A Teacher Is Also A Public Performer
Next to the principal, the ensemble music teachers are the most public-facing figures in the school community. This is a general statement. There are always exceptions. But in most cases, this is true. Change my mind.
What other teachers are expected to address the parents during a large gathering, to a large audience, leading a large (or small) ensemble so they may show off what they have spent months working on, at least twice each school year?
Some music teachers do this alone, some do this at least four times each school year, some performances have administration present, and some schools are large enough where a huge auditorium will be packed with standing room only.
It isn’t that they just have to conduct their ensembles, they also should be addressing these audiences verbally as well. For seasoned performers themselves by this point in their career, it would be expected that public speaking should be easy… the reality is that you can definitely tell which music teachers are not comfortable talking to a packed auditorium. Fortunately no one notices when it is the students who proudly get to introduce the next piece and they read it perfectly from an index card while their neighbor balances two instruments.
Growth Mindset Builds Your Community Image
It only takes a few minutes to build that lasting Impression on the community. Is it the right one?
Don’t these scenarios sound SO familiar? For having such a prominent role in the school community several nights a school year, usually for a few years in a row (if not up to 9), shouldn’t the audiences see the confidence, charisma, spirit and pride for student achievement? Even if students are given the chance to speak about their programmed pieces, the music teacher should be saying a quick thing at the beginning and end of the concert. There are people to thank, students to congratulate and upcoming events to promote.
But these things are basic and boring. They don’t elude to the dynamic personality of the chorus teacher, the band teacher, the orchestra teacher, the teacher who wears these extra hats and must face hundreds in the school community on a literal pedestal. No, they should be telling stories of perseverance, remarking about the difficult concepts that the students overcame to get here, honoring students that will be graduating or those that auditioned and got into a state honors ensemble.
The ensemble music teacher should be reporting on what really is going on in their subcommunity in the music wing. They should let parents get an inside glimpse of the magic that happens in an ensemble when the right things happen. They should open a long-lost door that brings parents back to when they were the same age and they were playing their instrument or singing, and the beautiful memories from those youthful days.
Something so simple that can take five minutes a few times per school year can have a POWERFUL impact on the students, parents, administration and community members present for this big moment. And it represents you as the teacher and the ringleader of this entire undertaking. How do you plan to make the most of this moment?
This is the third blog article about growth mindset, a bit of a mini-series in the content to begin to promote the upcoming course “Growth Mindset and the Music Teacher” by Uplevel U: Music. If you have read the other two articles or if you already know a bit about growth mindset, you’re already aware about the power of positive words, poise and tone when communicating.
So you can probably see where I’m going with this. It makes sense that by using growth mindset, music teachers can build a very positive image in the community.
And one other thing, did you notice I didn’t even mention marching band yet, and all of the PR that comes from THOSE appearances in the fall semester?
Where Growth Mindset Music Teachers Will Ripple Effect in the Community the Quickest
The ensemble music teacher has a unique role in that they do not just foster relationships with students, administration and colleagues in the school building. Their influence is expected to go far beyond to much higher numbers of people of unknown additional influence.
If you are giving off an energy that is not consistent with people that have properly nurtured a positive growth mindset in themselves, the people watching you up on that pedestal may be quick to judge what they see. When they talk afterward, words like unapproachable, stiff, boring, awkward, coarse, and who knows what else can be the polite, but negative words they would use to answer the question, “So what do you think about _________ (music teacher)?”.
The words they should be using to answer this question need to be inspirational, entertaining, charming, charismatic, fascinating, poised, confident, gracious… the list can go on.
But those words must be earned. Communication and a vibe must be given by the music teacher for those words to be bestowed upon them. What can YOU say, what can YOU do, for people to think about you and talk about you that way? Because they’re going to talk! They always do. And that’s okay, because that’s where good recommendations and positive word of mouth comes from! When you confidently give off that positive communicating energy and presence, you don’t even have to worry about what the school community says about you. You know you have done it correctly. You know that you have used growth mindset to build an image that will be seen positively in the community as a music teacher.
How Growth Mindset Will Direct This Community Ripple Effect Correctly
Achieving growth mindset, and even better, helping your students achieve it in your classroom, so that their accomplishments can speak for themselves is the driving force behind all of this.
Does your department need more funding? Show that your program is worth it! Have your students show through their efforts that investment will be appreciated and will pay off. Is there an administrator that seems indifferent to your program? What can change their mind, because previous examples set up that mindset for them. But that wasn’t you, that was someone else.
When you and your students can work this magic together and project this magic onto an audience, some real power will prove worth, respect and very positive personal opinions, and yes, could lead to funding, Maybe even awards or Grammy nominations.
These things don’t just happen. The leader in charge of creating this inspiration needs to begin it. It’s not just a special kind of person. It’s a special kind of passion and mindset work behind the scenes that creates the path to develop it.
Growth mindset is becoming a hot topic beyond athletes and business owners now. People are realizing that it is for everyone. Uplevel U: Music realized early on that there needed to be a personalized professional development resource for the unique career of a music teacher to develop growth mindset. Uplevel U: Music will be releasing a full course to allow music teachers to dig into their own minds and thoughts to locate mindset weaknesses and to turned communication and instructional verbiage into positive phrases that foster growth mindset in their students.
In the meantime, please visit Uplevel U: Music’s Blog and the Uplevel U: Music podcast for more thoughts and suggestions until the course is released.
This article was written by Music Room/Uplevel U: Music's owner and creator, Karen (Kay) Janiszewski.
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