A brief note to all choir teachers about to begin their first, second, or third year teaching.
You cannot do it all this year.
You. Cannot.
You can’t program all the repertoire you love, teach sight singing perfectly, create the most welcoming classroom, connect with every student, offer all the extracurricular opportunities you dream of, remain connected to your family, and still be breathing at the end of the year.
Extend your sense of time. Pare down to your primary function. Focus on today.
Trust the process, love your students, and don’t try to do everything in one year.
You cannot.
(Of course, maybe choir teachers in their 10th, 20th, 25th years need to hear this, too.)