Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 44

• Take responsibility—don’t play the blame game • Beware of gossip • Be empathetic • Be the kind of colleague you would want to have!

Strike it up!
Feelings of burnout, stress, and busyness backlog everyone’s life and stymie meaningful conversation. Mindfulness, meditation, self-help, blogs, books, and Buddha— we must use anything and everything to help ease the stress, burnout, and frenetic nature of our lives. Admitting that there is room to grow, understanding that there is a shadow side to teaching, and giving ourselves permission to feel these things are first steps in learning to live with the hazards of the teaching profession and unique aspects of our “high-touch” job. Here are some things to think about as you begin your journey towards rekindling your flame! 1. Recognize and value clear boundaries 2. Understand and accept your own limitations 3. Recognize that attachment and separation is a natural process 4. Become a mentor 5. Develop a more diverse peer group 6. Have a work environment that enhances your life 7. Adapt to change—stop living in the past or worrying about the future—it is what it is! 8. Seek peer consultation 9. Create new experiences for yourself 10. Develop new skills 11.Develop a professional social support network 12. Learn to laugh 13. Give yourself transitional time 14. Embark on restorative activities 15. Develop self-awareness and internal focus 16. Learn to have professional venting sessions! 17. Seek feedback 18. Expand your imagination 19. Don’t take yourself so seriously 20. Let go—you can’t do it all and you don’t know everything! Well-managed stress gives you insight and purpose—it makes you balanced and able to handle more stress. Just like muscles used in a workout, stress feeds the mind, body, and emotions. You need to be in the game and be in shape; you have to be “tough.” In Stress for Success, James E. Loehr talks about “stressed muscles.” A stressed brain means growth, but it needs physical, mental, and emotional recovery
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practices. Restorative practices are personal; for example, while some people enjoy working four different jobs, others are stressed by it—but, the important idea is to strive for a balance of peak performance and recovery. Work hard and play equally hard; go and let go; be active, then idle; make it happen, then let it happen; and maintain healthy work/rest ratios.5

“Match”-point
The wellness of a professional music teacher is all-encompassing. It is about how we treat ourselves, our students, and each other. Burnout is what happens when we lose sight of the path, of the other geese, and when we move to the beat of a drummer who doesn’t even want to be in the band. Understanding that so much of teaching involves the complexities of the human spirit and psyche is as important as understanding that one can damage muscles if misused or over-used in practice. Our job as teachers is not to be the best—it is to be “in tune” and “in rhythm” with our students and colleagues. It’s not about winning and losing, as in tennis—it’s about cultivating and nurturing ourselves, our students, and our colleagues. We are charged with influencing lives, with shaping the world; but we must stay in touch with our own wellness. It’s about having balance, insight and awareness—it is about striking up ideas and looking for ways to stay engaged and creative. You chose this work and there is work to be done! So, let’s light a spark and have some fun.
1

Palmer, P. (1998). The Courage to Teach. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., p. 2. 2 Skovholt, T. (2001). The Resilient Practitioner. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon, p. 2. 3 Ibid., p. 139. 4 Ibid., pp. 77-88. 5 Loehr, J. (1997). Stress for Success. New York: Times Books, p. 4.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012



Clavier Companion - January/February 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clavier Companion - January/February 2012

Clavier Companion - January/February 2012
Contents
Editor's Page: New discoveries
Variations: Tackling a twelve-year old's slump
Musings: Creative being and the disciplined life
An interview with Jean-Yves Thibaudet
The story of music on board the RMS Titanic
The enchanted world of piano fairy tales
Jazz & Pop: The rhythms of jazz: Syncopation
Music Reading: Recipes for effective teaching
Perspectives: Coping with burnout
Technology: Virtual reality in the piano studio
Tech Tips
First Looks: What Music Means To Me
New music reviews
CD & DVD reviews
News & Notes
Pupil Saver
Keyboard Kids' Companion
Advertiser Index
Questions & Answers
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Clavier Companion - January/February 2012
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Cover2
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Contents
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 2
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 3
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Editor's Page: New discoveries
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 5
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Variations: Tackling a twelve-year old's slump
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 7
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Musings: Creative being and the disciplined life
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 9
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - An interview with Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 11
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 12
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 13
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 14
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 15
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 16
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 17
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - The story of music on board the RMS Titanic
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 19
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 20
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 21
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 22
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 23
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 24
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 25
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 26
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 27
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 28
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 29
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - The enchanted world of piano fairy tales
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 31
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 32
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 33
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 34
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 35
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Jazz & Pop: The rhythms of jazz: Syncopation
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 37
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Music Reading: Recipes for effective teaching
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 39
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 40
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 41
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Perspectives: Coping with burnout
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 43
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 44
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 45
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Technology: Virtual reality in the piano studio
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Tech Tips
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 48
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 49
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - New music reviews
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 51
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 52
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 53
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - CD & DVD reviews
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 55
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - News & Notes
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Pupil Saver
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 58
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 59
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Keyboard Kids' Companion
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 61
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Advertiser Index
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 63
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Questions & Answers
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Cover3
Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - Cover4
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