1. Have students compare and contrast to enhance knowledge.

Having students compare and contrast certain elements of music will help the students get a better understanding of the specific topic. (Example) If teaching a general music course, I could have my students listen to a piece by Mozart and a piece by Mahler. I could then have the students describe the likes and differences between the two. I believe this would force the students to think about the music and the relationships between different genres and composers. Comparing and contrasting could be used in many settings. My general music teacher had my class compare and contrast, and I found it to be highly effective. 2. Speak to students as if they are musicians, not just kids. Using music vocabulary and terminology in the classroom will not only make students feel you think highly of them, it will also cause students to ask questions if they don't know a particular word, thus enhancing musical knowledge. (Example) If teaching in an orchestra classroom setting, use words such as martele, spiccato, sostenuto, tasto, etc. instead of just saying, "hard bow stroke, off the string, sustained, and fingerboard." If an individual student doesn't know what a term means, they will most likely ask. If the entire class doesn't know what a word means, you will be able to notice and then discuss it as a class. Doing this forces students to learn the terminology, as it is used in standard practice often. Also, it's important to find a way to do this without sounding pretentious. When I was in the Indianapolis Children's Choir, Henry Leck, the director, would use this strategy. 3. Introduce a wide range of musical repertoire to students. Providing different styles and genres of music for students to perform keeps the school year interesting and also opens students' eyes to a wide range of musical possibilities. (Example) If directing a choir, you could introduce different styles of music throughout the year. For instance, intermingle pops, classical and international music into one concert. This would not only keep things interesting for the student, but it would also make the concert more interesting for the listener. Selecting different styles of music also shows students just how much music there is out there in the world, and could give a student a better respect and appreciation for all different types of music. It's important, I feel, to not only stick to music of the common-practice era. Nearly all of my musical directors, both past and present, provided me with different styles of music to perform. 4. Share your enthusiasm for making music, in the classroom. Showing your students that you're enthusiastic and excited about what you're doing will often make the students excited as well. (Example) In any music ensemble scenario, if you just act excited about a certain piece you're working on, it will get the students excited. Jump up and down, smile constantly; anything you do to get the students pumped is a good thing. Doing this is also important because it keeps class interesting. My choir director from high school was so passionate about music and the choir she directed. This excitement seemed to emanate from her and made the choir, as a whole, excited. 5. Only give compliments when compliments are due. Giving compliments out only when they are given will make the students feel accomplished when a compliment is received. Also, it will often make students work harder to achieve those compliments.

 (Example) In an orchestra classroom setting, when the ensemble plays below your standards, don't say, "That was good." Be honest without being mean. Say, "This is a hard passage; Let's work on it." Being honest with your students will often cause your students respect you more. Honestly will also make your students feel like they genuinely deserve a compliment when a compliment is given. My orchestra director in high school was extremely honest with her ensembles. Being this way was effective because it make the students work that much harder to receive a compliment. 6. Show students that music can be applied to outside fields. I believe it is important for music teachers to show their students that music can be applied to many other fields of study. This will show students that music is relevant and important in many situations and scenarios. (Example) In a choral classroom, work on African American spirituals. Then, the teacher could get in touch with a history teacher from the school and have the students write papers on how slavery and the Civil War. Emphasize how these spirituals helped the slaves cope with their treatment. In the Indianapolis Childrens Choir, we would always discuss the importance of music to other fields of study. 7. Use field trips to enhance musical learning and understanding. Field trips can be used to help students get a better understanding of music outside of the classroom. I believe this is important because as music teachers, we want to expose our students to a wide range of musical possibilities. I do not think its possible for teachers to teach absolutely everything in the classroom. (Example) A teacher could take his or her students to the local symphony orchestra. Before the field trip, the teacher could have the class sight read an arrangement of one of the pieces the orchestra will be playing in their concert. Then, when students are listening to the concert, they will be able to recognize the piece. Though I didnt go on too many field trips in high school, my high school biology teacher was always finding ways for the class to get involved outside of the classroom. This can be applied to music as well. 8. Use video or sound recordings to allow students to hear/watch themselves. Its important to record ourselves, as musicians, because we must be able to hear what we sound like and see what we look like. This is important because were always trying to get better. We want to constantly critique ourselves so that we can be the best performers we can be. (Example) Without telling the students in advance, a teacher could secretly record a run-through of a piece the class is working on. After the run-through, the teacher could play the recording for class, pointing out both positive and negative attributes of the performance. This is a great way for students to hear and see themselves before a concert. My high school cello instructor, Dennis McCafferty, often highlighted the importance of recording oneself in rehearsal.

9. Help students be efficacious in all scenarios, at all times. Its easy for music students to become discouraged They often feel like theyre not good enough. As teachers, I believe its important to encourage students to think positively about themselves and their musicianship. The teacher should inspire the student to just worry about being the best they can be. (Example) When a teacher sees a student that looks discouraged or upset, the teacher could use compliments and positivity to make the student feel that he or she is doing well and to continue practicing to improve. The teacher should have this positive energy with the class in its entirety. I think all of my teachers have encouraged me to be efficacious, especially my elementary string teacher and private cello teacher, Catherine Radomski. 10. Accept and recognize when you are wrong. Teachers can be wrong. Its important for teachers to admit when they are wrong to their students. When they dont, and continue to act like they are right when they are obviously not, it causes the teachers students to lose respect for the teacher. (Example) If a teacher messes up a part in a rehearsal, the teacher should be the first to admit that he or she is wrong. The teacher should tell the students that it was his/her mistake and that he/she has things to work on for the next rehearsal as well. My orchestra director in high school, Elizabeth Levin, was always good about admitting when she was wrong. She never put blame on the students when the students didnt deserve it.