Aspiration.

Below is an essay I was required to write on why I wanted to pursue teaching. I wanted to share it and have it out as a reminder as to why I chose to be an educator.

I want to be a teacher because it is my desire to teach. Though my family is full of teachers, I never wanted to be one till recently. I saw the value and gain you get from teaching and how you can change a student’s life. I believe that I acquire three different attributes that will help me in the teaching role, along with three passions that are sparked by these qualities.

I first believe that my desire for music and theater ignites my passion for teaching. I have such a strong love for the two and God has blessed me with wonderful talents. Through these talents, I want to show what students can do and how they can do it. I will solely use my talents to glorify Christ and I truly believe that I can do that by sharing it. Music is something that has always been a part of my life and it is the one thing that guarantees me joy. 

Next I feel my concept of attitude aids my teaching aspiration. I want to keep a positive attitude and inflict it onto those around me, especially a younger generation. Pulling from the ‘ABC’s of Professionalism’, one of the best things you can do is love your students. By presenting a good attitude, it can strike a great change. Recently I wrote a mission statement for myself:

                        “To bring glory to God in everything I do, be a light unto the world,

                        and share Love wherever I may go.

                        ‘For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.

                        To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36.’”

I believe by keeping this mindset, I have the power to change the attitude of student populations. 

Lastly, I believe I have a sense of care. Kindness is something that is abundant in my life and I try to lead a life of benevolence. I try to remain empathetic and think about others when making an action. With great care comes a desire to help others and make a difference. Through the teaching position, I believe I can change a student’s life or impact them in a way so that they have a desire for the same. I want to touch a student’s life for the better and inspire them to do their best. Whether it is through music, theater, or whatever it may be, I want to use teaching as a way to reach out to young people.

So through attitude, talent, and kindness I want to teach. It is definitely something I enjoy doing, but more importantly I am called to. To give is only part of this profession, the gain part of teaching can change your life as you help change others.

Mission Statement.

Blogger is being dumb and won't let me add this on my sidebar. So until I can get it there, here it is:

To bring glory to God in everything I do, be a light unto the world, and share Love wherever I may go.

"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:36

*Check out my new "Mission" page to see what I'm up to and see more details about God's will for my life.*

My Heart's Ovation.

As some of you may know or remember, tomorrow marks two weeks since my french horn went missing. This past week as been rough and wonderful all at the same time. I've broke down many times, but I still give God all the glory and praise for everything that I do. Without Christ as my Savior, I have no idea where I would be. I'm still not exactly where I need to be, but I know I can get there through Him.

Well, I do have a story to tell (as many people do on blogs). My high school band director texted me this past Wednesday asking to see me when I came home for the weekend. Of course, I was eager to and we set up a time and all that. He, his wife, my middle school band director/cousin, my mom, and I all met for lunch today at 1. They all wanted to know how my college experience was going and it was a great time being able to talk with them. He then brought up the story of my horn. I told him everything that had happened and how it all folded out and he just gave me the normal weird-face he usually gives. 

Going on, he told me about this person who came into his office earlier this week, who had heard about my horn. They wondered what they could do to help me with my situation. My band director told him that a new horn would cost roughly $6000. This anonymous person then proceeded to write a check and told my band director to buy me a brand new french horn. Apparently, this person knew me and had seen the things I had done throughout high school and the rest of my life. They said they knew I would use a french horn to glorify God with my talents. 

Brand new, the same type as my old one.

So here I am, awestruck, amazed at the generosity and care of this anonymous giver. I may never know who you are, but I thank you so much and I will do my best to use this new horn for the Lord. I got my horn back just not in a way I ever expected. Prayer is definitely a powerful thing. 

To all of my readers, I ask that as you go throughout life you make wise decisions and make an effort to change the world and be a light and a witness. This anonymous giver saw what I had done and what I had given to the Lord and they felt the need to give to me because I somehow impacted them. As Christ-followers, we have the power and influence to shake this world and turn it upside down. In everything you do, glorify God in everything and make a powerful impact.

"My heart's ovation, Yours forever

I will sing, sing Your praise

Let every nation under heaven

Shout Your name, sing Your praise"

Symphony, Chris Tomlin

Immeasurably More.

I think I'm probably first in line when it comes to interesting weeks this particular week. So many crazy things have happened from completely terrible to drastically wonderful. 

First things first, I lost my french horn. How does one lose a french horn, you may ask? It's very complicated. That alone put my week to an absolute terrible start. However, the week could only get better from there. Despite my loss of my [extremely expensive] instrument, I've managed to keep a positive attitude and mindset regarding it. The only thing keeping me sane right now is the fact that God has a plan for my life. As the week progressed, the sun still came up, time still moved, and the world didn't stop its motion. 

Tonight I was privileged to have a very unique experience. I was able to attend one of the Passion Tour concerts and it was amazing, to say the least. Of course there was awesome worship, a good message, and all that good stuff, but the makeup of the people in that building was what was so moving to me. There were children as young as infants and toddlers, elementary-aged kids, youth groups, college students, parents, and even grandparents all in that building with one purpose: to glorify God. It was glorious to see ALL age groups represented in that building and all of them serving how they should. Louie Giglio spoke and his title was "immeasurably more" and it spoke to me because my God can do immeasurably more. He can go beyond what we imagine, what we think, and do something greater than us.

