“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” When Benjamin Franklin stated those remarkable words, he encapsulated one of the gold standards of education: “experiential learning,” or what is often referred to as “learning by doing.” He knew. He understood. Time and time again it has been proven that telling a child something yields little, teaching a child something provides greater benefits, but involving that student in an active – rather than passive – manner is one of the best ways to get them to really learn. Our challenge is to constantly seek ways to do just that. Sometimes it is not easy. It’s often simpler and more expeditious to just “tell” students, but having them be participants in that learning will always win out.

Peter Loel Boonshaft, Director of Education
KHS America

About the Author

Dr. Boonshaft, Director of Education for KHS America, is the author of the critically acclaimed best-selling books Teaching Music with Passion, Teaching Music with Purpose, and Teaching Music with Promise. He was honored by the National Association for Music Education and Music For All as the first recipient of the “George M. Parks Award for Leadership in Music Education.” Dr. Boonshaft was selected for the Center for Scholarly Research and Academic Excellence at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, where he is Professor Emeritus of Music.