Life as a piano teacher

Well, I have four weeks and counting of piano lesson left. One of those weeks I only teach on Monday, then it will be a break for the whole summer!!! This will be the first time in 7 years of teaching that I will have the whole summer off. Although, I won't really have it off, because I will be taking care of my precious little baby, due June 12th!

This semester has been one of the hardest, I think, of my career, and if other teachers are reading this, you would probably tell me that I have more to come. But I am partly blaming this on my being pregnant, and lacking part of my brain. It has been so hard keeping things straight! But I am not all to blame...

As a piano teacher I have been told that we have a lot to compete with...sports being the major one. And this semester I have found that true. I lost 3 students to sports, and the rest say they are too busy to practice most weeks. I find it hard to know what to do! I have tried all sorts of prizes, and am now doing fake money, that they can cash in for little treasures once a month. For some it is working, for others not so much. I am at a loss. Many tears have been shed, me feeling like a failure, and not sure how to change things so that kids are more interested. But then there are the few that make my job easy, and wonderful, and so on them, I will try to dwell. I am very thankful for my husband who lets me vent when I need to, encourages me all the time, and tells me what a good job I am doing. I am also greatful for the fellow teachers I have met that have helped me so much, and continue to do so. I pray that I will be able to remember the reason I do this...To bring others to Christ. When some students were dropping out, the mom wrote that her kids would remember me, and remember me praying with them before each lesson. I told Joel, that if that is all they remember, then I have succeeded, because yes, my goal is to teach them the fundamentals of music, but ultimately to show Christ to them. So I pray that God may give me ample opportunities to do this, and that my eyes would be open to see the opportunities. Thank you Lord for these 19 students!