in the year). Not to put more stress on you at an already stressful time… but if it’s not a December performance then it doesn’t necessarily need to be seasonal, and you could probably program some songs or dances that they’ve already been working on and just polish them up a little bit when you return. Just an idea that might be a compromise. Good luck, and hope your surgery goes 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). I do like the idea of talking to the school nurse and maybe having her there. My leave will take me up to the Winter Break so I won’t be back until January.
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.
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