D A Creative Duet Mentoring Success For Emerging Music Educators

i
A Creative Duet
ii
iii
A Creative Duet
Mentoring Success for Emerging
Music Educators
JAMILA L. McWHIRTER
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1
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: McWhirter, Jamila L. author.
Title: A creative duet : mentoring success for emerging music educators / Jamila L. McWhirter.
Description: New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2017] | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016049665| ISBN 9780190645731 (hardcover : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9780190645748 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Music teachers—Training of. | Mentoring.
Classification: LCC MT1 .M37 2017 | DDC 780.71—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016049665
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v
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
1. Foundations for a Creative Duet: Choosing an Inspiring

Mentor and Connecting with Those Assigned 1
Formal and Informal Mentors 1
Iron Sharpens Iron: Qualities of Inspired Music
Education Mentors 4
Open and Affirming Learning Climate 6
Support and Challenge 6
Roles of Informal and Formal Mentors Who Are Assigned 7
2. Preparing for a Creative Duet: Becoming an Innovative
Music Education Mentee 9
Questions and Goals 9
Problem Solving 11
Realistic Expectations and Being SMART 13
Alternative Approaches 16
Real Life 101: Emerging Music Educator No. 1 18
3. Knowing Your Part: Examining Your Thoughts
on the Mentoring Process 19
Know Thyself 19
As a Person 20
As a Musician 23
As a Teacher 25
Honesty: Areas of Strength and Improvement 26
Views of Mentorship 27
4. The Duet Begins: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare 31
The Initial Meeting 31
Building Trust 31
vi
Voicing Your Hopes and Expectations 33

Overall Objectives 35
5. Developing Technical Accuracy: Becoming Proactive
Not Reactive 37
Action Plan 37
Stumbling Blocks 38
Perception versus Reality 42
Motivation 45
Application 45
6. Developing Musicianship Skills: Creativity in Time Management 47
Time Management Matrix 47
Time Management During Mentoring Sessions 48
Time Management Outside of Mentoring Sessions 49
Satisfaction and Needed Changes 51
7. Creative Responses to Your Duet Partner: Creating
a Positive Environment 55
The Power of Words 55
Visualizing Proactive Responses 58
Focusing on the Solution 59
8. Cultivating Active Listening: Creativity in Interactions 63
Courage and Consideration 63
The Art of Negotiation 64
Role Reversal and Empathetic Listening 64
Differing Viewpoints Leading to Alternative Solutions 65
Open Lines of Communication 66
Discovering Underlying Reasons 68
Creative Resolution 69
9. Intensifying the Aesthetic Aspects: Expanding Perspective
Using the Right Side of the Brain 71
Visualize, Synthesize, and Transcend for a Holistic Picture 71
Emotions and Feelings in the Action Plan 72
Right-Brain Thinking as Guidance for the
Mentoring Relationship 73
Proportion and Balance 75
[ vi ] Contents
vii
10. A Creative Musical Collaboration: Co-Creating Opportunities 79

Musical Co-Creating Opportunities 79
Creative Daydreaming 80
Developing an Outsider’s Perspective 82
Creativity as a Thought Process 84
Creativity as a Collaborative Process 84
11. Challenges of Playing a Duet: Coping and Flourishing with
Constructive Criticism 89
Developing a “Tough Skin” 89
Criticism of Musicianship 92
Criticism of Teaching 93
Criticism of Persona 95
Benefiting from Constructive Criticism 96
12. The Finale: The Duet Concludes 99
Stalling of a Mentoring Relationship 99
Evaluate Original Learning Outcomes 100
Acknowledge Achievements 101
Evaluate Personal Learning 101
Transfer to Other Relationships 102
Seeking Out a New Mentor 102
13. The Encore: Giving of Yourself 105
Progressing from Mentee to Mentor 105
Preparing to Be a Mentor 106
The Secret to Longevity in the Profession 108
Sharing with Others 111
Coda: Lifelong Mentoring Relationships 113
Appendix A: Personal Mission Statement and Mentoring

Mission Statement 117
Appendix B: SMART Worksheet 121
Appendix C: Music Educator Time Matrix 123
Appendix D: Action Plan Worksheet 127
Appendix E: Inspired Reading for Music Teaching 129
Appendix F: Inspired Reading for Motivation and Organizing
Your World 131
Appendix G: Inspired Reading for Creativity and Relationships 133
References 135
Index 141
Contents [ vii ]
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ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Heartfelt appreciation is expressed to all my mentors, both informal and

formal, who have shaped me as a music educator. They are too numerous
to name individually, but I am deeply grateful to those of you who have
believed in me, encouraged me, assisted me, and loved me along the way.
There are several of you with whom I share a special career life bond. Once
again, I am afraid if I name these individuals I will inadvertently forget to
list someone. I am certain you are aware of residing in this special circle of
influence on my professional life. Your guidance continues to be a driving
strength for me.
I would like to thank the students, it has been my privilege to teach
for almost three decades in both K–12 and university settings. I wish to
especially acknowledge the undergraduate and graduate music education
students at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) for acting as a con-
tinuous reminder of the remarkable assignment we accept when we under-
take the responsibilities of being an educator. My joy is observing you as
you blossom into extraordinary music educators who are willing to face the
challenges of the teaching profession in order to make a difference in the
lives of your own students through music.
I would like to express special appreciation to those emerging music
educators who contributed their reflections on music education mentoring
with me. Thank you for taking the time from your busy schedules to share
your experiences, thoughts, and advice for the benefit of fellow emerging
music educators. I hold each of you in the deepest regard.
Special thanks to my graduate teaching assistant Jessica for reading and
sharing her thoughts on the initial chapter submission. Also, to the stu-
dents who allowed me to bounce title ideas past them and sharing their
feedback on what would draw their interest as readers and emerging music
educators.
x
I would like to express heartfelt appreciation to my loving husband Mark

for all of his patience, support, and encouragement over our 20 plus years of
marriage. Thank you for reading the entire work before it was shared with
anyone else. Thank you for the small things, which are actually exceedingly
important, such as delivering a glass of iced tea while I was in the midst of
writing or reminding me to take a break for meals. You are my rock.
I would be remiss if I did not mention my parents. They both passed on
many years ago, but they instilled in me the love of music, the desire to suc-
ceed, and a heart for people.
Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank senior editor Norman
Hirschy. Thank you for your support, guidance, and shared vision on this
project. Thank you for the inspiration and encouragement to turn a national
presentation into a permanent work that hopefully will add to the overall
body of knowledge in the area of music education mentoring. I sincerely
would not have ventured on this path without your leading.
In addition, I would like to thank Oxford University Press for this amaz-
ing opportunity. I am earnestly appreciative of all the editorial and design
personnel who contributed to this endeavor. It has truly been an honor and
a pleasure.
Jamila L. McWhirter, PhD
[ x ] Acknowledgments
xi
INTRODUCTION
As musicians we are taught to make music with others. As music educators

