#288. Habitual Sight

by | Oct 14, 2025 | Boonshaft's Blog

Have you noticed yourself looking at the same few students as you teach or conduct? I do, and I find they fall into two categories: those who are always looking back at me, because it feels so wonderful to have that communication with them. Or, those kids that I fear could get out-of-hand at any second, because we want to prevent them from thinking they have that chance. I think both are extremely worthwhile reasons, but I wonder about all of those kids I’m not looking at enough. Could I turn more kids into the former, and find myself with fewer of the latter by looking at every child? So now I force myself to try to look at every student…and it’s amazing what you see.

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.

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