As a Music Education major, I have dedicated myself to advancing and preserving the field of Music Education and sharing my love and passion for music with students and fellow musicians. I think everyone questions their career choice at one point or another, and after six years of college I was bound to have my moments as well.
Observing in the public schools can both be enlightening and scary. There is a lot to learn from watching other teachers teach. There is also a lot to learn from observing the students themselves, and frankly it can scare the daylights out of a future educator. These days some children have so little respect for teachers that it really made me question why anyone in their right mind would want to teach. If nobody respects you and you aren't even getting paid that much, what motivation would you have to teach in the first place? Let me tell you about the moment that this question was answered for me.
I began teaching voice lessons when I took Vocal Pedagogy a couple years ago and my first student was a young lady who participated in the university's Women's Choir. Though she was unclear of her goals in taking voice lessons I was entirely dedicated to making her the best singer she could be. Even after the semester ended I continued giving her lessons free of charge to aid her in preparing to audition for the voice program. Let me tell you: getting results as a voice teacher is almost addicting. It brought me so much joy to watch her blossom and discover things about her instrument, and to hear her talk about her experiences in her own practice.
One week in particular I was feeling like a hopeless cause, and sucked it up to go meet with my student. We discussed her audition and how she thought it went, the course of her vocal work in general, and some future goals and aspirations. Even though she didn't get into the program and was still a bit unclear on where her future would take her, we had a good talk. Before we parted she gave me a card and a hug, and boy am I glad that I waited for her to leave before I opened it ( I may or may not have been a complete mess :) ).
Long story short, it was a very nice thank you which ended "I know you are going to make a great choir teacher someday. Thank you so much." and enclosed was a little bracelet which read "Believe in yourself" on one side and "Anything is possible" on the other. I was so moved by just how much I affected this student, and realized just how much she had affected my own life. That was the moment I knew that I had chosen the right path. If you ever have any doubt in your teaching skills, go to your students. Not only do they like being involved, but they can give you very useful feedback (and possibly even a morale boost). Teachers may affect students' lives in positive ways, but we must not forget that there is much to be learned from students as well.
Observing in the public schools can both be enlightening and scary. There is a lot to learn from watching other teachers teach. There is also a lot to learn from observing the students themselves, and frankly it can scare the daylights out of a future educator. These days some children have so little respect for teachers that it really made me question why anyone in their right mind would want to teach. If nobody respects you and you aren't even getting paid that much, what motivation would you have to teach in the first place? Let me tell you about the moment that this question was answered for me.
I began teaching voice lessons when I took Vocal Pedagogy a couple years ago and my first student was a young lady who participated in the university's Women's Choir. Though she was unclear of her goals in taking voice lessons I was entirely dedicated to making her the best singer she could be. Even after the semester ended I continued giving her lessons free of charge to aid her in preparing to audition for the voice program. Let me tell you: getting results as a voice teacher is almost addicting. It brought me so much joy to watch her blossom and discover things about her instrument, and to hear her talk about her experiences in her own practice.
One week in particular I was feeling like a hopeless cause, and sucked it up to go meet with my student. We discussed her audition and how she thought it went, the course of her vocal work in general, and some future goals and aspirations. Even though she didn't get into the program and was still a bit unclear on where her future would take her, we had a good talk. Before we parted she gave me a card and a hug, and boy am I glad that I waited for her to leave before I opened it ( I may or may not have been a complete mess :) ).
Long story short, it was a very nice thank you which ended "I know you are going to make a great choir teacher someday. Thank you so much." and enclosed was a little bracelet which read "Believe in yourself" on one side and "Anything is possible" on the other. I was so moved by just how much I affected this student, and realized just how much she had affected my own life. That was the moment I knew that I had chosen the right path. If you ever have any doubt in your teaching skills, go to your students. Not only do they like being involved, but they can give you very useful feedback (and possibly even a morale boost). Teachers may affect students' lives in positive ways, but we must not forget that there is much to be learned from students as well.
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