Ignore.Laugh.Fight.Win.

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you,

then they fight you, then you win. Mahatma Gandhi

I win. I'm hoping this post doesn't come off as boastful....just victorious! This is EXACTLY what happened to me during my last year of college. I was in one of my final music education classes, and we went around the table, sharing what we'll be doing next year. After 2 or 3 people shared something about hoping to be working at Borders and have some gigs on weekends in the Twin Cities, it was my turn to share my employment goals.

I informed my class that I'd be teaching elementary school music in a year-round school district in Castle Rock, Colorado.

This seemingly simple statement was the source of instant mockery, probably for the following reasons:

• Wisconsinites usually don't understand nor believe year-round school districts actually exist, and if they do, it doesn't work
  
• most of the people born in WI die in WI, thus Colorado was a foreign land to them
• elementary school jobs were in high demand, and being hired seemed like a long-shot
• nobody else at the table had any actual plans made for their first year of employment

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you..." Most of my classmates passed it off as Brenda over-dreaming. One instructor actually laughed, saying I'd never be able to afford the sales tax, it would be too expensive, etc.

"...then they fight you..." Others fought me on the facts surrounding teaching in a year-round school district. Some thought that not having the 3 month summer would be a deal-breaker, and that I'd be back in Wisconsin within the year.

"Then you win." I would like my UWEC classmates to know that I am currently an elementary school music teacher in a year-round school district in Castle Rock, Colorado. I win.