What Makes a Great Music Teacher?

Exceptional teachers are as uncommon as exceptional people in any other field. Although it’s hard to provide a prescription of attributes to nurture excellent music instructors, recognizing these qualities may provide all aspiring teachers a standard of excellence to aim for and direct schools and parents toward what to look for in both present and future teachers. Other than having a great music teacher, perfect musical equipment is also necessary. In my view, all outstanding music educators have the following qualities:

• Great teachers connect emotionally with their learners.

We all recall the impact our favorite instructors had on us. Teachers who took an interest in us and tried to understand us left an indelible mark on our memories. To be effective teachers, we must first demonstrate our concern, and various methods exist to accomplish this. The greatest method is the one that comes most naturally to you; for me, it’s a joke, but it might be anything from making direct eye contact to showing genuine empathy for each kid.

• Great teachers don’t always try to make their students feel comfortable.

Many school music instructors have the unspoken goal of making everyone in their class “like” them. They try not to put too much strain on their pupils during rehearsals and classes, ensuring everyone is relaxed and having a good time. They prefer not to “dig in” to particular passages and take a more relaxed approach to help students improve as musicians, instead opting to run full pieces of music and cover a lot of information quickly. However, exceptional educators inspire respect and confidence in their pupils by pushing them beyond their comfort zones.

• Great teachers excel in passing on their expertise to their students.

In most cases, a great teacher will only practice lengthy presentations in front of the class. Excellent music educators provide complex ideas in concise, easy-to-understand ways. Exceptional educators know where they want their pupils to end up and do their best to help them get there quickly and easily. Most of the time in class should be spent doing something (in this example, producing noises), but the most important knowledge is often conveyed in the brief lulls.

• Great music teachers have a deep appreciation for the basics.

Skilled music educators know well that technology is essential and that it can be taught on a single school day regardless of class size. These educators are willing to start from the very beginning of a method book to respect the rudiments of their students’ chosen instruments. A good instructor knows that basic posture, breathing, and hand position are essential for novices and must be consistently repeated throughout instruction. Great educators don’t “teach to a concert” because they ignore the basics in favor of a more advanced repertoire.

• The occasional feeling of “fear” in the presence of a teacher is to be expected and is not always cause for alarm.

I am not advocating for students to be afraid of their instructors or for instructors to frighten their classes purposefully. But great instructors frequently elicit sentiments that may be foreign to our younger generation: pupils of a great music teacher should feel deep respect for them, and they will also tend to appreciate them very much and, yes, they may sometimes be terrified by them.

The kids lose when instructors try too hard to be friends with or even parents to their pupils. They need someone they can put their faith in and spend the rest of their lives with, but they also need space between them. Music students should be apprehensive about showing up empty-handed to class. An excellent educator would never say “that’s acceptable” to kids who aren’t doing their hardest. Honesty and telling it like it is are hallmarks of great educators, even if it hurts a bit. Students will be grateful and understand how to apply the knowledge to improve when the truth is delivered in clear, objective language that is not personal.

• All children have the potential to become skilled musicians, and great teachers know this.

There’s still a way to go before people stop believing that musical genius and skill are innate and unteachable. The best coaches know it takes daily effort to help their students become skilled players. A successful teacher conveys that all students, regardless of whether they start at the same level as their peers, can learn and develop if they put in the time and effort necessary and practice in an informed and thoughtful manner.

• Great teachers make themselves obsolete.

Any educator’s ultimate objective should be to impart sufficient knowledge to their charges so they may succeed without further instruction. They are not selfish leaders who want all the limelight for themselves. For this reason, creating a successful music program based on a single individual is only possible. The most effective music educators foster an atmosphere where their pupils are motivated to push themselves beyond their comfort zones to improve. They try to set up situations where pupils may “teach themselves” so that they will be better prepared for life beyond school.

• Great teachers must be able to reflect on their practices.

The vast majority of exceptional educators are completely unaware of their greatness. They continuously question themselves, “How can I do this better?” and treat themselves like a student of their art. Everyone gains knowledge via trial and error, but educators will only improve once they actively reflect on what they’ve learned. Through introspection and a willingness to eat some “humble pie” now and then, educators may advance from excellent to exceptional in their professions.

Although it is hard for me (or anybody else) to provide an exhaustive and final list of what makes for excellent music instruction, this is a good place to begin. By understanding what makes greatness possible, educators can raise the bar for their students and encourage their communities to value music education as an integral component of their children’s development. Seeing a master music educator at work is like seeing a flawless performance; it takes enormous work and meticulous preparation to make superb instruction seem easy and natural.

Many parents and school officials incorrectly assume that teaching music is a breeze, but they are often surprised by how much effort is required.