I've thought about trainees a lot more recently, as my daughter Morgan has become one. Let me restate that, she's not only become ONE, she's become MY TRAINEE! I'm not showing her how the root beer dispenser works or the proper way to uncrate Happy Meal toys, though,....I'm showing her how to teach. NOT the proper etiquette for wiping down a dirty table with baby spittle. NOT the best "tassel-snapping off the corn stalk" technique. NOT how to properly badger and pressure people to buy mink oil, oxblood polish or a matching set of footies with their shoe purchase. I'm trying to help her become an effective and confident teacher.
About a year ago the idea dawned on me as she looked for summer jobs. She'd decided to double-major in vocal performance and music education, had a dad who was a choreographer and had been a student in one of the nation's top ten high school choral programs. We started very small, sending her to a very weak program in northern Indiana loaded with instructions, simple choreography and modest expectations. WOW, was I in for a surprise!! About an hour after her arrival, I received a text that read "OMG, she's fantastic!!" I almost cried. With VERY little help and only a modicum of instruction on pacing, delivery, modeling and other "how-to's", she was jumping into the pool and swimming on the very first try! The teaching gene from her Grandma Dixie, her biological grandpa in New York (a vain, self-centered, self-righteouss jerk of a man but a great teacher), and from her own daddy had been passed down!!
Last winter, she continued her development, as she conducted cleaning clinics and taught choreography at several Indianapolis-area schools with incredible results. Each time she taught, I held my breath with the added responsibility and expectation, but she just kept right on coming through big-time. She has much to learn, but her skills of organization, analysis of situations, relating well to high school kids, coming prepared to rehearsals, and confidence are already serving her well.
She and I traveled to Altoona, Wisconsin last week for our first-ever "dual" camp, and it was a very proud and wonderful time for me. We stayed at the beautiful Otter Creek Inn, with fireplaces and hot tubs in each room, four-poster beds, and breakfast brought to your door on VERY fancy china every morning! I taught their varsity group while she worked with both the prep group and middle-schoolers for 4 grueling days. I watched, advised, coached and cajoled; but mainly I stood back with pride and love and watched her natural abilities take over. The kids loved her, the director loved her,....I ALREADY loved her! She was immediately asked back for next season and given major thumbs-up by everyone involved!
Now, she's got 6-7 schools to work with at various times this summer and on breaks from Cal Baptist. While other students make $10 an hour refilling your coffee, stacking boxes, or sitting idly at a pool making sure nobody poops in it, Morgan is practicing her possible career and getting paid very well to do it. Understand, I'm NOT IN ANY WAY dissing those other jobs, as I personally delivered newspapers, sold shoes and dipped ice cream for YEARS!!! I'm just grateful that I can provide this crack in the door for Morgan, (whom we've called "Wooda" for years, and still can't remember why we started!!)
She's not only working, she's teaching.
She's not only teaching, but she's teaching music.
She's not only teaching music, she's teaching music with her daddy!
Daddy couldn't be any more proud and feel any more blessed.