we teach our students to perform, encourage them to create, respond, and
reflect. These qualities are so ingrained in how we teach that they are now
embedded in the new National Standards for Music Education. Even in the
“old nine,” as many of us lovingly refer to the 1994 National Standards, we
instructed our students to sing and play “alone and with others a varied
repertoire of music.” This concept of actively listening to and collaborating
with others in order to successfully create beautiful music is deeply instilled
in us. This idea of working with others toward a common purpose and goal
is nothing new to musicians. As we begin to incorporate the newly devel-
oped standards, we continue to see the collaborative nature of the artis-
tic processes of “Perform, Create, Respond, and Connect.” Collaboration
should not be a novel concept to those in music education. Yet how much
time is spent in music teacher preparation programs on the collaborative
nature of mentoring?
When it comes to the concept of music education mentoring, the model
has been more of an applied lesson rather than a creative duet. Applied les-
sons are necessary and how most of us develop our ability to be masters of
our chosen instruments. This conjures in our minds a very different picture
than perhaps two singers on stage presenting a duet performance, in which
each person has employed his or her best abilities to prepare for a high-
quality performance. In music education, beginning music teachers have
received much instruction and are now ready to present the performance
of a lifetime in front of an eager audience of their very own students.
Still, several of my own university graduates who are early career music
educators have expressed the challenges they face when their mentors
treat them more like student teaching candidates rather than colleagues.
Conversely, others expect a mentor who will be involved in every aspect
xii
of their teaching career. When this does not occur, they feel they are not
receiving the guidance they expected.
We spend a vast amount of energy instructing mentors on what begin-
ning music educators need and train our pre-service music educators to
seek out those who can contribute the most to their endeavors in this new
adventure of music teaching. However, this book examines how beginning
music educators can be proactive partners in the mentoring process, rather
than simply expecting or waiting for a mentor to create solutions and pro-
vide them. This book is written specifically for those being mentored. Its
purpose is to provide insights into the partnership of the music education
mentoring experience for those who are in undergraduate music education
or licensure programs, particularly those who are early career music educa-
tors. For the purposes of this book, the term emerging music educators is
defined as both pre-service and early career music educators.
A review of the literature in music education mentoring, especially
related to those in their first year of teaching music, indicates that early
career music educators deal with numerous issues, including classroom
management, isolation, and micropolitical challenges such as dealing with
administrators and colleagues (Barnes, 2010; Conway, 2001b; Conway &
Christensen, 2006; Conway, Micheel-Mays, & Micheel-Mays, 2005; Conway &
Zerman, 2004; Krueger, 1996). Colleen Conway (2015) presented three
bodies of literature related to first year music teaching in a recent Update
article. She examined research that included “challenges faced by begin-
ning music teachers, views of beginning music teachers concerning their
preservice preparation, and beginning music teacher induction and men-
toring” (p. 65). The purpose behind her review was to offer recommen-
dations for pre-service music teacher education and research (Conway,
2015). One important conclusion she drew was that “we know very little
about how gender, ethnicity, preservice preparation, age, school context,
administrative structure, and many other variables interact with begin-
ning teacher success” (Conway, 2015, p. 70). This text does not attempt
to answer the many questions we still have as researchers regarding these
important areas of influence. However, it is written to help pre-service
and early career music educators come to a more clear understanding of
themselves in order to gain meaningful insights from the mentoring pro-
cess. Authentic self-evaluation, which is necessary for growth and develop-
ment as an educator, should include the examination of one’s own feelings
toward his or her pre-service preparation, past mentoring experiences, and
the current school context and administrative structure that is now a large
part of daily life. This book contains tools that will assist the pre-service
and early career music educator on this journey of self-exploration.
[ xii ] Introduction
xiii
My own interest in mentoring research began as I encountered numer-

ous articles and books written specifically for mentors, but not for those
being mentored. The vast majority of literature consists of research stud-
ies designed to give music teacher educators insights into pre-service and
early career music educators and their struggles. This, of course, allows us
to address these issues in our courses and residency placements with our
students. In addition, this information allows us to guide veteran teachers
as they work with and mentor our students during field placements and
residency experiences. However, when I presented professional develop-
ment workshops or conference sessions on the topic (McWhirter, 2008;
McWhirter, 2013; McWhirter, 2014a; McWhirter, 2014b; McWhirter,
2015) in which both early career and veteran music educators were pres-
ent, the beginning music teachers would often seek a private audience
with me afterward in which they would describe their difficulties with the
mentoring process. I began to consider my own experiences as a young
music education mentee and various roles over the years as a music edu-
cation mentor and adviser. I began to contemplate: With all of the mate-
rial that we must cover as music teacher educators, how much time do
we spend teaching our music education majors to effectively receive the
benefits of mentoring?
This question was further impressed upon me when Colleen Conway,
who is well known in music education circles for her work in mentoring,
visited our campus as an honored guest scholar. As she conducted sev-
eral combined sessions with our music education faculty and College of
Education colleagues, I observed the differences in the way the information
she presented was received by our nonmusic education colleagues. There
appeared to be a disconnect in their understanding of the activities. This
continued to raise more questions in my mind about our responsibility as
music teacher educators to prepare our students to proactively recognize
and seek the benefits of mentoring relationships. If we in the School of
Music were not equipping our emerging music educators to understand
the value of mentoring, then such preparation was likely not occurring
elsewhere.
Granted, our courses are designed to encourage professional develop-
ment, networking, and the importance of seeking out others for guidance,
as well as bringing experienced music educators on campus to speak with
our students. However, as I began to encounter more and more students
who depended on technology rather than personal connections to gain
insight and information, I observed that several of my students had dif-
ficulty preparing for these types of relationships. Questions began to for-
mulate in my mind about what was needed to prepare these students for
Introduction [ xiii ]
xiv
successful mentoring partnerships: not what we as music teacher educa-

tors and veteran music teachers could provide, but how these emerging
music educators might prepare in advance to become active partners in
a creative mentoring process. These questions guided my preparation for
course discussions, professional development workshop presentations, as
well as state and national conference presentations. This eventually led to
the present text.
FOR EMERGING MUSIC EDUCATORS: PRE-S ERVICE

