The last few weeks have been full of fundraisers and concerts for my children’s performing arts pursuits. I’ve enjoyed drama, choral, jazz, and concert band performances. All were truly inspiring!

Here in Brunswick, ME, we are so lucky to have top notch music educators who love kids and music and champion the importance of music for human development: collaboration, confidence, self-esteem, brain development, executive functioning, rhythm, language acquisition, math, physics, and healthy bodies and spirits, etc.

This season, and all year long, I have special good wishes for educators who bring our children the gift of the visual and performing arts. Educators who struggle in a test-often-and-cut-arts-first environment.

I wish them:

• Support from their admin teams to initiate creative, progressive, student-centered, authentic (non-test-driven) programs.
• Wonderful collaborators who make the job less isolated, and with whom they can brainstorm.
• Parents who attend performances, remind their kids to practice (must work on this), and get the word out in their communities about how important the arts are to our schools.
• Students who are motivated, generous, kind, open to new experiences and eager to be challenged.
• And community members who use their voices and vote to support the visual and performing arts with generous budgets.

Peace and Happy Holidays to all who teach!