Maine Motif Maine Motif May 2017 Issue 3 Volume I | Page 6

It Takes a Village……..
By Sue Barre
A saying I suspect you have heard…. “it takes a village to raise a child.” I believe that is
true as a parent and as a teacher. I work in the same school that my children attend.
This has true advantages such as there is no need to call home when one forgets the
book for English Class or the cleats for softball practice. There are disadvantages like
those awkward moments when I am at home being Mom, making dinner or doing
laundry and the visiting friend (also a student) is thrown off by seeing Mom Barre
versus Mrs. Barre.
We all wear many hats: parent, teacher, spouse, child, colleague to name a few. We each
are in different stages of life: young children at home, teenagers, empty nest syndrome.
We are all at different stages of our careers. We, together, make up this village that
many of our students treasure and value. Some count down days in anticipation of
attending a festival and seeing their old friends and meeting new in “our MMEA village”.
Our Village is in good financial standing. Our village has a strong foundation built on
strong music auditions and festivals. Our village is full of many talented teachers and
students. In order to keep our village strong, it is important that the leadership continue
to bring in new ideas and fresh faces. We need the volunteerism to continue on the
district and state level. We need everyone to contribute what they can at their particular
stage of life.
I am closing in on my first of two years as your President and many of you have asked
“why have you volunteered, Sue?……it’s so much time and it is totally volunteer, there is
no paycheck for the hours put in.” I will try to share with you some of the reasons….
1.
I believe in teaching music and I know I have more to offer my students in
Waterville because of MMEA.
2. In the words of Rita Moreno: “It is through service that I see the views of others.”
3. Volunteering affords me opportunity to work with others I respect. I learn from
those around me each and every day.