AND EARLY CAREER
This text is written to aid your understanding of how to approach men-

toring sessions and gain the utmost from the guidance of your mentor.
Hopefully this is a different type of book than you have read previously. It is
not a typical “how to” book. I could write an entire book on classroom man-
agement, for example, but that is not the purpose of this text. My hope is
that this text is unique because it is addressed to you, the emerging music
educator. This is not a book on how to mentor, but a book on how to gain
the most from your mentoring experiences while sharing and finding your
own voice. I hope it will lead you to a desire to mentor others when the
opportunity arises.
The stage in your career at which you are reading this book will make
a difference in your perception. We know from music education research
that pre-service music educators’ concerns shift over time from self-
survival mode to more concern for creating an impact on the students in
their teaching sphere (Miksza & Berg, 2013). Therefore, if you are a pre-
service music educator who is in the initial stages of a music education
program, your self-evaluation process may reflect concerns about how you
are going to manage all of the demands of teaching in general. This focus
may be different if you are a pre-service music educator who is close to
graduation. Those who are entering student teaching tend to reflect more
on self-concerns than those who have completed student teaching, who
tend to reflect more on student concerns (Killian, Dye, & Wayman, 2013).
For example, your self-evaluation may reveal your desire to communicate
more effectively for the benefit of your students. Neither of these concerns
is superior to the other. The focus simply changes with time and experi-
ence. Therefore, the stage of your current development, whether early pre-
service, at the initial stages of student teaching, embarking on your first
year, or in your third year of music teaching, will affect how you assimilate
and apply the principles in this text. You have different concerns at each
[ xiv ] Introduction
xv
stage of development. This means you will also have different mentoring
needs. Nevertheless, the concepts in this book apply in all of these situa-
tions because it is never too early or too late to take a proactive role in your
own professional growth. Also, I encourage you to revisit these pages as
you enter the different stages of your career. You will not remain stagnant,
and neither should your goals, personal mission statements, and other
areas discussed in this text.
This book is designed to assist early career music educators in their first
five years develop a successful partnership with assigned mentors or help
those who are left to seek out mentors on their own. This text examines
the issues related to assigned mentors who may not teach music as well as
those who are specialists. Also, guidance is offered for those who wish to or
need to seek out a mentor because one is not readily available.
The sections entitled “Real Life 101” are unfiltered comments on the
mentoring process. These comments may inspire you or stimulate your
thinking. The contributors are pre-service and early career educators just
like you. I hope you gain knowledge and strength from their contributions.
In order to become fully immersed in the mentoring process, emerging
music educators need the tools and strategies to be equal duet partners.
Just as each musician must execute his or her part with technical accuracy,
musicianship skills, and creative response to his or her musical collabora-
tor, so both the mentor and new music teacher each carry the responsibil-
ity for making a successful mentoring partnership.
Just as it took years of practice to become an outstanding musician,
becoming skilled as a music educator also requires time, dedication, forti-
tude, and creativity. May you discover several inventive concepts that will
assist your journey into the discipline of music education.
COLLEGIATE LEVEL USES FOR MUSIC TEACHER EDUCATORS
As stated previously, this book is intended for emerging music educators,

defined as both pre-service and early career music educators. This book
may be included in the introduction to music education foundation course
for those who are newly entering the field and are faced with mentoring as
an entirely new concept or perhaps as a supplemental text during student
teaching residency seminars.
It is hoped that this will become an innovative approach that you share
with your students and new graduates in the field. Perhaps it will also
change the manner in which you mentor, expecting and allowing more
of a creative collaboration to occur during mentoring sessions. You may
Introduction [ xv ]
xvi
also find yourself inspired to create unique innovations in mentoring

at your institution. We know that as music teacher educators we do not
always have a voice in the present conservatory model of music teacher
training. We know that in some areas, such as content of music education
techniques courses, content of music education courses, and choice of
instructor for music education courses, even coordinators of music educa-
tion do not necessarily have input (McWhirter & Wilson, 2016). Yet we
must continue to make innovative inroads where possible, because we also
know that the beginning music educator’s capacity for managing the daily
challenges of music teaching is related to the caliber of their preservice
teacher preparation (Ballantyne & Packer, 2004; Brophy, 2002; Conway,
2002; Conway, Eros, Hourigan, & Stanley, 2007; Draves, 2008; Roulston,
Legette, & Womak, 2005). If we could escape the confines of 120-hour
degree programs and truly reimagine music teacher education curriculum,
then perhaps more time could be given to creative music teacher mentor-
ing. Hopefully this type of text will fill the void as a supplement until that
time emerges.
The majority of models in music education mentoring texts are compila-
tions of research studies written for the mentor or scholar as audience. In
contrast, this book is designed for the freshman music education major
who has recently graduated from high school with dreams of making a dif-
ference in the lives of students through music teaching. He or she should
be able to read this book and find the content useful, applicable, and read-
able. This book is also designed for the early career music educator who is
busy planning, preparing, and teaching and only has a limited amount of
time each day for reflection and personal study. He or she should be able
to digest this book easily and apply the principles immediately. While the
work is certainly grounded in research, I have written in a more conversa-
tional, informal style for pre-service teachers and practitioners. The intent
is to make this an approachable work for the busy practitioner who only
has a limited amount of reading time or a supplemental text for under-
graduate music education courses.
The text itself is intentionally free of charts, graphs, and worksheets, so
that the narrative will not be interrupted. I have observed that when my
students encounter these items in a text they either ignore them and con-
tinue reading or disregard them at the time with the intention of returning
to them for examination. I have informally asked them why they ignore
colored boxes with information and items of this nature. They often reply
that they perceive these boxes as simply repeating what is in the narrative
or as similar to boxes that appear uninvited on a computer screen, which
they customarily ignore. I find that my millennial students assimilate
[ xvi ] Introduction
xvii
reading content in a different manner than myself and students I taught

two decades ago. Therefore, the tools discussed in the text have been placed
in the appendices. These appendices may also be used as a supplement to
other materials you may be using in music education methods courses.
The end of each chapter includes a section entitled “Real Life 101.” These
are unfiltered comments of pre-service and early career music educators
regarding their perspectives and experiences with the mentoring process.
The contributors were not asked to write on any particular topic or area of
mentoring. They were asked to share their thoughts, experiences, or any
advice they might wish to give regarding music teacher mentoring. They
were not given any information other than that their statements would be
included in a book I was writing on the topic of music education mentoring.
When I received these comments I was amazed to find that the topics they
addressed aligned so well with the content of each chapter. You may wish
to share these experiences with your students as a catalyst for discussion.
Also included in the text are several scenarios of mentoring conversa-
tions that demonstrate the differences that may arise when the mentee is
prepared for the meeting and actively taking a proactive approach. These
may also be utilized as a catalyst for discussion with your students.
I have learned from many mentors, colleagues, and students through
the years. My hope is that in these pages, whether you are a pre-service,
early career, or music teacher educator, you find ideas that will be helpful
as you begin your own journey as a music teacher or guiding others as they
prepare for and enter the profession.
Dr. Jamila L. McWhirter
Introduction [ xvii ]
xviii
xix
A Creative Duet
xx
1
CHAPTER 1
Foundations for a Creative Duet

