Running head: UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL

Unlock Your Potential

Erin Robinson
Viterbo University
November 2014

UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL

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Unlock Your Potential

Snyder (2013) describes that leadership can be a struggle, yet the societal taboo of
seeming weak prevents leaders from talking honestly about their struggles. He continues
to explain that the best leaders accept themselves and simply strive to be better the next
day. These people realize that struggle is natural, and it unlocks the potential for the
greatest growth. I am choosing to write my paper about my personal leadership role as a
music educator at Prairie View Elementary in Holmen, Wisconsin. I will include research
on how to overcome struggles, find peace as a leader, articulate a clear vision, and
maintain an approachable persona.
Snyder (2013) indicates that great leaders use failure as a wake-up call. They do
not blame others, but rather, turn to themselves. They reflect and break from past habits.
This year, I have changed the way I am leading the fifth grade choir at my elementary,
The Singsations. This performing group provides music at various school assemblies,
area assisted living facilities, and other community events including Holmens
Hometown Christmas. Traditionally, I recruit students in September. I advertise in music
class, explaining that it is a performing group for those students that love singing and
learning music on a more advanced level. I usually explain that we will sing two-part
harmonies and tougher music than we would normally do in music class. Here is what
has happened the past few years: 90% of the fifth grade class joins. This means I have a
choir of 65 or more students. I know this seems great of paper, but when you squish 60
kids into a room for 20 minutes, many who have joined out of social obligation, we never
accomplish the amazing, soaring melodies, and beautiful harmonies. We learn the songs

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just basically, because there are too many of us to rehearse in small groups, and not even
enough chairs for us to sit in. This year, I really reinforced the part about the challenging
music, and the honor of being a singer, and had other teachers back up this point. We
started rehearsals with 40 students who truly enjoy singing, listening, and honing their
singing technique. Instead of giggling through warm-ups, they were breathing, standing
tall, and ending their phrases beautifully. I know one might say, oh, numbers are down
this year. Yes, but quality is up! The old version of choir never produced quality
results, the serious music students were disappointed in our repertoire, and the students
who joined just because their friends did, didnt experience any musical metamorphosis
within themselves. I think I will continue to recruit and change admittance criteria as
necessary so this remains an honor group.
Snyder (2013) encourages leaders to have a growth mind-set. Leaders know that
their abilities are not unchangeable, but rather malleable and continuously augmented
through practice and persistence. Leaders seek out new learning opportunities by
challenging themselves. I am currently challenging myself to develop a new series of
activities that encourage the youngest students, primarily kindergarten and first grade. I
have many students that are reluctant to participate in sing-alongs. I believe this happens
for a variety of reasons: they are shy, they have trouble processing all the words in a
song, so singing them in time is hard, parents sing less nursery rhymes in sing-song
voices, so rhyming verse isnt natural, and students are already tuned in to the grown-up
voices belting out on the radio, so they do not know how their own little singing voices
should sound. I have done some research on this, and continue to read music journals,
blogs, and resource books for the best practices. I have been speaking at our monthly

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district music meetings on this topic to share knowledge and spread awareness. What
does work to encourage the reluctant singer is a variety of experiences: singing games,
vocal exploration, childrens literature where they sing a small refrain or add a sound
effect, mimicking sounds, and bits of gadgets or technology interwoven into the lesson, to
spice things up. The desired result is a clear, in-tune singing voice that can sing a varied
repertoire alone and with others. My husband sometimes questions if I need to constantly
change my curriculum every year, and the answer is, yes! I now have a name for it, the
growth mind-set.
Schaaf, Lindahl, Hurty, & Cheen (2012) use a portion of their text to include the
topic that great leaders are vessels of peace. After struggling, learning, growing, and
influencing others, the leader must gain some peace and serenity in the busy lives we
lead. Included in the book are some meditation guidelines that I am going to try. I agree
that having a clear mind helps to find order in all the hectic chaos a day can produce.
As a music teacher, I am also a leader when it comes to special school and
community events. I am the sound technician within our building, plan a variety of
educational assemblies, including Veterans Day, our annual visiting opera from Madison,
and direct each grade levels holiday or spring concert. Katzenmeyer and Moller (2009)
indicate that approachability and enthusiasm are crucial. I try to use these skills at all
times. Wilmore (2007) discusses the need for leaders to articulate their vision. I try to
communicate as clearly as possible, whether it is with students in my classes, with music
teachers at curriculum meetings, or with Prairie View teachers at staff meetings, what my
vision is of the next unit, program, or assembly.

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References
Katzenmeyer, M. & Moller, G. (2009). Awakening the sleeping giant, Third ed. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Schaaf, K., Lindahl, K., Hurty, K.S., & Cheen, Rev. G. (2012) Women, Spirituality, and
Transformative Leadership. Woodstock, VT: Skylight Paths.
Snyder, S. (2013). Leadership and the Art of Struggle. How Great Leaders Grow
Through Challenge and Adversity. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Wilmore, E. L. (2007). Teacher Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL