August 18, 2025 • 14 mins
In this episode of The Scrappy Piano Teacher Podcast I share some reflections on volunteering as a music teacher and how it has looked different in each season of my life. From early years of barely being involved to now serving on a board, I talk about community involvement, mentorship, and professional growth through teacher events. I want to encourage you to think about volunteering in ways that feel sustainable and supportive of your own teaching journey. Sometimes it is as simple as sharing a post or saying thank you and other times it is stepping into leadership and supporting other teachers. Every contribution matters in music education and together we build stronger communities.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
Let's talk about something that can feel kind of loaded, which
is volunteering as a teacher. And before you roll your eyes or
start feeling guilty or you're thinking I can't do this, I
don't want to talk about this, Don't worry, this is not a guilt
trip. I promise.
I've been on both sides. Seasons where I couldn't give a
thing and seasons where I've said yes to weigh more than I
(00:25):
should have. And honestly, both have taught
me something incredibly, very important.
Hey everyone, and welcome to theScrappy Piano Teacher podcast.
My name is Jacqueline Rosick, but of course, you can call me
Jackie. And this is the podcast where we
can talk honestly about teaching, running a studio, and
(00:47):
building a life that is sustainable.
Today's episode is all about volunteering, what it has looked
like in my life as a teacher, and some reflections on how my
involvement movement changes depending on the season that I'm
in. And if you're listening to this
in real time, it is back to school season.
(01:07):
Actually, same day that this episode drops is my sons first
day back to school sadness. And I bet that there is a few of
you who are in the same boat. And if you're like me, you're
probably feeling a little reflective.
You know, what kind of teacher do you want to be this year?
What goals do you have for your students?
(01:28):
How do you want to keep growing yourself as a teacher?
And a big piece of that is thinking about events, you know,
both for students to participatein, whether it be recitals or
events that associations put on or you as a teacher, maybe you
want to think about your growth as a musician or events that you
want to go to to help you with your own growth.
(01:50):
Which naturally leads to today'sreflection, which is what it
takes on our end to not only benefit from those events, but
also how we can give back to thegroups and people who make them
happen. So I'm going to rewind a little
bit. Oh my goodness, I'm going to age
myself, you guys. I'm going to go back to the
early 2000s. Now, not quite those good old
(02:12):
1900s I was teaching back then. But in those days, in the 1900s,
I had some mentors, I had some guidance.
In the 2000s, Jackie was on her own.
Now, at the time I didn't have alot of guidance, not because I
couldn't get it, but I really wanted to like, you know, do
(02:34):
things on my own. And honestly, I assumed I wasn't
a serious enough teacher at the time.
I have told you guys before thatI was working a full time job
from 9:00 to 5:00 and then I would drive to students homes
after work. So I think I had, I don't know,
like 10 students at the time. So I assumed that I wasn't
(02:55):
serious enough to be part of anykind of teacher group or to
really go crazy with my studio and research and all that stuff.
And I also considered teacher groups to be super polished,
like they were just these super cool, have it all together,
super confident teachers. And, you know, I was just this
(03:17):
single mom with two babies and Iwas really young, which people
really didn't treat me very wellbecause of that in its own
right. My students did participate in
an event that existed at the time.
It doesn't exist anymore. And it was just a small local
evaluation that took place twicea year.
And it was very affordable. And the teachers were required
(03:40):
to judge other students in exchange for allowing their
students to attend. And that seemed fair to me at
the time. I could handle that.
And it was fun to see what otherstudents were doing and other
music that they were playing because I wasn't really tuned
into the teacher scene. And you know what, that was fine
for me in that season doing justone recital a year.
(04:01):
I think I did 1 recital year. I can't remember.
I did Christmas recitals, but either way I did that.
I did the evaluations. That was more than enough for
me. Now let's Fast forward about 10
years. By this point I had left my
office job, I was teaching full times, and I did try out a few
MTNA meetings at the Music Teacher National Association.
(04:24):
Usually in your state you have your state association and then
you have your districts, and my district is pretty big.
There was a lot of teachers and I did not feel unwelcome by any
means. Everybody was really, really
nice. But I also, I think it maybe I
was pretty insecure at the time and the teacher group was just a
(04:47):
little too big for me and I didn't know enough members.
So I ended up not sticking with it mainly because of that.
And again, that was fine. I didn't really need all that
stuff, it wasn't a big deal. Now, shortly after that, a very
nice teacher that I know, who now happens to be one of my
piano teacher besties, invited me to join a meeting with a much
(05:13):
smaller local group just to see what they were all about.
So it's just about 10 or so teachers in northern Cincinnati,
which I'm not going to lie, still intimidated me.
Not that many teachers still kind of scared me at first.
I'm like, oh, you guys are so cool.
But I attended and it was fine. And you'll be shocked to know
that I was really quiet at first.
(05:34):
I know it's really hard to believe, especially if you saw
me one of the meetings. Now I probably talk way too
much, but yeah, I didn't talk for a while because I was
intimidated. I really wanted to feel out what
they were looking for, and when I didn't agree with something, I
just kind of kept my mouth shut and assumed that they knew
better than I did. But eventually I grew into it.
(05:57):
I get to know the people better,my confidence started to grow,
and it ended up being a great fit.
And I'm still in the group and Istill love it.
The dues are super low every year, the events are simple, my
students love the events, and everybody does contribute.
And honestly, the contribution that it takes in this particular
group ends up taking less work than running one of my own
(06:20):
studio recitals. And so for about 10 years, that
group was my home base. I balance that with
homeschooling my kids, running my studio and family life.
And actually, now that I think about it, I even used to bring
my kids along with school work to do during some of those
meetings, you know, just making it work scrappy style.
Anyway, OK, then post pandemic years, things are a little
(06:43):
different and things shifted forme again.
I was asked to step into a bigger role with my local MTNA
district. So I joined back up again.
And now I am serving on the board and I I am the VP of
Communications, which let me tell you, is way more work than
I expected. Emails, websites, social media,
(07:08):
you name it, but you know, it's fine.
It has given me a completely different perspective on what it
takes behind the scenes to keep these associations alive and
running. And just recently I was sitting
at brunch with a younger teacherand she told me when it we were
talking about her joining, she wanted to do a little bit of
(07:28):
volunteer work. And we were talking about, you
know, like what she could do to contribute because she wanted to
contribute, but she didn't want to join.
And what she told me was really interesting.
She she told me that it seemed silly to join because she can
attend everything for free as far as the teacher events, which
is true. We put on these teacher events
for free. She doesn't have any students in
(07:50):
any of the events yet. And in her mind, why would she
pay to volunteer? And I didn't have a great answer
for her in that moment because Ikind of thought, well, I guess
you have a good point there, right?
But that conversation really stuck with me and it made me
pause and reflect on what volunteering has meant in my own
(08:11):
life and how it's shifted in different seasons.
And I'm thinking to myself, I'm actually paying money to do all
this work. Why?
Why am I? Why am I doing all of this?
And this is where this whole podcast episode came from was
that conversation. So when it comes to me asking
that question of why am I payingto volunteer to do all this
(08:32):
work, well, quite frankly, I really enjoy doing it.
I really enjoy working with teachers, I really enjoy talking
to teachers, I really enjoy talking about teaching, hence
this podcast. But I really believe in the work
and I know that if it wasn't forteacher groups and events for me
as a younger teacher being superinsecure and wanting to learn
(08:55):
things, it offered me so many opportunities as I have grown
these past decades into being a teacher.
Especially me as a teacher who does not have an official music
degree. You guys know that my background
is in project management. So I really believe in this work
and it gives back so much to me.My group puts on such amazing
(09:18):
events that they are far more worth to me.
How can I wear this? Those events are worth more to
me than the dues that I pay. Could I attend them for free?
Yeah, sure I could. But to me, I would pay the money
to attend those events because of what I get to learn and what
(09:40):
other teachers share and what I get to share.
OK, I'm going to shift back guys.
Sorry. Thanks for my little soapbox
there. All right, so going back to the
seasons, when I look back, I cansee that each season of my life
dictated what I could give. My kids were little.
Volunteering wasn't an option atall, and that was okay.
(10:01):
Later I had more space, so I gotinvolved with that small local
group and that was the right balance at that time.
Now I am in a different place again, serving on a board,
taking on more responsibility, and I'm still involved heavily
with the other teacher group, the small one.
Now. None of the seasons that I was
in previously were better or worse.
(10:22):
They were just different and realizing that has taken a lot
of pressure off. What has surprised me is how
many different shapes volunteering can take sometimes.
Guys, this is a big one. Any of us can do this.
As somebody who is doing communications and trying to get
the word out like crazy, please listen to this one.
(10:43):
Please. It's free.
It is as simple as sharing a post so that more teachers can
know about an event. It is amazing to me how I have
teachers on my e-mail list. They follow on social media and
I share these events. I share them over and over and
over again. And then I will end up resorting
(11:03):
to messaging some of the teachers I know directly being
like, hey, are you going to come, you know, that weekend in
September? Are you planning on coming?
I would love to see you. And they're like, what are you
talking about? Because they just didn't see it.
You know, this is how social media is.
It's so quick. So by you sharing a post, it's
just going to really help build that up and bring more awareness
(11:25):
to teachers that helps and that's free.
And if that's all that you do, thank you.
That would be amazing. So I'm just going to throw that
one out there. But another thing that is
really, really helpful and doesn't anything is simply
thanking the people who run things because now I know how
much a genuine thank you means when you're the one behind the
scenes doing all this work. OK.
(11:47):
Building on top of that, you know, showing up is obviously
great. Just being a face in the room so
that people leading know that their efforts matter.
Or it might mean small acts likesetting up chairs or handing out
programs. And of course, sometimes it's
taking on something bigger, likehelping plan an event or joining
a board. And for me, it's been helpful to
(12:09):
think of it as a sliding scale because different seasons have
meant different levels of involvement, and each one has
been valid. All right, here is the last
piece. If you were going to volunteer,
it has to be sustainable for youand everyone else.
You don't want to commit to something that you're going to
end up dropping the ball becauseyou just have too much going on.
(12:30):
That's not fair to yourself and it's not fair to the
association. And in turn, I have also seen
how easy it is for a small groupof people to end up carrying the
whole load. And that's not fair or healthy
either. So it really is about balancing
the sustainability for you and for the group.
People burnout and the then guess what, the opportunities,
(12:51):
they're going to disappear for everyone.
So now when I think about volunteering, I don't frame it
as, am I doing enough? Is this enough?
I'll just say yes, I'll just stay up to like 3 in the morning
getting it done. But it's more like, what do I
have to give right now? That feels realistic.
And sometimes that's a lot and sometimes it's almost nothing.
But if everyone brings just one little piece, it really adds up,
(13:15):
and that's what keeps these communities alive.
In a recap of today's volunteering reflections, let's
look back here. Volunteering, I think, has
taught me three things. One, seasons matter and what you
can give changes over time, and that's OK.
Two, it doesn't all look the same.
Support can be as small as a thank you or a post on social
(13:40):
media, or it can be as big as chairing an event.
And three, it has to be sustainable for everyone.
Communities thrive when everyonegives in ways that fit their
season, not out of guilt with that, you know, I feel like this
is kind of a different podcast for me.
I don't really do podcasts like this, do.
I don't think I do. But I would love to know how
(14:05):
this lands with you. Like, are you in a season where
volunteering feels impossible ora season where you've had space
to give more? Feel free to always send me a
message at jacqueline@scrappypianoteacher.com.
And if there's a teacher in yourlife who's wrestling with the
same question, share this episode with them.
Yeah. Share the love over here.
Share some of my posts. Come on, guys, help me out.
(14:26):
I'm just kidding. But you know what you could do?
You could give me 5 stars on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
because that helps get the word out to teachers and it helps me
as well. Thanks for hanging out with me
today. And remember, being scrappy
isn't about doing everything. It's about doing the right thing
for the season that you're in. And I will see you all next
(14:46):
time. Bye.
Let's talk about something that can feel kind of loaded, which
is volunteering as a teacher. And before you roll your eyes or
start feeling guilty or you're thinking I can't do this, I
don't want to talk about this, Don't worry, this is not a guilt
trip. I promise.
I've been on both sides. Seasons where I couldn't give a
thing and seasons where I've said yes to weigh more than I
(00:25):
should have. And honestly, both have taught
me something incredibly, very important.
Hey everyone, and welcome to theScrappy Piano Teacher podcast.
My name is Jacqueline Rosick, but of course, you can call me
Jackie. And this is the podcast where we
can talk honestly about teaching, running a studio, and
(00:47):
building a life that is sustainable.
Today's episode is all about volunteering, what it has looked
like in my life as a teacher, and some reflections on how my
involvement movement changes depending on the season that I'm
in. And if you're listening to this
in real time, it is back to school season.
(01:07):
Actually, same day that this episode drops is my sons first
day back to school sadness. And I bet that there is a few of
you who are in the same boat. And if you're like me, you're
probably feeling a little reflective.
You know, what kind of teacher do you want to be this year?
What goals do you have for your students?
(01:28):
How do you want to keep growing yourself as a teacher?
And a big piece of that is thinking about events, you know,
both for students to participatein, whether it be recitals or
events that associations put on or you as a teacher, maybe you
want to think about your growth as a musician or events that you
want to go to to help you with your own growth.
(01:50):
Which naturally leads to today'sreflection, which is what it
takes on our end to not only benefit from those events, but
also how we can give back to thegroups and people who make them
happen. So I'm going to rewind a little
bit. Oh my goodness, I'm going to age
myself, you guys. I'm going to go back to the
early 2000s. Now, not quite those good old
(02:12):
1900s I was teaching back then. But in those days, in the 1900s,
I had some mentors, I had some guidance.
In the 2000s, Jackie was on her own.
Now, at the time I didn't have alot of guidance, not because I
couldn't get it, but I really wanted to like, you know, do
(02:34):
things on my own. And honestly, I assumed I wasn't
a serious enough teacher at the time.
I have told you guys before thatI was working a full time job
from 9:00 to 5:00 and then I would drive to students homes
after work. So I think I had, I don't know,
like 10 students at the time. So I assumed that I wasn't
(02:55):
serious enough to be part of anykind of teacher group or to
really go crazy with my studio and research and all that stuff.
And I also considered teacher groups to be super polished,
like they were just these super cool, have it all together,
super confident teachers. And, you know, I was just this
(03:17):
single mom with two babies and Iwas really young, which people
really didn't treat me very wellbecause of that in its own
right. My students did participate in
an event that existed at the time.
It doesn't exist anymore. And it was just a small local
evaluation that took place twicea year.
And it was very affordable. And the teachers were required
(03:40):
to judge other students in exchange for allowing their
students to attend. And that seemed fair to me at
the time. I could handle that.
And it was fun to see what otherstudents were doing and other
music that they were playing because I wasn't really tuned
into the teacher scene. And you know what, that was fine
for me in that season doing justone recital a year.
(04:01):
I think I did 1 recital year. I can't remember.
I did Christmas recitals, but either way I did that.
I did the evaluations. That was more than enough for
me. Now let's Fast forward about 10
years. By this point I had left my
office job, I was teaching full times, and I did try out a few
MTNA meetings at the Music Teacher National Association.
(04:24):
Usually in your state you have your state association and then
you have your districts, and my district is pretty big.
There was a lot of teachers and I did not feel unwelcome by any
means. Everybody was really, really
nice. But I also, I think it maybe I
was pretty insecure at the time and the teacher group was just a
(04:47):
little too big for me and I didn't know enough members.
So I ended up not sticking with it mainly because of that.
And again, that was fine. I didn't really need all that
stuff, it wasn't a big deal. Now, shortly after that, a very
nice teacher that I know, who now happens to be one of my
piano teacher besties, invited me to join a meeting with a much
(05:13):
smaller local group just to see what they were all about.
So it's just about 10 or so teachers in northern Cincinnati,
which I'm not going to lie, still intimidated me.
Not that many teachers still kind of scared me at first.
I'm like, oh, you guys are so cool.
But I attended and it was fine. And you'll be shocked to know
that I was really quiet at first.
(05:34):
I know it's really hard to believe, especially if you saw
me one of the meetings. Now I probably talk way too
much, but yeah, I didn't talk for a while because I was
intimidated. I really wanted to feel out what
they were looking for, and when I didn't agree with something, I
just kind of kept my mouth shut and assumed that they knew
better than I did. But eventually I grew into it.
(05:57):
I get to know the people better,my confidence started to grow,
and it ended up being a great fit.
And I'm still in the group and Istill love it.
The dues are super low every year, the events are simple, my
students love the events, and everybody does contribute.
And honestly, the contribution that it takes in this particular
group ends up taking less work than running one of my own
(06:20):
studio recitals. And so for about 10 years, that
group was my home base. I balance that with
homeschooling my kids, running my studio and family life.
And actually, now that I think about it, I even used to bring
my kids along with school work to do during some of those
meetings, you know, just making it work scrappy style.
Anyway, OK, then post pandemic years, things are a little
(06:43):
different and things shifted forme again.
I was asked to step into a bigger role with my local MTNA
district. So I joined back up again.
And now I am serving on the board and I I am the VP of
Communications, which let me tell you, is way more work than
I expected. Emails, websites, social media,
(07:08):
you name it, but you know, it's fine.
It has given me a completely different perspective on what it
takes behind the scenes to keep these associations alive and
running. And just recently I was sitting
at brunch with a younger teacherand she told me when it we were
talking about her joining, she wanted to do a little bit of
(07:28):
volunteer work. And we were talking about, you
know, like what she could do to contribute because she wanted to
contribute, but she didn't want to join.
And what she told me was really interesting.
She she told me that it seemed silly to join because she can
attend everything for free as far as the teacher events, which
is true. We put on these teacher events
for free. She doesn't have any students in
(07:50):
any of the events yet. And in her mind, why would she
pay to volunteer? And I didn't have a great answer
for her in that moment because Ikind of thought, well, I guess
you have a good point there, right?
But that conversation really stuck with me and it made me
pause and reflect on what volunteering has meant in my own
(08:11):
life and how it's shifted in different seasons.
And I'm thinking to myself, I'm actually paying money to do all
this work. Why?
Why am I? Why am I doing all of this?
And this is where this whole podcast episode came from was
that conversation. So when it comes to me asking
that question of why am I payingto volunteer to do all this
(08:32):
work, well, quite frankly, I really enjoy doing it.
I really enjoy working with teachers, I really enjoy talking
to teachers, I really enjoy talking about teaching, hence
this podcast. But I really believe in the work
and I know that if it wasn't forteacher groups and events for me
as a younger teacher being superinsecure and wanting to learn
(08:55):
things, it offered me so many opportunities as I have grown
these past decades into being a teacher.
Especially me as a teacher who does not have an official music
degree. You guys know that my background
is in project management. So I really believe in this work
and it gives back so much to me.My group puts on such amazing
(09:18):
events that they are far more worth to me.
How can I wear this? Those events are worth more to
me than the dues that I pay. Could I attend them for free?
Yeah, sure I could. But to me, I would pay the money
to attend those events because of what I get to learn and what
(09:40):
other teachers share and what I get to share.
OK, I'm going to shift back guys.
Sorry. Thanks for my little soapbox
there. All right, so going back to the
seasons, when I look back, I cansee that each season of my life
dictated what I could give. My kids were little.
Volunteering wasn't an option atall, and that was okay.
(10:01):
Later I had more space, so I gotinvolved with that small local
group and that was the right balance at that time.
Now I am in a different place again, serving on a board,
taking on more responsibility, and I'm still involved heavily
with the other teacher group, the small one.
Now. None of the seasons that I was
in previously were better or worse.
(10:22):
They were just different and realizing that has taken a lot
of pressure off. What has surprised me is how
many different shapes volunteering can take sometimes.
Guys, this is a big one. Any of us can do this.
As somebody who is doing communications and trying to get
the word out like crazy, please listen to this one.
(10:43):
Please. It's free.
It is as simple as sharing a post so that more teachers can
know about an event. It is amazing to me how I have
teachers on my e-mail list. They follow on social media and
I share these events. I share them over and over and
over again. And then I will end up resorting
(11:03):
to messaging some of the teachers I know directly being
like, hey, are you going to come, you know, that weekend in
September? Are you planning on coming?
I would love to see you. And they're like, what are you
talking about? Because they just didn't see it.
You know, this is how social media is.
It's so quick. So by you sharing a post, it's
just going to really help build that up and bring more awareness
(11:25):
to teachers that helps and that's free.
And if that's all that you do, thank you.
That would be amazing. So I'm just going to throw that
one out there. But another thing that is
really, really helpful and doesn't anything is simply
thanking the people who run things because now I know how
much a genuine thank you means when you're the one behind the
scenes doing all this work. OK.
(11:47):
Building on top of that, you know, showing up is obviously
great. Just being a face in the room so
that people leading know that their efforts matter.
Or it might mean small acts likesetting up chairs or handing out
programs. And of course, sometimes it's
taking on something bigger, likehelping plan an event or joining
a board. And for me, it's been helpful to
(12:09):
think of it as a sliding scale because different seasons have
meant different levels of involvement, and each one has
been valid. All right, here is the last
piece. If you were going to volunteer,
it has to be sustainable for youand everyone else.
You don't want to commit to something that you're going to
end up dropping the ball becauseyou just have too much going on.
(12:30):
That's not fair to yourself and it's not fair to the
association. And in turn, I have also seen
how easy it is for a small groupof people to end up carrying the
whole load. And that's not fair or healthy
either. So it really is about balancing
the sustainability for you and for the group.
People burnout and the then guess what, the opportunities,
(12:51):
they're going to disappear for everyone.
So now when I think about volunteering, I don't frame it
as, am I doing enough? Is this enough?
I'll just say yes, I'll just stay up to like 3 in the morning
getting it done. But it's more like, what do I
have to give right now? That feels realistic.
And sometimes that's a lot and sometimes it's almost nothing.
But if everyone brings just one little piece, it really adds up,
(13:15):
and that's what keeps these communities alive.
In a recap of today's volunteering reflections, let's
look back here. Volunteering, I think, has
taught me three things. One, seasons matter and what you
can give changes over time, and that's OK.
Two, it doesn't all look the same.
Support can be as small as a thank you or a post on social
(13:40):
media, or it can be as big as chairing an event.
And three, it has to be sustainable for everyone.
Communities thrive when everyonegives in ways that fit their
season, not out of guilt with that, you know, I feel like this
is kind of a different podcast for me.
I don't really do podcasts like this, do.
I don't think I do. But I would love to know how
(14:05):
this lands with you. Like, are you in a season where
volunteering feels impossible ora season where you've had space
to give more? Feel free to always send me a
message at jacqueline@scrappypianoteacher.com.
And if there's a teacher in yourlife who's wrestling with the
same question, share this episode with them.
Yeah. Share the love over here.
Share some of my posts. Come on, guys, help me out.
(14:26):
I'm just kidding. But you know what you could do?
You could give me 5 stars on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
because that helps get the word out to teachers and it helps me
as well. Thanks for hanging out with me
today. And remember, being scrappy
isn't about doing everything. It's about doing the right thing
for the season that you're in. And I will see you all next
(14:46):
time. Bye.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!