Choosing an Inspiring Mentor and Connecting
with Those Assigned
FORMAL AND INFORMAL MENTORS
Teaching music is an exhilarating and inspiring profession. It can also

be demanding and difficult. As in other professions, new music teach-
ers need dependable assistance from colleagues to thrive and flourish in
music education. The opportunity to associate with other music teachers
is an effective means to success. Interacting with experienced music teach-
ers is a professional necessity. It has been noted that one of the reasons
teachers leave their careers is insufficient early and continuous mentor-
ing (Ingersoll, 2001). Access to this manner of collaborative networking
can increase assurance and vision in novice music educators. Ingersoll
and Smith (2004) conducted research to determine whether this type of
assistance has an explicit effect on the retention of novice teachers. The
results revealed that those who were offered several types of assistance,
such as mentoring programs, collective group activities, extra resources,
and reduced workloads, were less probable to change schools and less apt
to renounce the teaching profession after the first year. Formal induction
programs provided by school districts appear to have a positive effect on
beginning educators, regardless of subject matter or grade level taught.
However, a formally assigned mentor may not be another music educa-
tor. Research findings suggest that separation from other music teachers
2
is a considerable issue for many early career music teachers (DeLorenzo,

1992). Novice music teachers need to examine their teaching through
deliberation, reflection, and discourse, but they often do not have as men-
tors knowledgeable music educators who have viewed their teaching and
are involved in the formal teacher evaluation process. Experienced music
educators are recognized as providing the most substantial mentoring
assistance during the first year of teaching, and new music teachers need
aid with particular music-related concerns and issues (Blair, 2008; Conway,
2003b; DeLorenzo, 1992; Krueger, 1999; Krueger, 2001; Schmidt, 2008;
Schmidt & Canser, 2006; Stevanson, 2005). Research shows that induction
and professional development in the field of music education are appar-
ently inconsistent (Benson, 2008; Conway, 2001a; Conway, 2003a; Conway,
2012a; Conway, Krueger, Robinson, Haack, & Smith, 2002; McIlhagga,
2006; Montague, 2000; Smith, 1994) and unfortunately, 34 percent of
music education graduates leave the profession within six years (Madsen &
Hancock, 2002). Therefore, new music education mentees must prepare for
relationships with nonmusic mentors and develop strategies for seeking
out experienced music educators for various levels of mentoring and sup-
port, which are invaluable for a successful first year and beyond.
Just as being an expert in any subject matter does not equate with being
an excellent teacher in that subject, the same holds true for mentoring.
Additional qualities beyond the appearance of a successful choral, band, or
general music program must be considered. When seeking a music educa-
tion mentor who is not officially assigned by a school district, it can be
difficult to separate the expertise in subject matter from the qualities of an
excellent mentor. One should not assume that simply because a music edu-
cation mentor is assigned, that any additional training on how to mentor
has been received. “Rather, one of the primary challenges lies in equipping
well-intentioned and concerned veteran music teachers with strategies
that will prove to be effective methods for offering the support that new
music teachers so badly need” (Smith, 2003, p. 106). So how does a new
music teacher begin to locate a master music educator who will also be an
excellent mentor?
First, seek the council of university professors who know the elemen-
tary and secondary music educators in the area. Begin with the music edu-
cation faculty at your alumni institution, especially if you are still teaching
in the area where you graduated. They know which area music educators
are willing to share their time and expertise. They also may know numer-
ous music educators outside of the immediate area because of their vari-
ous backgrounds. Most professors have studied, taught, researched, and
[ 2 ] A Creative Duet
3
presented in numerous locations. It may be surprising how much direction

they can provide in establishing a connection with a possible music educa-
tion mentor. Also, do not forget that although they cannot be there on a
daily basis and have the type of mentoring relationship they had with you
as an undergraduate, they are still a valuable resource, willing to assist.
Recently a former student of mine who has been teaching for eight years
called and asked for advice regarding a school in the immediate area at which
she was scheduled to have an interview. She has reached the point in her
career where she desires to make a change. She has kept in touch with me
over the years and has contacted me with various teaching, position, and
instructional questions. I am more than happy to assist and am delighted
that she feels she can still come to me for advice and guidance. I know that
my colleagues in universities across the country feel the same. As music
teacher educators, we are here to be a continuous source of support.
Second, connect with local professional music education organizations.
If you are uncertain how your state is organized, or if you are teaching in a
state with which you are not familiar, be sure to visit the state’s music edu-
cation association web page for information. Do not assume that all states
are organized in the same fashion as the state where you graduated and
received your teaching license. There may be some similarities, but each
state structure is different. This connection is important on several levels.
Involvement creates opportunities for introductions and networking. Also,
many district-and regional-level music education organizations have a list
of those willing to serve as mentors.
Third, an emerging music educator needs to examine additional traits
and characteristics of the seasoned music educator before approaching
him or her with a proposal to regularly meet in a mentoring relationship.
A simple way to begin is to ask if you may observe that person’s classroom.
This will provide an opportunity to actually view the experienced teacher’s
philosophy in action. Also, it precipitates the prospect of inviting the vet-
eran teacher to observe you, the early career music educator. As these types
of interactions proceed, you are able to reflect on the qualities you would
like to find in a music education mentor. In addition, seek a master music
educator who is acquainted with recent grade-level teaching methods and
resources. There may be a fabulous high school choral director in a nearby
school, but if you are an elementary general music specialist, this may not
be the most advantageous pairing. It depends on the background of the
veteran high school choral director. Perhaps he or she has elementary expe-
rience, but if not, be willing to accept that this person may not be the best
mentor for your particular teaching situation.
F o u n dat i o n s f or a C r e at i v e D u e t [ 3 ]
4
IRON SHARPENS IRON: QUALITIES OF INSPIRED MUSIC

EDUCATION MENTORS
“You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another” (Prov.
27:17, MSG). This proverb reminds us that it is important to surround our-
selves with those individuals whom we wish to emulate. Surely if we see a
successful music program from the outside, then it must follow that the
master teacher responsible for this program will make a fabulous mentor.
It is true that the mentor needs to demonstrate a standard of excellence
that the early career music teacher may emulate. It is necessary that the
mentee respect the mentor as a successful archetype. However, successful
mentoring requires more attributes than simply being an excellent teacher.
When seeking a music-specific mentor, consider that this person must be
willing and able to give of his or her time; be willing to maintain an open
and affirming climate; and be able to provide thoughtful, candid, and con-
structive feedback.
First, the challenge of time is daunting for any music educator, emerging
and veteran alike. However, an excellent mentor will be purposely pres-
ent. This means providing regularly scheduled mentoring opportunities.
“Availability may seem obvious, but because music teachers are very busy
people, this factor has to be considered carefully” (Haack & Smith, 2000,
p. 25). This may also mean being available beyond those regularly scheduled
meetings. Just as our students know we care by the time we invest in and
spend with them, so a mentee will feel the same connection when a mentor
is fully invested. Duling (2007) refers to this “signal willingness” (p. 70)
in a discussion of choosing mentors for circumstances in which there is
an occasion and necessity to request the assistance of others for a specific
perceived purpose. “Since ‘signal willingness’ relationships may develop
outside a formal system and after a teacher’s practice has stabilized, inser-
vice teachers may view the signals by either party as a more conscious and
individual choice” (p. 70).
When I was a doctoral student, I traveled three-hour round trip every
day to teach and attend classes. In addition, during my final year, when
I conducted research, wrote my dissertation, and began interviewing for
tenure-track university positions in various states, I accepted the lead
role of Annie in Annie Get Your Gun in a local musical theater produc-
tion. I was not seeking to add anything else to my abundantly full agenda.
However, this was not just any local production. In my years of music
teaching in that community, I had sung many lead roles and directed for
that theater company. The people of that theater community held a spe-
cial place in my heart, many of them colleagues from the surrounding
5
area, former students, and parents of former students. They contacted

