Entry 10

Leadership, Participation, and Collaboration

As an educator, you want to constantly seek appropriate leadership roles and
opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families,
colleagues, other school professionals, support staff, and community members to ensure learner
growth, and to advance the profession.
While in Manhattan, KS and at K-State, I had many leadership roles but most
importantly I participated around the area and made connections with many community leaders.
In undergrad I performed regularly with three or more different churches and stayed in contact
with their members so whenever they need a player, I can help them find reliable players in case
I can’t participate myself. I also have made connections with many teachers around the area,
whether it be through events like Central States or through classroom observations, I make a
name for myself so whenever they need someone or something, I can be the one they can ask for
help. At K-State itself I have been a section leader of a concert ensemble, a principal player in
the orchestra, a major leader for the entire percussion studio (including coaching and mentoring)
and held a treasurer position for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia out of the music building which gave me
a connection to several local businesses for fundraisers. All these leadership, playing, and
teaching experiences will help me to become a very efficient and proficient educator in my
classroom whether it be something like creating a budget, or just help students find good private
lesson teachers. Finally, during my student teaching I had great opportunities in collaboration
with my professors and fellow student teachers in the field where we traded ideas and lessons
with each other to help us grow as we start to enter the profession, making sure we all had fun
during our short time student teaching. I will use what I have learned that made me to successful
to make my students as successful as they can be.