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For the Record |
| ISSUE 4 ::
Monday January, 17 2005 |
PAST ISSUES |
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From the
President's Desk
Leading PMTA into 2005
James Douthit, President
As we have completed another State
Conference expertly organized by Nanette
Kaplan Solomon from PMTA and Ken Burky from
Duquesne University, the month of November
is quickly coming to a close. The stores are
decorated with their holiday glitter, and we
once again approach the dawning of a new
year. While we make resolutions for
ourselves; perhaps, we should include some
goals that would benefit PMTA as well.
PMTA is an organization with a very unique
composition. We have no office, no phone, no
listing in a telephone directory, no
computer, no fax, and no full-time
employees. (Though, we are most grateful to
Karen Nagle, our part-time administrative
assistant, and to Susan Kuntz, our part-time
Director of Development.) Yet, we do have a
vital network of almost 700 teachers and
persons interested in promoting the teaching
of music, not only in their local
communities, but across the entire state. We
have teachers, who have trained for years to
pursue the art of music which holds their
highest level of devotion. We have teachers
who are recent college graduates, who
embrace their new careers with a sense of
hopeful challenge and optimism. We have some
members who come to us, after having worked
in other fields, who have returned to pursue
their interest and love of music. We have
cadre of teachers who expertly prepare their
students for the state competitions like
those recently organized so well by Millie
Eben and the competition coordinators,
Jackie Herbein, JoAnne Earnest, Ellen Flint,
James Rodkey, and Warren Magid; or the
performance festivals so lovingly and
efficiently arranged by Selma Doerr (with
assistance from her husband, Al). While our
backgrounds, geographic locations, and
studio operations are as different as our
pedagogical skills, we share a common
interest in supporting a vital future for
the organization that is the center of all
of these activities.
With this benefit, comes the responsibility
of giving back to an organization that
fosters our efforts and creates
opportunities for the growth of our students
and the development of our teaching. Many of
you have put years and years of service into
this organization. For that, we are most
grateful, but it will take each one of our
almost 700 members to maintain our
organization and bring our lofty goals to
fruition.
A few years ago, I noticed in a church
bulletin the words, "Every member a
minister". I'm thinking we should consider
as one of our slogans, "PMTA-every member a
leader". Sometimes, we tend to look at those
listed on the webpage as our leaders. We
look at people like Aimee McCullen who put
together such marvelous publications to
spread our information as the leaders of our
organization. We see the executive officers
as those empowered to do the leading for us,
like our most recent past presidents Debra
Ronning, Nancy Boston, and Gloriana Sewell.
While these individuals have made great
contributions to PMTA, our true leadership
and direction comes from every member of our
group.
You may think that's a real great idea, but
reply, "I'm really far too busy to do any of
those jobs". You probably are correct. Not
everyone has the life circumstances that
allow them to take on a major PMTA
leadership role. But, just as minor chords
can spice up a harmonic progression, minor
leadership roles can ensure that PMTA
continues to grow and flourish. Maybe you
can't be the treasurer or certification
coordinator, but have you ever considered
the following list as leadership activities
that you could pursue?
Be a membership leader by phoning a friend
and inviting them to a meeting.
Be an information leader by volunteering to
phone a friend who is not online with
information sent out in emails from our
local associations or state organization.
Be a technology leader by volunteering to
print information from our website and pass
it along to a fellow teacher who does not
have those capabilities.
Be a programming leader by volunteering to
lead a discussion of a topic of interest or
concern to your local association or by
offering a workshop for the state
conference.
Be a membership recruitment leader by
starting a collegiate chapter at your school
or by forming a local association in your
community where one does not currently
exist.
Be a financial leader by mentioning to the
businesses you patronize for your studio
that advertising in PMTA publications
reaches almost 700 members across the state.
Be a strategic planning leader by not only
bringing organizational problems to the
attention of the officers, but by bringing
with that notification an idea of how the
problem might be solved.
Be a certification leader by explaining the
importance of certification to other
members, or by completing your own
certification credentials.
Be a MusicLink leader by registering those
students that you already teach at a reduced
rate in the program.
Can you imagine where PMTA might go if we
were able to have each one of our 700
members adopt even a small portion of one of
the above resolutions? Let's try! Maybe in
2005, PMTA members can truly proclaim,
"Every member a leader"!
All the best for a healthy and happy new
year! |
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