me with a request to play the role. I knew this would be the last pro-
duction I would share with these people who had supported my music
program through the years, so I obliged. There are times when it is appro-
priate to decline opportunities when one is overextended, as discussed in
subsequent chapters, but there are also times when those involved in the
event or project are especially dear to one’s heart, requiring an affirma-
tive answer.
I was nervous about sharing this information with my dissertation
adviser, who was also my teacher, mentor, and role model. She simply
shook her head in disbelief that I would take on more during this extremely
busy time, but demonstrated only support for my abilities and an under-
standing of why I would add musical theater rehearsals and performances
to a full schedule of teaching, research, travel, university performances,
and administrative duties.
Several weeks later, to complicate matters further, I was involved in an
automobile accident, when my car collided with a guard rail at over 70 miles
per hour and I sustained a forceful impact. The ambulance attendants and
highway patrol officer were amazed that I was basically unharmed. I did
have a great deal of soreness and an injured shoulder, which made dancing
during rehearsals almost unbearable. In addition, my vehicle was no lon-
ger operational and was in the body shop for an extended period of time,
which created additional issues until I obtained a rental car for my three-
hour commute. Once again, my mentor showed only support through this
difficult time.
Weeks passed, and finally the time for the performances arrived. My
mentor and her daughter attended one of the six performances. She was
willing to make the three-hour round trip, and because the production was
so late in the evening, she and her young daughter stayed overnight in a
local hotel. Her willingness to take time from her immensely busy schedule
touched me deeply, as well as the confidence she demonstrated in my abili-
ties. Not only is she a master music educator who is known internationally
as an expert in the field of music education, but she is the type of person
who invests in others. It has been 11 years since I received my doctorate,
and I still seek her council. This is an example of the type of connection that
may be formed when a mentor is fully invested.
There may be a reputable, knowledgeable, proficient music educator
located in a nearby location with whom you are considering a mentoring
partnership, but if he or she cannot commit to the giving of time, then it is
best to continue the search. Time is a necessity for a mentor and mentee to
become fully acquainted and forge a relationship.
6
OPEN AND AFFIRMING LEARNING CLIMATE
This chapter focuses on desirable traits and characteristics to seek in a pos-

sible mentor. However, accompanying this potential mentor search, the
mentee must also allow for a time of self-reflection. The subsequent chap-
ters assist in this process of self-examination. This type of honest analysis
is necessary to determine if the mentee is sincerely ready to likewise devote
the time and commitment needed to form a successful mentoring part-
nership. An emerging music teacher must be open to recommendations,
observations, and coaching from the music education mentor. If this is not
the case, then the insightfulness of the mentor will not matter. Therefore,
when entreating a music specialist to become a mentor, be sure to inform
this individual that you are seeking an honest and affirming learning
environment.
SUPPORT AND CHALLENGE
An excellent mentor must be willing to encourage as well as candidly offer

feedback in order for the emerging music educator to grow in the profes-
sion. When considering a music education mentor, these are two elements
that must coexist. If the veteran music educator offers support but does
not provide challenges, then the new music educator cannot develop fully.
On the contrary, if the mentor views his or her role as providing only chal-
lenges without support, this can be very detrimental to the emerging music
educator.
A recent university graduate in his second year of teaching shared
with me that he was struggling with his school district–assigned music
education mentor. He had an abundant amount of respect for this per-
son as a music educator and considered his mentor to be highly success-
ful in the classroom. However, this early career music teacher felt that he
was not being bolstered by this individual. He expressed that the mentor
was continually providing negative rather than constructive feedback,
and that his own ideas for the program were met with little encourage-
ment. He was apprehensive about how to proceed because this music
education mentor had been assigned to him. He felt trapped in this rela-
tionship. He did not wish to bring his concerns to the administration
of his school and feared that they would not be reviewed with open-
ness. We discussed several approaches he could attempt. These ideas are
included in subsequent chapters. His relationship with this person did
improve greatly, but it was never to be the cultivating type of connection
7
he desired. The mentor never fully understood why he was not satisfied
with the association.
The emerging music educator in this example was not able to replace his
mentor because he was an assigned mentor. When you do have the free-
dom to select or engage an experienced music educator as a mentor, be sure
to seek someone who will be both supportive and challenging.
ROLES OF INFORMAL AND FORMAL MENTORS

WHO ARE ASSIGNED
Semeniuk and Worrall (2000) suggest that “mentoring’s meaning is now

imprecise because it is used as an umbrella term for many kinds of affilia-
tions in teaching” (p. 405). They found that researchers in teacher develop-
ment continue to endeavor to elucidate the connotation of mentor by using
various synonyms, such as “developer of talent, coach, facilitator, friend,
advisor, [and] opener of doors” (p. 409). I believe this is why some of the
emerging music educators who contributed to this book discuss the con-
cept of mentoring relationships that arise naturally. Formal induction pro-
grams are beneficial, but if these are all that is needed to turn novice music
educators into mature professionals, then why do we highly value those
informal professional relationships that develop over time? It is through
these naturally evolving encounters and borrowing various ideas from a
plethora of others that we learn.
As stated at the beginning of this chapter, informal and formal mentors
will be present throughout a teaching career. Frequently music teachers
are formally assigned mentors in other curricular areas. This is why early
career music educators must diligently appeal to those in the music field
who are willing to serve as both informal and formal mentors. Conversely,
remember that simply because an assigned mentor teaches outside the
field of music does not suggest this person has nothing to offer. Novice
teachers need emotional support; stress-management strategies; coping
mechanisms; and lessons on communicating with parents, other faculty
members, and administrators. A nonmusic mentor who is invested in guid-
ing new teachers, regardless of subject matter, can be a great resource and
support system in all of these areas.
If you are assigned a music educator as mentor, the mentoring relation-
ship can be expanded to include the myriad questions that occur in daily
music teaching. This subject matter–specific mentor can answer these ques-
tions and additionally demonstrate how he or she accomplishes these tasks
or tackles these issues. Furthermore, having a music educator as mentor
8
means that the creative duet of contributing experiences, sharing musi-

cal ideas and suggestions, and working through musical and music-specific
teaching challenges can be accomplished in a collaborative manner:
• How can this type of collegial mentoring be accomplished?

