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Moni WestlingCity, State: Algona Number of years - member of NAfME: 2 Number of years - member of IMEA: 2 Other arts organizations you're a member of: IBA If you've served on the IMEA Board of Directors, which positions have you serve in? Colleges or institutions you've studied at and which degrees or certificates you’ve received? Bachelor of Arts - Music Education, Northwestern College, Orange City, IA
Total career number of years teaching: 2
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What schools have you taught at and what did you teach? Rockwell-Swaledale - 7-12 vocal music; West Bend Mallard - 5-12 band/vocal
What made you go into teaching? At first, I really didn't have a good idea of what I wanted to do. The second time around, it was because I believe that teaching is my calling, and because I wanted to share the joy and passion that we can have in music with students.
What has been one of your most enjoyable moments about teaching? First and foremost, getting to know my students, especially in band, because the classes are smaller. The best was probably when a 5th grade band student who had literally cried because she didn't think she could play an eighth note passage played it successfully - it gave me goosebumps and damp eyes!
What has been one of your most enjoyable moments about teaching? First and foremost, getting to know my students, especially in band, because the classes are smaller. The best was probably when a 5th grade band student who had literally cried because she didn't think she could play an eighth note passage played it successfully - it gave me goosebumps and damp eyes!
What has been one of your funniest moments in teaching? One of them was working with the "goblins" during rehearsal for our winter musical version of "A Christmas Carol" - we had some real "characters" and their working to get into character while singing was something to see! Another was in reading through winter concert reflections - a 5th grader miswrote the title of one of our songs to "Ding Dong Merrily, I'm High"!
Something in your teaching career you’re proud of: In my career as a piano teacher, I'm proudest of one of my students who was just a phenomenal prodigy - he could learn and play complex pieces at a young age incredibly fast, started writing his own music (actually wrote a mass in high school); and is now an adult music educator, composer, and all around great guy!
Why are you a member of IMEA? It's SO beneficial to have other teachers to talk to, ask questions about what has been successful for them, or how they've dealt with issues. Also, for someone like myself who's come back into the public school system after MANY years out, it's great to learn what I've missed, and gives me a chance to "catch up".
If we looked at your iTunes or Spotify, what music would we find in your "Recently Played" list? Wow - it's easier to say what ISN"T there (country music, in case you're wondering). Right now, I'm taking a break from end of the year organizing, and am listening to the Best of Foreigner. Next will probably be Queen, followed by some Prince, and then relax with something Celtic.
When you're not teaching, what do you like to do? Read, both professional books and for pleasure; binge watch TV series, like The Sopranos, True Blood, Game of Thrones, and Outlander.
What do you like to do with your summers? Well, see above, then go to the pool for adult swim; if I get ambitious, do some sewing; practice my newly acquired instruments (flute, trumpet, trombone); and attend educational workshops and classes.
What do you want music education to look like in 20 years? Good question! Because I believe that you have to know and understand "the rules" before you can break them, I'd like to see lots of performance based activities and teaching, so that the students have a solid foundation of musical literacy and understanding, so that they can feel confident to either join and be involved in outside musical activities: playing with a worship band in church, trying out for a community theatre production of a musical, or joining a city band or community choir; and feel capable of letting their creativity soar to compose, or improvise their own music.