Develop a Holistic Approach to Learning Music
At times I am amazed at the degree to which students can learn and grow through their musical pursuits. I have seen music open doors in students’ lives – socially, academically, psychologically, and professionally. Learning music can be a positive force in one’s life beyond the time spent actually playing an instrument because music has the power to engage the whole personality – talents, quirks, limitations, and all. In lessons I look for ways that music can be integrated more fully into students’ lives, such as identifying the best ways to incorporate practicing into one’s other commitments, learning how to channel one’s emotions and life experiences into music, helping find settings to play and practice music with other people, and relating the musical learning process to other areas of experiences like sports, careers, or languages.