• What does the emerging music educator need to do to prepare for this
type of mentoring relationship?
• How can the early career music educator be creatively involved in the
process and not simply a bystander waiting for answers?
The following chapters explore how emerging music educators can

become proactive partners in their own professional growth and how to
gain the most from both informal and formal mentoring situations with
both nonmusic and music specialist mentors. In addition, at the conclu-
sion of several chapters you will encounter sections entitled “Real Life 101,”
which contain reflections by emerging music educators on their own men-
toring experiences. I have included these comments in their own words.
The only changes I have made are to mentions of particular places or per-
sons, to keep the text more generic and protect anonymity. Many of these
reflections are by early career music educators concluding their first year
of teaching. I also asked a few with more years of experience to contribute.
There is a mixture of elementary, middle, and high school teachers, as well
as teachers of band, choral, and general music. I hope you enjoy and learn
from their insights. At the very least, I trust that you will see that you are
not alone in the mentoring challenges and successes that await.
9
CHAPTER 2
Preparing for a Creative Duet

Becoming an Innovative Music Education Mentee
QUESTIONS AND GOALS
“Institutional and personal professional goals are important, interwoven,

and interdependent in the successful teaching career” (Smith & Haack,
2000, p. 31). Examining questions and goals, problem solving, setting
realistic expectations, and a willingness to try alternative approaches are
ways in which the novice music educator can begin to become an innova-
tive music education mentee. These concepts lay the foundation for a more
in-depth discussion in subsequent chapters regarding the creative process
in music education mentoring.
Becoming sincerely acquainted with your mentor during the initial meet-
ing will increase your comfort level and build a sense of trust. Be prepared
to ask questions centered on your hopes and expectations for the mentor-
ing process. Consider your overall objectives. Be honest with yourself about
those areas in which you might need assistance. Also, consider whether
you might need to change any of your behaviors to reach these goals. For
example, do you need to find time for more detailed score study for the
ensembles you are teaching or for continued personal musical growth so
that you will be an excellent musical model for your students?
Prepare a personal mission statement about your role as a new music
teacher mentee. This personal mission statement should be based on your
questions, your goals, and what you really want to know through the men-
toring process. This personal mission statement should provide direction
10
and guidance for you as a person, musician, and teacher. Appendix A con-
tains guidance for preparing this statement. A personal mission statement
will be a valuable tool as you enter mentoring relationships with both non-
music mentors and experienced music education mentors. It will allow the
focus to remain on the end result. As Stephen Covey states, “when you
begin with the end in mind, you gain a different perspective” (2004, p. 99).
The development of a personal mission statement does not begin at the
initial meeting with the mentor. The thought process must begin prior to
the first meeting, with much care and consideration. As you develop this
personal mission statement, think about how you are sincerely motivated.
In addition, determine what percentage of your personal goals and profes-
sional goals are intertwined. As a music education mentee, your personal
mission statement and philosophy of music education will set a benchmark
for where you wish to arrive professionally and personally by the conclu-
sion of the academic year. It should serve as a catalyst for discussion with
your mentor, regardless of his or her experience in music education.
In my own experience as a beginning music educator in 1989, I found
myself with a formally assigned mentor who was not a music educator.
I was teaching K–12 vocal/general music education and had a music educa-
tion colleague who taught band grades 5–12 in the same school. However,
he was not assigned as my formal mentor.
My formally assigned mentor’s area of teaching was instructing stu-
dents with exceptionalities. She dealt specifically with children who dem-
onstrated behavioral issues. Since a statewide initiative for new teachers
in public schools had recently been inaugurated, the state department of
education had provided every school district with formal mentor evalu-
ation checklists. So unfortunately our meetings became a discussion of
completed items on a worksheet, which of course did not have any type of
music education focus. Composing a personal mission statement was not
even a passing thought.
As the year progressed, I did begin to see value in this mentoring rela-
tionship from the perspective of gaining as much knowledge as possible in
the area of dealing with students with exceptionalities in my music class-
room. The mentor had not approached our relationship from this stand-
point, but as I began to ask specific questions about students she worked
with every day who were also in my choir or general music classes, she
became much more engaged as an authentic mentor. Although she did not
have the knowledge or experience to assist with music content issues with
these students, she could share valuable insights into how to engage them
as active learners. As a music education mentee, rather than focusing on
what a nonmusic mentor lacks, it is more beneficial to discover how he or
11
she may contribute to your success in motivating students and other areas,
such as classroom management issues.
Creating a personal mission statement allows the emerging music edu-
cator to focus on personal goals as a musician and teacher. In addition,
the mentoring relationship itself should be driven by a mission statement.
Regardless of the mentor’s background, circumstances should not dictate
the course of the mentoring relationship. If the mentor does not take the
lead in developing a mission statement for the relationship, be proactive in
suggesting that the two of you examine the holistic picture of the mentor-
ing process. Examine your professional roles in the relationship and what
steps are necessary for each of you to feel that the mentoring process has
been a successful one by the conclusion of the academic year.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Music education student teaching candidates are often anxious and

excited about having their own classrooms. During the student teaching
internship experience, I often hear phrases such as “when I have my own
classroom I will … .” However, even the finest music education programs
cannot realistically prepare pre-service music teachers for all of the chal-
lenges encountered in the first year of teaching. In many teaching situa-
tions, the novice music educator is faced with realities that differ from the
vision he or she had of daily life as a music teacher. “As a general rule, col-
lege students hold more liberal, idealistic views toward educating children
and teens than do experienced teachers” (Fallin & Royse, 2000). In 2002
Collen Conway conducted a study with Mandi Garlock that depicts the dif-
ficulties Mandi confronted in her first year as a K–3 general music educator
in an urban district. Throughout the study, Garlock (Conway & Garlock,
2002) describes lack of preparation in dealing with urban issues, as well
as classroom management problems linked to matters beyond her control,
regularly expected interruptions to the music teaching schedule, and the
reality of being the sole leader in her classroom. It has been well established
that beginning teachers, regardless of subject matter, face a host of chal-
lenges, including isolation, community relationships, parental issues, and
feelings of being overworked.
Sindberg (2011) investigated how public school music teachers in an
urban district comprehend and communicate their encounters with pro-
fessional isolation and connectedness. Four themes of how the music edu-
cators reacted arose from her data: “emotional reactions, external factors,
social factors, and awareness” (p. 7). She found that when music educators
P r e pa r i n g f or a C r e at i v e D u e t [ 11 ]
12
from this district were allowed to meet as a group, these in-service encoun-
ters were viewed as beneficial. Some of the external factors that music
teachers perceived as contributing to a lack of connectedness were “com-
munication, workload, physical proximity, schedule, and perceived lack of
value” (p. 14). The music educators also expressed a need for “social interac-
tions” to serve as a “foundation for meaningful professional relationships”
(p. 16). Sindberg also discovered that awareness of isolation as a music
teacher can alter and change over time. For example, a first-year teacher
may not be immediately aware of isolation due to the immediacy of teach-
ing and the demands of beginning a new phase in life as a professional
educator. As time passes, the lack of connection may begin to become more
evident. This is why it is very important to institute mentoring associa-
tions early, so that when these issues become more prevalent, a connection
has already been established.
The mentoring process can help ease some of these burdens on an early
career music teacher. This can only occur, however, if the mentoring rela-
tionship is focused on finding solutions and not solely on the problems
themselves. As an innovative music educator mentee, do not take so long
discussing the problem or issue with your mentor that possible solutions
are never examined. The mentoring meeting should be a safe place for vent-
ing frustration, but if this frustration becomes the primary emphasis, the
mentoring time will lose its value. Be mindful of the mission statement for
the mentoring sessions and refer to it often.
After an initial voicing of the issue, begin to brainstorm ways in which
the situation may be resolved. The opening ideas do not need to be brilliant
or profound. They simply need to be the foundation for discussion. If you
have a nonmusic mentor, you may need to solicit additional advice from
another music teacher in the community. However, do not avoid speaking
with your formally assigned nonmusic mentor when facing an issue. He or
she may have valuable insights, such as information on the history of the
community with regard to how music is viewed or how parental support is
perceived by the teachers of the district.
During a parent-teacher conference evening in my first teaching posi-
tion, I overheard a parent speaking with one of our English teachers in
the hallway. The parent said, “Well, I don’t know why they have to study
English in school anyway. They talk it at home every day.” At the time I was
trying to determine how to communicate the value of music education to
this community. I realized in that moment that I was not alone in trying
to impart the worth of my subject matter. Furthermore, I realized that if
this veteran English teacher was still attempting to teach an understanding
of her subject matter to the parents of this community, then I as a music
13
teacher would need creative, collaborative approaches in the area of advo-

