Being a band director is so much better than making sandwiches, so when I asked myself what I had to add to the plethora of information offered in our community of band directors, I thought I'd reflect on the differences between my most recent job and my brand new career. I could go on and on about what makes teaching different than working as a food service employee, but I know that much is obvious. The problems I tackle on a daily basis now have a much greater impact on the lives of the people I serve. Of course, I used to interact with customers for no longer than 10 minutes. Now, I see the same "customers" every day at the same time for 50 minutes. Although there are plenty of things that make these jobs different, the process is very similar. The customers always come, regardless of whether or not I'm ready.

Preparing to teach and preparing for lunch rush both offer the same reward for me: peace of mind. When I used to work at Panera, I did various things to ensure that I was ready for the long lines that appeared between 11am and 1pm. I would stock drink cups and ingredients, tear baguettes until I had a heaping pile of them ready to be bagged, and often help people in other positions, just to make sure we could help customer after customer seamlessly. I had my job down to a science and, because of that, there are days I miss working there. A mistake fixing a sandwich was as easy to correct as just making the customer a new one. Making a mistake as a teacher, like missing a deadline to sign your band up for a competition is a much bigger problem. As a food service employee, the biggest problem I had to tackle was how quickly I could finish my closing duties in order to go home. I didn't have to worry about the unending checkboxes in my planner or the haunting feeling of knowing I have to get something done after school that I might not have time to do it during my prep hour the next day.

A lot of things have to be done in order to have that peace of mind as a teacher, and I certainly do not have this job down to a science yet. From what I hear from many colleagues, it'll be years before I do. Being the only band director at Hartville, I know there will be curveballs I'm not expecting. As much as I acknowledge the truth in that reality, it can be disheartening as a first-year teacher, especially considering the statistic that most teachers quit within the first five years. However, after the hard work I went through to get to this point, I don't see myself giving up that easily.

It takes a lot of determination to keep creating new checkboxes and setting new goals for your students as well as yourself. As a kid who grew up hearing about the importance of mental health, I know that it goes a long way to be nice to yourself. A big part of having that peace of mind is preparation. By preparing as much as you can for lessons, trips, and performances, you guarantee just as much peace of mind later on. However, making mistakes is natural and you cannot expect yourself to remember everything. Make lists, update them often, and take those steps to meet your goals, but be fair to yourself when you inevitably fail. I'm the type of person that learns well by my mistakes because I probably take them too seriously. But if I were to give one big piece of advice as a brand-new band director, it's to find your "peace of mind". If you need to turn the radio off during your commute to figure out what you're doing for Junior High General Music class today, do it. If you need to listen to that piece one more time during your prep to hear how that phrase is supposed to sound in context, do it. If you know ahead of time that your junior high trumpets always lose their music and come up right before rehearsal asking for another copy, then make more. Never second-guess those little decisions that could go a long way later on. Also, don't try to achieve all of your goals at once. Prioritize your needs and take one thing at a time. For instance, right now I am making strides in two goals I have set for my junior high percussionists: not continuing to play after a cutoff, and not throwing drum sticks when they think I'm not paying attention. Baby steps.

As I said, I don't have this job down to a science just yet. I don't have the right routines established and I have yet to figure out the balance between warm-ups and rehearsal time. The students I have now haven't been my students the past 7 years and they don't display all the right habits. However, they are all wonderful young people who are ready to learn, and they're the reason I love my new job. They're the reason I know I won't be one of those statistics. They're the reason I won't be back to making sandwiches any time soon. Endlessly preparing and striving to get that peace of mind is a small trade-off if it means I get to spend my days with my kids. I'll be patient getting to know the tricks of the trade as I continue to grow as a person and as a teacher. I know that I'll be in amazing company both with my colleagues and with my students as I do.

As I write this, we are one week away from pulling out the turkey and all the fixings, spending much needed time with family and close friends. For you, perhaps this is a time for rest. I suppose it could also be a time of stress for others. The students are also eagerly anticipating Thanksgiving break with great excitement and energy; managing the classroom has become quite "intense" by now, or maybe even impossible. We're also one week away from being a nervous wreck about the upcoming Christmas concerts and parades, wishing there was more time to rehearse and bring it all together. By the time you read this, however, these things will all be mere memories to look back on.

I was thinking about this holiday season and everything in my life I am thankful for. I am thankful for my wife, my children and extended family. I am thankful for my church and my close friends. I am thankful for my job and the many wonderful people at Palen Music. I am also thankful for you, our band and orchestra directors. The sacrifices you make for our students each and every day do not go unnoticed. The positive influence you have and the stories you could tell all contribute to the many, many reasons I am thankful for your service to our children, our families and our communities. In many ways, our children find "home" away from home through the special moments you help create. The more of you I meet, the more I realize that your calling is truly unique and special; a calling that should be honored as often as we have the opportunity to do so.

To the director who paid for the student's book and supplies out of your own money, because the family was going through a difficult time, thank you. To the director who let the student use your own personal instrument, because they had just lost their mother in a car accident and didn't have the money for their own, thank you. To the director who stays late and arrives early week after week without any extra pay to help aspiring musicians get ahead, thank you. To the director who spends many sleepless nights and "goes the extra mile" to be a support system for the abused or impoverished student, thank you. To the director who comforted the entire band after the sudden death of an alumni band member, while mourning the loss and staying strong, thank you. To the director who has given up higher pay and greater recognition to invest a lifetime into the lives of rural communities, thank you. To the director who has invested everything and given up much to bring amazing band programs to the cities and large school programs, thank you.

There is much to be thankful for. This Thanksgiving, I wanted to take a moment to let you know how thankful I am for people like you who have answered the call. You have invested so much in the lives of our students, our families and our communities in this very special way. I hope you know how important you are. Happy Thanksgiving.