Many of us either have private studios where we teach saxophone and music to students, or perhaps we teach for a music school. Even if we don’t teach music to the up & coming generation of players, we ourselves were at one time or another students—or perhaps still are.
There is one undeniable truth: Teachers can have a profound influence over their students and their desire to learn. Think back to your favourite teachers. Was it in their classes that you excelled in? Or at least tried harder in?
One thing is for certain, teachers can either motivate the hell out you, or have just the opposite effect. It comes down to their personality, your interest in the subject, and to the chemistry that the 2 of you may or may not have.
I recently read an article by William D. Revelli, in a 1963 edition of the Music Educators Journal, which touches on this topic. At the time, Revelli was a Professor of Wind Instruments and Conductor of Bands in the School of Music, at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
I thought the following quote from the article—while perhaps obvious—was also something that teachers could easily lose sight of. That’s why I’m offering it up here for your consideration.
The authority of those who teach is often an obstacle to those who want to learn.
William D. Revelli
Source: Reflections on a Career in Music Education By William D. Revelli. In the Music Educators Journal, November – December, 1963, p. 74
As we work with students, we should never lose sight of the fact that we are role models, and that the authority we have—in whatever form it may take—can directly impact our students’ learning potential.