cacy. I left that teaching position after my third year, but I never forgot this
lesson. This type of insight into how education is viewed in the community
can be discussed and strategies for action developed regardless of the sub-
ject expertise of the mentor.
Once collaborative brainstorming with your mentor has occurred, make
a timeline and list of resources for each issue you are addressing. If you need
to speak with another music educator, plan specifically when this should
occur. If you need to present information to administrators or the school
board, set in motion the process of being placed on their calendars. If you
have inadequate materials or rehearsal/performance space, investigate the
costs as if you were running a business. Develop a business plan to present
to your administrators. If you have curriculum or teaching concerns, set a
date to observe and speak with a veteran music educator. Speak with your
administrator about having this count toward professional development
hours, but be prepared to use a personal day or sick day if necessary.
Continue to inform your mentor of the progress you have made in
each problem area. Meetings should continue to focus on the solutions to
concerns and issues. Discuss how you will know you have been success-
ful in dealing with the challenge and then reflect on which solutions were
effective.
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS AND BEING SMART
Setting realistic expectations with your mentor is essential to your per-

sonal and professional growth as a music educator. Remember, you are
unique, and your goals are unique to you. These expectations and goals will
be shaped by the context in which you are currently teaching music. For
example, the type of school setting, whether urban, suburban, or rural, will
influence what is reasonable regarding your aspirations and the opportuni-
ties that may be available. You may wish to begin graduate work, but the
closest physical university is three hours away. Therefore you are faced with
pursuing a degree online or during the summer months. This is just one
example of how the context in which you are teaching will influence your
decisions. Your mentor can be a valuable partner in making these choices.
Ideas from the business world may provide insight into the process of
jointly identifying objectives with your mentor. Drucker (1954) proposed
the concept of management by objectives in The Practice of Management.
This concept was later described by Odiorne (1965) as a process of mutu-
ally ascertaining common goals and delineating responsibility in terms of
14
outcomes anticipated, and as a measurement of the involvement of each

member of a management team. In 1981 Doran included the SMART sys-
tem of writing goals and objectives in an article for Management Review.
This system is defined as the development of goals that are specific, measur-
able, achievable, and realistic, during an established time frame. The system
has been adopted and adapted by many in the business world. This concept
may also be applied to the mentor/mentee relationship in teaching, specifi-
cally music teaching.
A detailed SMART worksheet is included in appendix B. Before begin-
ning this worksheet, it is important to perform a self-analysis of your
overall objectives. First, be honest in assessing in which areas you need
assistance. These may be musical or nonmusical. They may be areas of
teaching or other school-specific areas. They may include, but are not lim-
ited to, classroom management, physical exhaustion, scheduling, budget
concerns, relationships with other teachers in the building or district, inad-
equate materials or instruments, being asked to teach subjects other than
music, adapting music lesson material for students with special needs,
and time for personal music-making activities. Appendix C, the “Music
Educator’s Time Matrix,” will assist you in determining where and how you
currently spend your time. Next, determine what type of assistance you
may need in each of the identified areas. What resources are available to
you? What resources that are not readily available do you think you will
need to address the acknowledged areas? Can your mentor assist you in
identifying additional resources?
When these foundational steps have been completed, begin to focus
on identifiable goals. The initial step in the SMART concept is to be spe-
cific. This applies to personal, teaching, and musicianship development.
Beginning music teachers often think in vague aspirations or viewpoints,
such as in the following vignette:
mentee: I am so frustrated with my third period choir. All of the stu-

