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\u2014or perhaps still are.<\/p>\n
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?<\/p>\n
One thing is for certain, teachers can either motivate the hell out you, or\u00a0have just the opposite effect. It comes down to their personality, your interest in the subject, and to the chemistry that the 2 of you\u00a0may or may not have.<\/p>\n
I recently read an article by William D. Revelli, in a 1963 edition of the Music Educators Journal<\/em>, 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.<\/p>\n I\u00a0thought the following\u00a0quote from the article\u2014while perhaps obvious\u2014was also something that teachers could easily lose sight of. That’s why I’m offering it up here for your consideration.<\/p>\n The authority of those who teach is often an obstacle to those who want to learn.<\/p>\n William D. Revelli<\/p><\/blockquote>\n As we work with students, we should never lose sight of the fact that we are role models, and that the authority<\/em> we have\u2014in whatever form it may take\u2014can directly impact our students’ learning potential.<\/p>\nSource: \u00a0 Reflections on a Career in Music Education\u00a0By William D. Revelli. In the\u00a0\u00a0Music Educators Journal,\u00a0November – December, 1963, p. 74<\/h6>\n