So I may not have a french horn anymore, but I do have loving friends and family, I attend a wonderful school, new friends that I love dearly, and most importantly the Creator of all that can do immeasurably more. 

Quietus: Emerson

August 6, 2013 Poster

Quietus: Em & Ava

August 6, 2013 Poster
"They once were happy."

Quietus: The Shrink

August 3, 2013 Poster
"Would you want her as your doctor?"

QUIETUS to premier mid-August.

Quietus: Ava

July 29, 2013 Poster

Quietus: Emerson

July 15, 2013 Poster

Check out the Quietus page for more posters and frequent information and sneak peeks!

Patience.

Going into an education and ministry profession (or any profession for that matter) patience is a HUGE factor that we all need to master. I've recently had the privilege of working with a group of friends to film a short film, "Quietus." We've had fun working together but we also get on each other's nerves. Being one of the main driving forces for the film, I often want to go full speed and get things done swiftly with ease. However, not everyone necessarily has the mindset. In this one case, I ended up embarrassing myself out of frustration and anger. When working with a group of students, you must learn to be empathetic and patient towards the others' feelings and thoughts. Not everyone has the same passion and drive as you and it's often hard to accept that. But if you keep patient and work with your group, your outcome will be so much better. 

Tips on Being Patient:

1. Pray about everything. We are working on God's time, not ours. He knows what's best for us and will do what needs to be done. 

2. Keep your cool. Watch what you say and do when you're frustrated and impatient because people will see your reaction and remember it. 

3. Don't walk outside in your underwear because your friends will lock you out and you will get mad. 

ALSO: Check out the new pages that will soon come!

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

This week at VBS (Vacation Bible School) I realized many things. Things I had always known, just never really pointed out. (1) I'm going to miss my church family so much when I move off to college. Through choir, youth group, orchestra and everything else, these people have been a family to me and I wouldn't trade them for the world. It has been a blessing to be a part of Air Line Baptist Church and I am so glad that God brought my family there. (2) I'm going to college?! Of course that was a no-brainer. This will begin a new journey for me and I strive to meet God's will with my life. 

Our theme verse for this year's VBS was 2 Timothy 1:7. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Through the lessons, worship, and this verse God spoke to me and was very powerful in my life over the course of the past few days. I finally realize that I shouldn't be afraid of my faith and should not be fearful, but strong and courageous for He who made me. Life can be a roller coaster; but with God, we can conquer any obstacle in our path. I took this glorious opportunity to get back on track on where I need to be because I know it only gets harder from here. I encourage all of you to stay in God's word DAILY and pray pray pray pray pray. Our paths can be extra bumpy at times but remember "for from Him and through Him and to Him are all things."

"You'll get mixed up, of course,

as you already know.

You'll get mixed up

with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact

and remember that Life's

a Great Balancing Act."

Provocateur.

NOTE: A provocateur...(1) Notices change, (2) is okay with uncertainty, and (3) has learned to create change.

My provocateur would have to be my aunt, Janice (also one of my mentors). She's the children's choir director for my church and has been for many years. Janice, "Jan-jan," has always played an important role in my life in that she is an extraordinary woman. She is always positive and keeps moving through her toughest moments. Working with children, nothing is ever certain and she has learned to overcome that feeling and move on with a great attitude. 

There is never a dull moment around her and she has impacted many children throughout her calling. She has the courage to stand up and do what she knows is right. With accepting uncertainty, she has found the certainty that God is always in control.

Uncertainty is a scary thing. I think all roads to becoming a provocateur begins by giving God full trust and asking Him for guidance in your life. I think I need to gain a little more patience and confidence in God's will for my life. A verse that comes to mind is Romans 11:36. This verse applies to many aspects in life, but really fits the theme of a provocateur. Giving Him full control will better my chances of becoming a life-changer, agent of change, or provocateur.  

Some More HMP Blogs!

http://hittingthenoteblog.wordpress.com/

http://dstandjunk.blogspot.com/

http://hanabrownie.wordpress.com/

Voyage of the Project.

My youth choir's first performance.

I have been working NON-STOP with my youth choir over the past few weeks. This mentorship and opportunity has truly been a blessing to my senior year. My topic for my final HMP project is 'rehearsing with an ensemble.' Since September, I've had A LOT of practice with this. I'm currently directing my youth choir, a play at school, and co-direcing the school musical. Yes, it is time-consuming (but absolutely worth it). I haven't mentioned to my youth choir that they're going to be my guinea pigs for my project so it'll be exciting.

