How has the way you teach changed over the years? What lessons have you learned?

One way that my teaching has changed over the years is in the way that I now use technology in almost every thing I do. As a music teacher, I used to go through reams of paper as I copied words and songs for my students. Now, I simply project them on a TV through the use of an Aver Key and my laptop. In the media center, the card catalog has disappeared and been replaced by a computerized catalog. During the media classes I teach, we are often in the computer lab, learning to use the computerized catalog, polishing our keyboarding skills or surfing the Internet for material that relates to what's going on in the classroom.

I have learned to be adaptable and to be open to new ways of doing just about anything. I have learned the absolute necessity of being a lifelong learner. I have learned that if you are open and willing to take on new challenges, you can reap rewards in terms of professional satisfaction that you never even dreamed of.

What advice would you give to a teacher who's starting their first year and feels overwhelmed?

I would advise new teachers to accept any help that's offered and, if it's not offered, to ask for it. I would also tell them to be a sponge, soaking up every bit of information they receive. When they've had a particularly rough day, I would tell them to take a deep breath and remember why they chose to become teachers. Finally, I would tell them, "Don't blink," because as hard as this first year will be sometimes, and as wonderful as it will be at other times, it will fly by.

What do you think the biggest challenge that teachers face today is, and why? How do you meet it?

I think the biggest challenge teachers face today is encouraging parental involvement. In this age of two-wage earner families and single parent families, parents often feel overwhelmed with the day-to-day responsibilities of work, home, and outside activities, and have little energy or time left to become more active in school affairs. Some parents have a history of bad experiences with schools and a general distrust of institutions. They may also be hesitant to question teachers, seeing this as a sign of disrespect. Many parents are unable to take time off during the work day and so school activities scheduled during school hours are often difficult or impossible to attend.

Our school has identified the encouragement of parental involvement as one of our School Improvement Plan thrusts for the past few years. Some of the ways that we have worked to encourage our parents to become more involved, not just in the "fun" activities such as parties and field trips (parental involvement in these activities has never been a problem for us) but in increasing the academic achievement of our students, are Muffins for Mom, Donuts for Dad, And Breakfast With Grandparents. These activities are held before school and are an opportunity for parents and grandparents to breakfast with their children and then, after the children have gone on to class, to have a time to learn more about our reading and math programs and to identify practical ways they can be helping their students at home.

Because these activities are held early in the day and require only about an hour, we have had a tremendous response. We also have periodic evening activities, such as Math Night, when parents and students come together to participate in fun and challenging activities that help the parents in their understanding of our math program and better equip them to support their students at home. All of our teachers participate in these kinds of activities throughout the school year. Involving parents who face ever-increasing demands on their time and energy is a challenging proposition, but the benefits of increased student achievement and overall school performance are well documented, and more than worth the time and effort invested.