Collegiate Column dr. Chris Chapman Collegiate Chair

Our Future Colleague: Traits to Look for in a Music Education student

Have you ever looked out at your ensemble and thought, “I wonder if anyone in this room is thinking about joining me in this great profession?”

Like many of you, when I was in high school, I was "pulled to the side" by my ensemble director. The conversation went something like this:

Director: “Son, I think you would be a very good music teacher; people look to you for musical advice and you seem to be calm in stressful situations.”

Student: “How could you know this? I’ve never taught anyone before.”

Director: “I don’t know exactly; I just have a good hunch.”

Now, confronted on a regular basis with the task of finding good students to become future colleagues, I often wonder exactly what traits to look for in a music education student. Below is a brief list of eight traits to look for:

• Plays very well on their instrument—success at their main instrument suggests that they will take their studies in music education seriously.

• Loves music—the student lives in the practice room and listens to a variety of music from the New York Philharmonic to the Count Basie Orchestra.

• Is an excellent communicator—the student is able to effectively speak to his/her peers and adults with ease.

• Is organized—the student is able to maintain good control of their daily activities, while continuing musical growth.

• Has a good sense of humor—the student can see the forest for the trees and finds a silver lining during stressful times in the rehearsal setting and in daily life.

• Inspires others—the student is respected by their peers and teachers alike; he/she does the right things for the right reasons.

• Has empathy for others—the student is able to understand several points of view and can work with other students on their level.

• Has a good personality—the student is a good human being who cares about others and themselves; he/she is even keeled during stressful situations.

The positive influence that we have on our students can significantly impact their career choice. If we can keep these traits in mind, we can help future music educators maintain the high quality of music education in our state and beyond. Here’s hoping that we can all "pull a student to the side" this year.