arrange • compose • conduct
Posts discussing education, both in and outside of music
Don’t think of cheating as an ethical question, think of it as a motivation question. There are two reasons students choose to cheat. The first is out of your control as a teacher: students cheat because they are desperate. Maybe they are working three jobs, have a crisis, or for […]
Some of the best teaching I’ve ever done has been in bringing my students to a concert. When students hear high-level versions of what they’re working on, so many lessons get driven home. A concept I’ve been working on for months becomes instantly understandable because they’ve heard it done right. […]
When you’re listening to learn, listen with an agenda. Yesterday I heard Michael Mayo describe an approach to listening with specific agenda that I think is a very effective approach to intentional listening. Plan on listening to a single piece multiple times. The first time, listen generally, without a specific […]
After you get a vaccination, you’ll often have a day of “flu-like symptoms.” This is off-putting to some, and actually probably accounts for a fair bit of vaccine hesitancy. We aren’t very good at differentiating between the pain that strengthens us and the pain that weakens us. It’s the same […]
Young teachers are often advised, “You have to not care whether the students like you.” I think that’s true. My self worth is not tied up in whether or not my students like me. However, I do care, deeply, whether the students like the subject matter. I want my ensemble […]
Are you on the fence about turning over more musical decisions to your students? Here’s how I think about it. I am more knowledgeable and experienced than all of my students. That means I can arrive at the best musical decision much faster than my students. I can make 3 […]
The best educators lean into this cognitive dissonance that’s built into how they work with their students. #1 is essential to good teaching. Unless you are passionate about both the subject matter and the value of the subject matter, you will have a hard time convincing students to engage with […]
Fun and learning are not either/or. We’re taught pretty thoroughly – and consistently – in school that there are two tiers of behavior. There’s relaxed, fun, social behavior and there is serious, focused, studious behavior. The outcome is that students don’t know how to have fun while learning. They have […]
When my students haven’t mastered things I’ve been teaching, I always assume it’s for one reason. I haven’t convinced them of the value of mastering that knowledge. If I don’t know why something is important to know, I personally have trouble holding onto it. I assume it’s the same for […]
This is where we start. I think the best educators, leaders, and collaborators have love in common. Above any skill, above any vision is love. The best educators combine a love for their subject matter with a love for each student who comes into their classroom. They love each student […]