This year I stepped out of my comfort zone. I started an Instagram account dedicated to teaching middle school music (@musicalmiddles). Admittedly, I considered deleting it almost every day for the first week. I had seen countless teacher Instagram accounts, many with tons of followers and stellar pictures, but I had no clue what this realm would hold for me in terms of my own teaching. It was a risk I was willing to take to network, share, and learn from other music educators who I may not otherwise be able to connect with.

What I ended up finding is inspiration, support, and ideas beyond my imagination. I cannot tell you how exciting it is to open that account each day and see the amazing work others are doing in their classrooms. It’s actually one of my favorite parts of the day. I love seeing each person’s creativity at work. I love exchanging ideas with other educators, celebrating their successes, and offering advice when I can. Call it “virtual collaboration” if you will!

We are kicking off October, the last 90 days of the calendar year. As we do so, I am presenting each of you with a challenge. Yes…it involves some extra time. Yes…it may involve stepping outside of your comfort zone. But, based on my own experience, I think it’s worth it! My challenge is this: Participate in “What I’m Teaching Wednesday”. Each Wednesday, hop on social media and share what you’re teaching. It’s as simple as that! It doesn’t need to be fancy or in-depth. Just give us a sneak peek into what you are doing with your students and use #whatimteachingwednesday so we can all follow along. You never know who you may inspire! So…who’s up for the challenge?

(All #whatimteachingwednesday posts will be shared on our @fflatbooks instagram account. Join in the fun!)