To be a great teacher, you have to be a good listener. For music educators, the technical aspect of teaching music is just one small part of the job. Establishing a relationship of trust with students to allow for constructive criticism, motivation, mentoring, and growth are all very important parts of being a music educator. Sandy Feldstein, CEO of PlayinTime Productions and music education luminary, shares his thoughts on what it takes to be a great teacher.

In addition, it’s important to love the interaction of teaching and working with students. It’s critical for musicians to enter the field by choice, not as a fall back to a performance career. David Elliott of NYU shares his thoughts.

A great teacher is a catalyst for “a-ha moments” and feels a sense of undeniable gratification when they happen for students. A great teacher knows how to find “teachable moments” and maximizes opportunities to help students learn and grow in conventional and non-conventional situations. As Cathy Benedict from NYU further illustrates, it’s important to be a thoughtful teacher and to facilitate learning environments.

A great teacher knows deep inside that she is passionate about teaching. For me, it started as a constant desire to play “school” as a kid. I used to torture my younger brother by making an endless supply of workbooks for him to complete so I could “correct” his work. (Sorry, Bob!) Teaching was something I knew I wanted to do as a child and it's something I enjoy to this day. Perhaps this is true for you.

Debbie Cavalier

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