#287. What Tool Would Be Best?

#287. What Tool Would Be Best?

If I asked you to fix a loose screw on a wall fixture, would you grab a hammer out of your toolkit? Or a saw? Or a chisel? Probably not. Because you know the best thing to use to accomplish that goal is a screwdriver. Well, I often think of the shape of our left hand...
#286. Are We Setting Expectations?

#286. Are We Setting Expectations?

I have always believed that the warm-up portion of any rehearsal can be incredibly fruitful – or the biggest waste – of time. And of all the things we need to accomplish during that potentially valuable time, I think the most significant one is not something they will...
#285. Farming At Its Best

#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...
#284. Tomorrow

#284. Tomorrow

I saw an advertisement while walking through an airport today. It read, “Tomorrow will be nothing like today.” And it bothered me, but I couldn’t figure out why. As I thought about it, I came to realize why. Yes, in many ways, I do hope tomorrow will be nothing like...
#283. Education

#283. Education

B. F. Skinner stated, “Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.” And that, my friends, really frames what we do, and more importantly, why we do it. As music teachers, we pass along so much information, teach so many skills, share so...
#282. Where, But Not What

#282. Where, But Not What

Though I know your teaching day is long and exhausting, with a seemingly endless list of tasks and responsibilities, I ask that you take a few minutes to find a quiet place. Maybe grab a cup of coffee or tea. Take a few relaxing breaths. Then read the following...