It is 12.27am.
I am sitting in my home office, listening to Debussy's piano works (yes, he is my most favourite music composer for classical music) and sipping a cup of hot tea while doing reflections as a music teacher.
As usual, every week is always a crazy week for me as a music teacher - planning lessons, sorting out teaching materials to teach, managing a class of energetic children while ensuring that the children get to learn a new musical concept - and the cycle repeats.
In all honesty, my energy has always been drained, but in a good way. I always relate my music teaching to preschoolers as being a "stage performer" - Dancing, singing, playing, acting... you name it, I have done them all. My friends often asked me,"You are already in your 30s. Why do you ALWAYS have to make yourself so tired? Why can't you slow down?" My husband raises his eyebrows and thought that I am "mad" whenever he saw me doing lesson simulations at home. My family members were so entranced by my teaching stories that sometimes they wondered,
"How did you manage to do all these?"
That is a very good question. As being a music educator for 15 years, the only reason that came up in my mind is this:
Passion and my love for children!
First of all, I love children.
I love to see their eyes lit up and smile whenever they talk about Music.
I love to see them bouncing into the classroom like an "Energiser Bunny" and sitting down on the floor, awaiting to learn new things in the classroom. I love to hear them sing while I sing with them and I love to see them move accordingly to the music that I play for them.
Secondly, passion.
Passion for music teaching and hunger for knowledge.
I know my purpose as music teacher is more than just music teaching. I am always seeking for new ways to keep up with current generation of kids. Gone were the days whereby a music teacher just come into the classroom and instruct us. Today's music education encompasses more than just the music pedagogical methods; it includes the psychology of learning from a child's perspective.
"Play As You Learn" becomes a new motto for educators, especially in the Early Childhood industry and I am not of any exception.
Thinking back, 10 years ago, I was jaded. I did question my career path as a music educator and I find it hard to recalibrate my thoughts - I don't understand the current generation of children. I nearly gave up until my mentor came up to me and said, "Look, if you don't love children anymore, then give it up. You must love children in order to love what you are doing now. Ask yourself - do you still love children?"
I kept silent.
6 years later on, I still do. Tiring as it may be, I have never given up on myself as a music teacher and I am very thankful for that mind-blown question that was asked upon me. Looking at my students of today, I am so glad that I am here to impart my knowledge and experiences to them.
Because who knows - they could be inspired to become the next generation of music performers and music educators? If we are not there for them, who will be?
Would you like to inspire the next generation of children for Music? That's for you to find out yourself.