“Advocate like they are your own.”

Original posting date: February 20th, 2023

Dear Band Director Me,

It’s that post-FMEA conference high. You’re feeling invincible and over zealous. You’re rearing to get back to the classroom and try all these things you’ve learned. But it’s time to take a second to remember the reason that we go to these information packed conferences…

If your answer wasn’t “the kids”, I don’t know what to tell you.

We don’t go to these conferences to make ourselves better. At least, we shouldn’t be. Advocacy is more than showing up to conferences or pitching a few good words to your friends or colleagues, but the little things are always the first start. Yes, show up to the conference. But take thorough notes, be engaged rather than just present, and do a little more than carry the things you have learned back with you – implement them. Show up for your students: mentally, emotionally, not just physically. Fight for your students and those of others. Show up to community events, meetings, be involved in decisions and don’t let something go unsaid when you know it will help someone. Because it all comes back to the music. We fight for each other, for our students, and for music education to continue to grow and flourish long past our retirement.

If it keeps them playing, we should be paying – with our time, effort, and any means possible.

I have come to the understanding, over time, that our work within advocacy begins when people advocate for us, or we begin to advocate for ourselves. We do something that doesn’t directly benefit ourselves. In doing or seeing this done, we come to the understanding that we have the ability to change hearts and perspectives by our own experiences. We teach the next generation of this community. We are the future teachers, parents, partners, committee members, movers and shakers for so many people. We fit ourselves into this idea that what we say and do is limited to our classrooms. That they stop being our students when they walk out that classroom door. But the fact of the matter is: that’s the furtherest thing from the truth. We are the other part to the village it takes to raise up a child - a human, just smaller and younger than ourselves. One with a small, yet mighty voice, a very impressionable mind and a very special heart.

We support this by building relationships. Be honest with your students - sometimes, we’re on our 4th cup of coffee and 1st hour isn’t even over yet. Tell them! Ask them to work with you. It’s surprising how many of them are right there along with you.

Go to the game. You never know if you’re the only face that they know out in those bleachers.

Show up to the art gallery.

Talk with the foreign language teachers about the latest competitions.

Read the email about who won honorable mention in a recent essay contest.

They remember the smile. Or the good job. Or the “I heard from your teacher that you did really well, I’m proud of you.”

Be present at the board meeting - pay attention for those kids. Because they aren’t just band or chorus or orchestra kids. They’re also athletes and actors and artists and engineers and future historians and interpreters and linguists. But that’s only if we give them the chance to be so both INSIDE AND OUTSIDE of our classroom walls.We teach people.

We teach people how to be good people.

We teach people how to be good people through the means of music.

So make beautiful music the side effect of teaching and raising beautiful people.

Because when we show up for them, they not only show up, but teach us just as much.

Pictured: the University of North Florida Alumni social at FMEA. Past and present UNF Music Education majors as well as our professor are pictured. (Note to yourself: Here's a reminder of those people who are right there alongside you.)

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As always, thank you to every one of my educators and mentors. As I'm beginning my time with the baton, I stand in awe of the impact you've had and continue to have on my life.

Musically yours and forever cheering you on,

P. S. 

On instagram, @Caroline.N.Winds remains a slice of solace -- a place where we redefine our differences and discuss our passions, but the Caroline N. Winds Blog will be here for every musician who needs a moment to breathe and feel understood. Letters may vary in who they are addressed to, but this is still the same safe space for all.💙