With my project, I hope to answer the following questions: (1) What method(s) are most effective? (2) How do you deal with memers who are disruptive or unmotivated? (3) How do you keep members intrigued/pumped? I have many more questions but these are the main points that I want to hit. I know for a fact that I'm going to incorporate a video into my project, showing a few of my youth choir rehearsals and also one of our performances. I'm going to tackle ways that I've worked to keep myself calm during stressful rehearsals (and trust me there're many of those). I'm somehow going to incorporate the musical that I scripted, "The Story", into my project. This has been an ongoing project in itself. APRIL 14TH, YOU GUYS! I'm super excited and ready to see my creation come to life onstage.

I am constantly using noteflight.com to notate, arrange, or fix music in choir and for my own use. It has been quite a helpful tool in my journey, making it easier to write music.

Veracious Vulnerability.

This week's assignment feels a whole a lot deeper than previous assignments. Side note: This woman is awesome and hilarious. (1) Sometimes [and this is a completely odd remark] I feel that I'm not 'talented' enough. I feel like I could be doing so much more or see other people do their thing and wish they I could do the same. Vulnerability to me is not being able to stand up for yourself in a difficult or situation, or any situation for that matter. It's letting things happen that you wouldn't normally let happen if you weren't under pressure. 

I personally struggle with vulnerability in that I'm a people pleaser in the leading position. I want to make everyone happy even if causes a slight downfall to my personal being or the group as a whole. I don't want people angry at me or feeling uncomfortable. 
Although the situation varies, I typically tell myself that everything can be conquered or overcome. I keep in mind Philippians 4:13 so I'm constantly reminded that through Christ, I can do all things. 

Rrrrrrrrrrrr.

1. Which of the three R’s do you feel you need to develop? Relationship

2. What are three books you’ve read in the past year? Reckless, Incarceron, Ready Player One

3. As a child, what did you do in your free time? Played with my action figures, of course!

4. What’s a goal that has been on your list for a few years? To be come a well-developed musician

5. What do you actually do with your free time? Play piano, listen to music

6. What types of activities energize you? Most anything involving music

7. What famous people intrigue you? Christy Nockels, Jason Raize

My Apparent Lack of Empathy.

empathy (em-puh-thee): The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. 

Well, according to the lovely test, I score a 34 in empathy. I'm going to say I hope I'm a bit more empathetic than that. I do often find myself in situations where I don't understand where someone is coming from, but I am also very considerate and open to others' voices. Although I may be low in empathy, I feel a 34 does not reflect me. I may be a Grinch, but in the end his heart grew so I'm good.

Empathy isn't really something to be taught. Parents can teach you manners, they can teach you about faith, they can teach you to tie your shoe or how to ride a bike. But the concept of empathy is something that comes from within. It is your own personal thoughts and feelings, not something your parents taught you. Parents can share their ideas and empathy can be shared in that way, but not given. It is something to be learned on your own.

One of my teachers at my school shows a great deal of empathy. She is constantly thinking of others and how they feel. The concern she has is very noticeable and she tries to make an effort to make everyone comfortable. She is very conscience about what she says and also very caring. She is open to listen to almost anyone who comes to her to talk. On the other hand (and since we're on the teacher subject), a clerk at my school who usually deals with the attendance, tardies, etc. is my target. To put it bluntly (there's my unempatheticness), the only way you could really get an absence or tardy excused was if someone had died. My mother had me checked out once for a scheduled doctor's appointment and she wouldn't excuse the absences. A friend of mine missed because she had the stomach virus and the lovely clerk wouldn't excuse that either. She may be my fellow Grinch, because she's much nicer this year. 

Growth.

I chose the word: Growth. This word for me has multiple meanings behind it in that I want to grow closer to God, grow in His will for my life, and grow as a person moving on to the next chapter of their life. This resolution pulls me back to a Bible verse that a camp counselor gave me in a rough spot: Philippians 3:14, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ."

People I envy almost more than anyone in the world are composers. Whether they wrote a soundtrack or a symphony or just a random song, I typically find myself jealous that I didn't write it. Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, John Williams, Danny Elfman, John Powell, etc. The list is absolutely ENDLESS. Music is my passion and to write a good piece is something I always want. Being an actor (and this is probably some kind of theater kid syndrome), we try to make every story a little bit more dramatic or epic. We want to have that jaw-dropping moment or surprise. We long to make people laugh (or cry). I can't pin something I lie about specifically, but there's always an aspect of truth that we like to bend to tell the better tale. 

And So the Search Continues..

1. I want to know: rehearsal techniques for music.
2. What are the best rehearsal methods for musical groups?
3. I envision using a slideshow program such as PowerPoint or Prezi. I may create a comic strip of photos showing a particular rehearsal method.
4. Refer to 3.

Edits: (1) My target audience: I feel like I'm targeting younger aspiring music teachers or conductors, such as myself. (2) My final project will include (as of now) a Prezi, a small slideshow of pictures enacting a music rehearsal, and a creative diagram that I'm processing in this brain of mine. (3) I hope to solve a few things: how to keep the choir or group interesting and pumped, how to reduce talking and get more work done, but most importantly keep it fun. (4) Being in a musically-inclined family, I will interview my aunt and uncle (my mentors), my mother, two of my cousins (who are music teachers), my chorus teacher, and my band director.