So you want to be a better music teacher? A few suggestions:
1.Personal Renewal
- Attend a music education workshop, seminar, or conference
- Enroll in a university or college music course
- Private music study – with a teacher or on your own
- Attend a concert or concert series
- Read books, journals, articles – in print and online.
2. Professional contributions
- Hold office on your local or national executive of your association
- Serve as a committee chair
- Serve on a local arts council, festival committee or get involved with other cultural events
- Present a seminar/concert in your community
- Mentor a young teacher. Bring a new member into the branch.
3. Studio Participation
- Enter students in examinations, festivals, workshops, masterclasses
- Involve students in music writing competitions
- Organize an ensemble (duets, trios, different combos) recital
- Collaborate with other music programs – at school, church, community choir or orchestra, summer music camp.
Coincidentally, Leila at 88pianokeys.me has just posted a similar topic, with a few different suggestions, and a question for reflection. Check out her blog.
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Drawn (rather loosely) from the CFMTA/FCAPM Certificate of Recognition for Professional Development program, a voluntary program for Canadian music educators who belong to one of the provincial Registered Music Teachers Associations.
Image: 5446sublime
Thanks for the link to 88pianokeys.me, LaDona, and thank you also for your excellent suggestions here.
I am actually heading to a state conference tomorrow in order to get new, fresh ideas. And I also bought a copy of “The Rest is Noise,” by Alex Ross for a classical music read. Then, I read your blog post and feel even more accomplished. I really like these ideas! I’m hoping to get a ukulele concert at my college for young grade school students, and after seeing that on your “Professional Contributions,” I now have that push to get to the professional type of position I really desire to have as a student (one more year of school until I can actually be a professional, can’t wait).
Enjoy the conference. I tried reading the Alex Ross book – but got a bit bogged down. Probably my internet-altered brain! All the best in your studies and career…
This is a great post! I wish there were some music teacher organisations or conferences to attend here in New Delhi, but sadly the options are quite limited. I do read lots of books and I am doing a Masters in Instrumental Teaching, and of course I play/sing for myself which I think (hope!) keeps me sharp!
Thank you Leia. Books and online articles are great, too. So is playing/singing yourself. Many editions of classical music have a mountain of good information in the Forward. It’s our tendency to skip over it, but it can be well worth the effort it takes to read.