Committee Updates

Mentorship through OMEA- What is your part?

Diane Ballard

Music education has always been the meshing of people and the physical experience of music making. I posit that anyone who embarks upon a music career has benefited from these two elements: an inspirational leader and an inspiring live music-making event.

It is a common observation that many young teachers leave our profession early in their years of service. This is a cause for concern with many long-term educators. Consider all the investment made in the undergraduate degree, the hours of practice, rehearsal, ensembles, financial expenses in equipment, and lessons. The price tag is staggering! Reflecting on the wasted potential, frustration, and disappointment of so many music educators, the call to “do something” is ringing in our profession. Problems are never solved by disengagement. We will be on the sidelines forever if we wait for a solution to be delivered to us. The action that can save our profession is applying our collective resources of experience and training to early service teachers through mentorship.

What is a mentor? A mentor is a person who gives help and advice to someone with less experience, especially in a job or at school. Former colleagues in the Iowa Bandmasters Association started to build their solutions in the early 1990’s. Their projects were my inspiration for my efforts.

District 4 Middle School Honors Orchestra

At the 2024 OMEA PDC, the Mentorship Project was formulated. The State Board, with guidance from past and current Presidents, developed a simple structure. All early service teachers may request the support of a mentor by logging into the OMEA website. Open the Members Area tab. This will open with a Member Menu located under the blue masthead. Go to the next to the last category to open the Member Resources tab. The pull-down menu will lead you to the Mentorship topic. Young teachers can register there. Experienced educators can register to become mentors at the same pull-down menu. This information is then funneled to District Presidents who will either match the registrants in their district to a mentor volunteer or directly recruit a mentor for the request.

Early service teachers should be encouraged to tap our experienced membership for support. This action should not be considered a weakness or failure. All veteran teachers would admit that someone gave them assistance in their early years. For many music educators, this is the bedrock of lifetime peer relationships.

Education in our country is bracing for new challenges. Mid-career teachers are needed for support. Those educators can give very valuable insight into current concerns. Retired educators can share the investments we had others make in us and our collective knowledge to secure the place of music in Ohio’s schools. In short, there’s a place for every OMEA member. Will you answer and preserve our profession?

Benjamin Logan Spring Musical Grease

${prev-page}

${next-page}