Why do I teach music? It’s a question I’ve been asked, and it’s definitely a question that I’ve asked myself. The most practical answer is….it’s what I have a degree in, and I probably need to feel justified in using the education that I’m still paying for 22 years after the fact. But, it’s much deeper than that.
I could say that it’s what I’m most capable of doing. You don’t want me doing accounting, as I’m not good in math. Science? Nope. There isn’t much in the way of skills that I possess outside of being a musician. So on a very practical level, it’s what I know to do.
All that is good and well, but there has to be a deeper reason….right? Absolutely. From when I started taking private music lessons as a 5 year old to when I finished college, I was blessed with fantastic, gracious and capable teachers who helped inspire and grow me as a musician. Because of them, I was challenged and pushed to be a better musician, improving day by day and week by week.
But I’m not a teacher solely because of any of those reasons. Those are part of the reasons, no doubt, but I teach music because I love music and I want to see others inspired and changed by music. In a Facebook group that I was in, the question came up, and my response was simple. I know that most, if not all of my students won’t be professional musicians. That’s OK. I want them to have a positive introduction and interaction with music, be exposed to a wide variety of composers and styles, have fun and grow while doing it, and become informed and knowledgeable consumers of music. That’s my mission statement for why I teach.
Most students that I’ve had in my 21 years of teaching may or may not continue with lessons. But, they will be surrounded by music the rest of their lives. I want to help them love and appreciate music and hopefully have a good handle on what they like about a song and why they like it. Along with that, discipline, commitment and focus come from practicing and learning the skill of music, which translates into any other avenue of life. And physically, music brings so much physical and mental development, which helps in grasping other educational concepts.
I teach music because I love it. I’ve had my moments where that love has waned and gotten stale, but since I’ve ventured out into the world of teaching lessons full time and committed myself to it, I’ve found that passion and that joy for music rekindled. And that passion and joy helps me to be a better musician and be a better teacher. That’s why I teach. I teach because I’m still learning, and I want to share what I continue to learn with my students.
Find out more about Craig here
