You teach music either privately or publicly—or both—or you train future music teachers (or are a preservice teacher). How can you, one person, make a difference in the arts in your community?
First, think about what you believe as a person and as an educator. What inspires you? What makes your life worth living? The things that thrill you might or might not thrill your students (and vice versa), but it doesn’t hurt to share what you love and to ask others, including your students, to do the same.
Have clear objectives. You can’t accomplish anything if you don’t have a good idea about what you’re shooting for. Write down annual, monthly, weekly, and daily objectives, and put them someplace where you can see them often. (It can be at home if you prefer—many successful people keep their personal goals personal.)
Each day, ask yourself what your most important goal is. How will you go about achieving it, or part of it? No project of any size can resist the onslaught of the determined person who breaks things into small pieces and deals with one piece at a time. As American industrialist Henry Ford said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.”
Ask for help when you need it. Your students, their families, members of your community, and your colleagues, including your administrators, can help you accomplish your goals, and you can return the favor. Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance or to delegate jobs to responsible individuals. It’s often wise to have two or three individuals on each task, because things can go wrong and people can encounter problems. People working together can help solve problems.
Build on what already exists, or create what’s needed. Almost every part of the world has some music or music education already in place—learn about it and help it grow. Get community musicians to visit your classes. A local artist can show your students that making music is truly a lifelong activity.
Keep learning. To be a fabulous teacher, you need to invest in yourself. The best teachers take the time to be part of their professional communities. They go to state and national conferences. They write for their professional publications. They contribute to their professional organizations. They make time for themselves as well as others—a win-win for all involved.
“Sleep is king,” says mountain climber Carl Wilcox. You’ll be at your best if you get enough rest. It’s not possible every night, but you’ll be mentally and physically healthier if you can get to bed at a time that allows you to get up and be alert in time to do what you need to do. Like cartoonist Scott Adams, sneak that private “hour of power” in the morning before others get up.
Use what NAfME offers you as a member. Check out the myriad resources of the National Association for Music Education at www.nafme.org. There are hundreds of professional and advocacy resources for the music educator who’s willing to explore a bit. And don’t forget to peruse your NAfME print and online journals for ideas to make you a better teacher.
Get started! Don’t wait for others to launch your dreams—begin your journey now to where you’d like to be five weeks or five years from now. You might achieve more than you set out to accomplish, and you’ll often surprise yourself if you take that course, go to that conference, or try a new approach. Like music, new ideas are good for all of us!
—Ella Wilcox, MEJ editor, National Association for Music Education
