Why Conducting Safety? What is this even about?
Hi! I am Cindy! I am a middle school orchestra director! I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, a Master’s in Language, Culture, and Education and a Master’s Degree in School Safety and Emergency Management. Can you tell I like to be busy?
When I started teaching, I only focused on how well my students performed at concerts. I spent time rehearsing and collecting practice logs. My job was to teach them to play string instruments, nothing else. Now that I am older, I realize my job is actually to help children learn. To learn, children need to feel safe and confident.
Since focusing on making students feel safe and confident, I have noticed a significant improvement in the morale of my program. Students practiced more when I stopped collecting practice logs! I would have never guessed that would happen. Since students felt safe and confident in my room, we build strong relationships, leading to them wanting to improve. They were more likely to take risks in crazy lessons. We had mutual trust and respect. Since then, students are always asking to stay and practice. Students take their instruments home more often. And my concert attendance has improved immensely.
Now, feeling safe and building relationships is essential, but I also am passionate about school Emergency Operation Plans and safety education for students. I spend at least one day each trimester reviewing the “why” of our emergency protocols. Why do students need to be quiet in a fire? Why should students walk quickly but not run? Why do we have to practice this? Students like to know why something is important, so I am happy to tell them.
My passion may come from being the daughter of a firefighter. My passion may come from wanting to protect the children. Perhaps it comes from seeing the fear in their eyes when they hear about another school shooting. I am unsure where it came from, but I am glad I have it!