We teachers are an impatient lot. We want the moon for our students, and we want it now. But our students are even more impatient. They want it yesterday. What’s the “it” they...

Last evening, I received an email from a student who is in a course I am teaching. The student explained that he was telling his mother about his new classes and professors. When...

One of the best ways I know to recharge my teaching and ignite my spirit is to read a good book. The Power of Positive Students by Dr. William Mitchell is a book that will surely...

Over the years, when it comes to convincing students to do something – whatever it is – I’ve had the feeling that if they hear it from another student, it happens far more often...

For as long as I can remember I’ve tried to figure out what makes remarkable performers and conductors, well, remarkable. I don’t mean just good. I mean the greatest of the...

I can’t count the number of times I have posed a question to a student using the words “any” or “all,” only to receive a blank, worried, unknowing stare back. Queries like,...

What’s the difference between a teacher and just about everyone else? Well, I could write for hours and never really answer that question, but it might just be best summed up by...

Let’s say you are teaching a new rhythm to your students. You have them perform it. It goes pretty well. In an effort to get it even “cleaner” you have them repeat it. It gets...

I recently saw an adorable poster that caught my eye. It showed a very large dog standing next to a very small dog. Both had obviously been standing in mud about six inches deep....