Before my first day of teaching high school, the person who hired me gave me some advice. He told me exactly what to do on the first day: “Just do what you did during your demo lesson, and the students will love you!” Unfortunately, this advice nearly ruined my entire first year and jeopardized […]
Choral Clarity
The First Step to Building A Successful Choral Program
The Overlooked First Step to Building a Successful Choral Program The key to long-term success in a choral program is often overlooked, even by seasoned directors. This crucial first step is essential for sustained success and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Whether you’re a first-year teacher or a veteran, I encourage you to reflect on […]
First Day Advice for the New School Year: 3 Tips for Setting the Stage for Success
For all my high school and middle school choir director colleagues kicking off the school year (I’m still a few weeks away myself!), I’ve written this blog to simplify your first day with three key tips. These might seem unconventional compared to what you’ve heard before or what you currently practice, but I’m confident they’ll […]
You Can Teach INTRINSIC MOTIVATION To Your Students!
You Can Teach INTRINSIC MOTIVATION To Your Students! Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation are not the same. If we dangle candy and prizes in front of our students, we are motivating them for extrinsic reasons. But what if we could ignite a spark within our students? What if we taught them to become self-motivated, to set […]
The Conductor as Yogi: What Have We Learned
“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” Phil Collins There is a pause, if we choose to take it, after a concert season, academic year, major project, or significant life experience. Like savasana at the end of a yoga practice, we take the opportunity to assimilate, to feel the effects of […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Ordinary (Extraordinary) Wisdom
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” Henry David Thoreau I don’t know how often we think of ourselves as “wise.” That word seems reserved for the sages, the super seniors with long beards or gentle voices and twinkling eyes, sharing mic-drop pearls that stop us in our tracks. Yet, […]