New Venture--Realizing a Dream

Embarking on a new venture can be scary, exciting, invigorating, enriching and evoke countless other feeling. These feelings can be both negative and positive, often at the same time. Realizing a Dream is such a wonderful feeling. Nothing ventured, nothing gained is so true. Investing in a new venture is an investment in yourself and your dreams. These can be as small as learning to quilt or play the piano for you own enjoyment to opening your own business.

taking on a project, learning new skills, and achieving personal growth is something that money can not buy.

Montessori

I am so excited because a dream of mine came true this week. About 5 years ago I met a wonderful woman with a wonderful job. She was traveling from San Francisco to Iowa to train teacher on how to make school more fun. She taught teachers and children how to learn more and be more productive through Music and Movement.

Soon after meeting this dynamic woman (in her 50's) I attended a workshop given by a popular children's song writer/musician with a Montessori background. These two event helped me formulate a plan.

I want to teach teacher how to use more music in the classroom. But first I want to be a Music Teacher in Montessori Schools. Well, as of Thursday, I am a Music teacher in my first Montessori School. I am so excited to start customizing my curriculum for this dynamic school. The Head of School hired me after a short interview. She has great energy and turly loves her job. I am so ready to begin collaborating with her to bring my music to her students and teachers.

Reinventing Myself

I am back. So sorry if I disappointed anyone. I am going to do my best to blog every day for a month. It is not a promise so much as a challenge to myself. If you want to help--send me encouraging messages.

Posting messages is enjoyable for me. But reading peoples comments is really fun and interesting.

I have started my new business. This is about 5 years in the making. I was on a plane returning from a visit with my friend in San Francisco a few years ago. A very nice and interesting woman was sitting in the window seat. I was next to her. She was working on what looked to be a presentation speech of some kind. I struck up a conversation. That conversation started me on a path that has lead me to a new career. It goes to show you, we need to be open to new influences and reach out to one another. I think that includes being open to something you are not really looking for.

My new venture, Music Teacher in Montessori Schools, is proving to be a wonderfully exciting and fulfilling new venture. I think I will be good at it and I already know that I love it. I have contacted 6 Montessori Schools in my area and 2 of the Heads of School's have shown a lot of interest in what I am purposing. My goal for the first couple of years is to work 4 mornings a week, hopefully at one or two schools a day. I will plan and prepare in the afternoons and on Mondays. That will leave my weekends free. It is a plan, I hope to get enough interest to make it happen. I will also be offering to do one time "gigs" in schools to present music workshops to teacher or perform music for children. Both of which I think I am well prepared for and would enjoy doing.

I had my first job last Friday. It was simply wonderful. I enjoyed every aspect of the project. Head of School gave me the Theme and I ran with it. The ideas flowed like the swollen Missouri River. I came up with two new songs with very little effort; I made props, purchased supplies and performed the program with great success. The children were attentive, responsive, they participated and seemed to really enjoy themselves. I also got good feedback from the teachers. I could not have asked for a better start!

Well, that is enough about me. I want to ask a question of my readers.

Do you think it is healthy to "reinvent yourself" when life starts to get a little "stale"?

Now that I have asked the question, I will wait to hear your thoughts. Regardless of the result, I will answer my own question tomorrow or the next day. I hope this will interest you as much as it has me. I like thinking about this topic and I think it is good to "think outside our comfort zone" once in a while.

That is all for now. I hope to hear from some readers. (:} !!!!

Good Sunday Morning

I wonder if I have any VERY patient readers left. I have not been posting for a lot of good reasons that you do not need to be burdened with knowing.

I am back and I intend on being a faithful--once or twice a week blogger again!

I have left my current position as a full time Montessori Teacher to begin a new chapter in my life. This is both exhilarating and a little scary for me.

I am taking the summer off to care for my 2 1/2 year old nephew. That will be a pleasure and make my summer go by very quickly.

This summer I will also be developing a new career of sorts for myself. I want to pitch some of my ideas to some of the local independent Montessori Schools. I have a lot of ideas for teacher training, parent education, and would like to perform my original songs to new audiences. I will have a busy--and hopefully, productive summer.

In the fall I will begin an online Master's program that includes Montessori Elementary training. That will be a lot of work and a lot of fun for me. As a teacher--it is fun to become a student again. We really never stop being a student--we are always learning and receiving training as teachers.

This is beginning to sound like a "commercial". I am sharing all of this with you because it is important information in regards to my BLOG. What I do in the real world greatly affects what I do here. I will be sharing ideas, pictures, and insight that I gain from these new ventures--I hope they will be interesting to all of you as readers. I also hope you will add comments--that is a very fun part of all this BLOG business. I do enjoy reading your comments.

To quote one of my favorite movies, the Mother General in the Sound of Music said this to Maria, "When God shuts a door, he opens a window". I am hoping this "window" will be a really big one--one that leads to interesting people--hard work--and new wonderful experiences. Then I will have great things to say on my BLOG!

Get ready for some new and interesting things to come!

Take care,

MissT