In this series of blogs, I shall go back to previous blogs to explore, reflect and elaborate on what I wrote. It will be interesting to see if my views and perceptions have changed, but I hope you can gain something from reading these too!
Let’s return to where it all began: my first post on why I teach music. Perhaps I decided to write this revisited post by accident or unconsciously acknowledging my 10-year milestone as a teacher this summer. To be fair this year has been an eventful one. Completing my Masters and finding a new role as Director of Music in another part of the country, I haven’t had much time to reflect on the significant changes to my life and teaching career! It’s meaningful for teachers, educators and leaders to contemplate where one has come from, where one is and where one wants to go in life. I do this often (time and headspace permitting) as it allows me to check on my mental compass to ensure I’m going in the right direction or make changes to ensure I don’t stray too far off course.
So, 10 years on, why do I teach music? Looking back at my blog’s callow attempts to rationale my ambitions for teaching and febrile shots to make it onto the Pyramid Stage at Glasto (seriously, its a bit cringe to read the post!), I recognise the enthusiasm and bloody-minded drive to make a mark as a music teacher. Although I started the blog during my PGCE year, my first experience was at Access to Music Lincoln (now Access Creative College). Fresh from my time at the British Academy of New Music and delving into the London music scene in 2004/5, I returned to my alma mater as a bass tutor with some composition, musicianship skills and band/artist mentoring. For a 20yr old with no classroom experience, it was trial by fire, but it was here that I developed my love for teaching music. Despite my inexperience, being in a room full of students felt quite natural. Why I teach music started with this experience, the joy and humbling feeling of knowing I can impart my knowledge and experience to others.
This feeling never left me, and I carried it over to working at Yamaha Music School during my hiatus from study at Birmingham Conservatoire. Teaching group guitar lessons, sporting a Jack Black style haircut and similar attire whilst School of Rock out never failed to make me laugh! Here I realised that teaching music provided me with a connection to community and the importance of knowing as many songs/pieces in as many different styles, with the technique to lead with authenticity.
Me circa 2007. If only I went to Gibson Music School.
When performing, I often thought about routes into full time teaching. As fun as it was, playing in various parts of the world with incredible musicians, I knew my compass would eventually lead me to be a teacher again. My PGCE year, fresh from my last gig on Princess Cruises, gave me another reason to teach music: teachers’ impact on a young mind. I discovered that when you teach music, it’s not just about imparting music knowledge; it’s more to do with helping students find themselves within music.
There has only been one period of my career where I seriously wondered why I teach music and was in danger of straying too far off course. Here I learned of the importance that music has in my life. It gave me that little light at the end of the tunnel to keep on keeping on. It’s within the darkest and most challenging moments in life that we see what truly matters to us, and even at my lowest of confidence as a music teacher, I found a safe haven in a school which recognised how much music means to me and my total commitment making sure their students get that too.
Teaching music at my previous school gave me the time and space to find ‘Why I teach music?’ again. Here I was fully involved with the department, from tech setup, MD’ing, teaching, workshops, outreach, committee meetings etc. Teaching music is far more nuanced than expected (Drama and PE teachers probably nodding their heads at this!). This experience leads me to my latest reason for teaching music, my purpose to lead my own department. It’s been an ambition of mine since my PGCE days, so as long as I had enough experience and expertise to apply for a DoM position.
So, 10 years on, why do I teach music? I teach it because I have dedicated all my life to music from studying, practising, performing, arranging and teaching. Music has been one constant throughout a life of change, from the gutter to the stars. Music gives me a platform to share and bring people together. Music enables me to stand in front of an audience or class and be totally at ease. And now, music gives me a platform to shape my vision of how a music department should work and more importantly work with my colleagues and school to realise the potential of our students.
I’ll revisit my reasons for teaching music in another 10 years. What are your reasons for teaching music?
Mike Wright Music Education 