Why I love teaching music!
Stuck at home, filling time as best as possible, a question emerges: how can I serve? By sharing what I love. This blog is mean to share some joy: This is why I love teaching music.
Sharing something I love
Firstly I love creating something beautiful and experiencing it as such. What a treat! Playing, performing, jamming, songwriting; these are activities that make up who I am as a person; irregardless of the environment or social situation, making music comes out of me like a bird’s song.
Helping others cultivate a relationship with their own creative force, for me, is like lighting up a dark hall. All of the sudden there’s more magic in the world.
I love being part of the process, regardless if it’s coming straight from me or if I’m collaborating in any number of roles. Whenever I help someone else make the sounds they would like to hear, it feels like we’re changing the world for the better.
Building Relationships Around Music
In a high percentage of my most meaningful relationships, music has held a role in creating cohesion and connection. Being sung lullabies by my parents, music parties at my grandparent’s house, lessons from teachers, hanging out at folk festivals with friends, punk rock scenes, touring with bands, working at the local music store, on and on…For me, whenever humans gather around music, magic happens.
When music is at the center of a community or relationship, it seems to impregnate the bonds with a deeper sense of being alive and connected.
Teaching music online has meant that I’ve been able to continue working with students as I’ve moved locations. That sense of continuity, shared growth and mutual perspective helps to maintain a sense of shared reality for which I’m grateful.
Practicing holding space for people
When some teachers are particularly excited about a skill they want to share, they can be overly enthusiastic and try to offer information at a rate that may be faster than students can process. After years of teaching, the feedback I get the most often is that I’m very patient. Eventually I started to explore and dive into this strength; now I train in being present, in patience, in calmness, in listening. As a result each lesson now becomes a collective flow state: I’m more responsive and the result is more collaborative and engaged experience
With practice in being present I’ve noticed that I love being a supportive presence for others to express themselves, in various ways. As students move out of their comfort zones and progress at their own pace, I love offering encouragement, feedback and support. I love being there for people as they grow!
In conclusion
There you have it, I love teaching others how to make music because I get to share what I love, create more relationships around music and get to hold space for others. Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, I hope it offered some insight into the motivations of teaching music.
In conclusion
There you have it, I love teaching others how to make music because I get to share what I love, create more relationships around music and get to hold space for others. Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, I hope it offered some insight into the motivations of teaching music.
