#285. Farming At Its Best

It took me a long time, a lot of decades, but I finally figured out what we, as teachers, really are. You’re thinking musician, educator, administrator, counselor, accountant, bookkeeper, psychologist, motivator, public relations specialist, and a thousand other things. But at the end of the day, I truly believe we are all farmers. That’s right, farmers. For you see, ultimately, you plant seeds. Some of which you’ll see blossom and grow. But, possibly even more importantly, you plant seeds that you may never see come to fruition.

Years from now, your students will be adults. And one day their neighbor’s child, or their own niece or son will ask them whether being in band or choir or orchestra or any other aspect of music education was worth it when they were in school. And that now-adult-former student of yours will remember back to their own experiences studying music, smile, think of you, see your face in their mind, and launch into story after story about what music meant to them all those years ago, and more importantly, what you mean to them now. That, my friends, is how significant you are, how important you are, in the lives of those you teach.

Peter Loel Boonshaft, Director of Education
KHS America