“Now go home and practice that.” Music teachers tell students to practice. It’s what we do. As a music student, I was expected to practice for a certain amount of time. As a music teacher, I expect my own students
Now Go Practice
Grading for Success
Like most teachers, my first year of teaching quickly made me realize that there was a lot that college didn’t prepare me for. I ran into challenges that I never could have anticipated and discovered that there was a lot
Elements of Effective Rehearsals – Virtually and In Person
The pandemic has certainly changed a lot about teaching, and especially teaching music. As a teacher who has had to switch back and forth between in-person and online teaching, I’ve had to be creative and find ways to adapt. One
Why You Should Stay in Your School Music Program
Every year I talk to students who are thinking about dropping out of their school music programs. Every student I talk to has his or her own reasons for it. Often it’s because of other classes they want to take
How to Finger String Parts – Six Basic Guidelines for Orchestra Teachers
The ability to find a great fingering for strings is perhaps one of the most under taught skills in string playing. I’ve found that many of us – even native string players who have studied our instruments for years –
Grow the Good
I bought my house about five years ago. It’s small but has a decent backyard, and I was excited to have the outdoor space. Unfortunately, the previous residents had done very little to care for the yard and it was
Redefining Your Identity
I never intended to teach Spanish. I got a minor in Spanish just because I wanted to improve my language abilities, yet here I am ten years later still teaching Spanish. I’ve learned a lot from teaching both Spanish and
Beyond Surviving
I recently heard a story about people in London. Public transportation there is used by the majority of residents in the city. At some point there was some construction done and many of the normal routes were closed or changed.