Not my job.
March 12, 2014 Leave a comment
The answer is “I don’t know why they can’t ________, we covered that in class.” Now, more importantly, what was the question? Too often, music educators utilize this answer to a myriad of questions about why their students could not, would not, don’t, or can’t demonstrate a vital component of “musicianship” on demand. Unfortunately, the real question should be about whether that lesson really “covered it in class.”
When lessons are taught, understanding should be our goal (of course, that does not mean memorization). Allowing students the opportunity to engage with the material in relevant (to their own lives) and multi-perspectival ways is vital for students to continue developing understanding of that material (with both breadth and depth). Read more of this post
Nathan Johnston 
The Inspiration We Receive (and maybe provide)
August 20, 2020 Leave a comment
During these unique times, it has frequently been said that the arts will get us through. They will heal us. They will explain to us. They will inspire us. They will reflect us. In alternate conversations, the challenges of our society looked to schools for assistance and sollutions. As an educator, this was both empowering and frustrating… it is not a school’s responsibility to make sure the economy is working, but students can benefit greatly from the routines and social engagement of the school setting.
In my own journey, I felt a sense of duty to provide students a meaningful learning experience while supporting the diverse and complex social/emotional perspectives. This responsibility was heavy, but was driven by purpose. Every student deserves an…
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Filed under Educator, General Commentary Tagged with education, inspiration, musiced