dents talk and do not listen to instructions. The noise level is so
loud that I feel I need to shout to get their attention. I really would
like to know how to get control of all of these students.
mentor: I am glad to help, but let’s see if we can define the issues a
little more. First, why do you feel it is all of the students?
mentee: I just feel that way. They all seem to talk at once and every
time we move from one octavo to the next.
mentor: Have you tried identifying those who initiate the talk-
ing? In other words, in each section are there students who
begin conversations from the beginning of class? Also, are
15
there times when certain students are absent that you notice
a difference?
mentee: Well, now that you mention it, there are basically four stu-
dents who truly start talking the minute they are seated. I know
that the conversations grow from that point forward.
Mentor: I think that identifying these students and dealing with
them individually may be a good starting point. Your frustration
stems from feeling as if the entire class is disruptive, when in
reality you need to precisely identify the sections from where the
disruption is initiating. What other purposeful methods do you
think you might employ to establish caring control from the onset
of class?
Mentee: I’m not really sure. I feel so overwhelmed. I think I could be
more consistent in my expectations of behavior.
Mentor: That is a great idea. Also, you may establish a movement
or gesture that indicates that the students are no longer allowed
to talk with one another, such as stepping onto the podium. This
now indicates silence. If they do not initially respond, step off and
repeat this again until they understand this is the expectation.
Another idea may be for the students to begin humming a pitch
that you give as soon as they hear it. Begin engaging the front
row in humming or singing on a neutral vowel with you, gestur-
ing to the remaining singers that they are to join in as well. Doing
this on a daily basis will establish those expectations of singing
rather than visiting with one another. Are there any other ideas
you might add?
Mentee: My transitions could be much smoother. As we have dis-
cussed before, I am still working on pacing. I still take too much
time trying to figure out what I am doing next.
Mentor: For our next meeting, why don’t you come up with three
specific ways you can improve your transitions and pacing? Try to
pinpoint any planning, organizational, or music skills that need
to be enriched. I look forward to hearing your strategies in these
areas and also the action plan you develop to address the concerns
of the four students you mentioned.
In this scenario the mentor is able to lead the beginning music teacher to
more specific approaches in dealing with the third period choral ensemble.
However, by using the SMART approach, this meeting could have been
even more effective had the mentee been proactive in examining the class-
room management issue in detailed terms in advance. The beginning music
16
teacher had not yet analyzed that in reality only four students were the
catalyst for the disruptions. If this analysis had occurred, the mentor might
have been able to discuss particular strategies related to those individual
ensemble members.
As in any excellent lesson plan written for our students, specific goals also
need to be measurable. Remember, achieving objectives requires dedication
and commitment as a teacher, musician, and person. Therefore, it is imper-
ative that these aims be composed in a manner that allows for the recording
of progress. This progress documentation may be shared with your mentor,
evaluated, and utilized as a catalyst for discussion. For example, if you wish
to have more time for personal musical development, what does this mean
in measurable terms? Does this mean individualized practice? Or perhaps
you could perform a lead role in a local musical theater production. Perhaps
you could make music in a community choir or band. Once the measurable
activity has been determined, the next steps involve an analytical view of
how this will be achieved in realistic, time-related terms.
If you require individualized practice to achieve your wish for greater
personal musical development, then what is achievable? Does this mean
you will practice 60 minutes daily? Three times a week? Is this time frame
realistic? Is 30 minutes daily more realistic given other demands of the
school day and after-school rehearsals? Also, is your goal to continue this
throughout the entire academic year, or for a shorter amount of time, such
as a month, and then to re-evaluate whether the allotted time of 30 min-
utes three times per week is enough for sustained personal musical growth?
These specific, measurable objectives must be examined to ascertain if they
are achievable and realistic, and in what time frame they are to be accom-
plished. The SMART objectives will lay the foundation for writing an action
plan, which is discussed in chapter 5.
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
When developing SMART objectives, think extensively but be realistic.

Determine what motivates you. What propels you to be a better musi-
cian and teacher? How will you incorporate this motivation into fulfilling
these plans? Are you intrinsically motivated to become a better musician
and teacher? Do you need a deadline to motivate you, such as a recital or
concert date? Do you need the promise of an extrinsic reward, such as a
weekend trip with no school obligations?
Ask yourself obvious and not so obvious questions. Thinking of the
previously mentioned possible specific objectives, if you are having issues
17
finding time for personal musical growth, what are some potential alterna-
tive solutions to finding time for personal musicianship? Is there a way in
which this might be incorporated with the students? For example, could
individualized practice be done while encouraging students to come into
the music room for individualized practice of their own? Perhaps you can
initiate certain parameters , such as sign-in times for practice rooms before
school, with the understanding that you as the instructor are also utilizing
this time for individualized practice. Press yourself to problem solve. Do
not expect your mentor to simply provide solutions for you.
Be open to suggestions from your mentor about how he or she has
resolved similar issues in the past. Be careful not to dismiss possible
alternative approaches provided by your mentor as archaic or outdated.
However, if a mentor mandates that you are obligated to follow his or her
way of approaching an objective, be honest and approach your mentor with
your concerns. You should be comfortable with the solutions to issues that
arise or goals to be reached.
When seeking alternative solutions, be willing to explore the unfamil-
iar. As Lautzenheiser (2005) notes, “Leaving our comfort zone is fright-
ening. This fear will often serve as a barrier to keep us from taking that
all-important step to a new understanding” (p. 58). Strive to be an emerg-
ing music educator who learns to employ fear as a friend and change the
power of fear into the strength of adventure to enhance your experiences
in uncovering and experiencing the full range of music teaching.
18
Real Life 101: Emerging Music Educator No. 1
From my experience, granted I’ve only taught one year, the formal mentoring at
my school is less-than-effective. I should premise my explanation as to why by
saying that I am the only music teacher at my school, and the school itself has
not had the best of luck from previous music teachers; they have not seen what a
decently run band or choir program looks like.
The formal mentoring process at my school involves first-year teachers and
second-year teachers gathering together once a month to discuss their experi-
ences in the classroom, talk about their successes, and their failures. The ses-
sions are sometimes helpful, but the time is inconvenient. The sessions are held
30 minutes before the first class period of the day, which throws off some teach-
ers who like to spend that time tutoring students, preparing for the first class
period, or in my case, monitoring the band room and assisting students as they
practice.
On top of this, the mentor teachers are given a class period to sit in on the new
teachers’ classes, and observe. Occasionally they’re expected to meet up with
their assigned new teachers and discuss with them what they see. In my case, my
assigned mentor teacher rarely met with me, which I was fine with, but when she
did meet with me, she would ask generic questions, and rarely go in-depth on any
problems or struggles I would have to mention. She seemed to be trying to act
more as “emotional support” than a mentor. Which, I will say, emotional support
for a new teacher is MUCH needed, so I’m happy she’s doing this, but as far as
offering advice or analyzing what happened in the observations, her efforts were
lackluster. On the flipside of things, my experience with informal mentoring has
been very positive! The band directors in the area know very much of the unfortu-
nate situation at my school in regards to music, and let me know from day 1 that
if I have questions, I need to borrow anything, I need to vent, etc. they would be
available. And they meant it. One man in particular went out of his way to find
me and introduce himself in person. He said when he first started, it was very
difficult to get in the know-how of musical events in the district because nobody
would talk to him, so whenever a new music teacher arrives in the district, he
goes to personally meet them and talk to them. He still occasionally sends me a
message asking if I want to hang out. Sometimes we talk about school-related
things, sometimes we don’t. But when we do, he always offers advice, and even
asks for my input on things he’s working on. He’s helped me a lot.
19
CHAPTER 3
Knowing Your Part
Examining Your Thoughts on the Mentoring Process
KNOW THYSELF
My students often hear me utter the phrase “know thyself.” This is an

ancient Greek aphorism attributed to many Greek sages, including
Socrates. A variety of meanings are attributed to this adage in literature.
The Suda, a 10th-century encyclopedia of Greek knowledge, refers to this
saying as a proverb of warning “to those whose boasts exceed what they
are” and states that “know thyself” is a caution to pay no attention to the
opinions of the crowd (Roth, 2002). To some extent this is what I also mean
when I say it to my students. Moreover, I mean that in order for them to
reach their potential as music educators, they must first have an honest
assessment of themselves as people, musicians, and teachers, along with
their areas of strength and improvement. This is necessary for the mentor-
ing relationship to be effective as well. In addition, knowing within entails
coming to terms with how one honestly views being mentored. In addition
to the groundwork discussed in chapter 2, the self-reflection discussed in
this chapter should also occur before meeting your mentor. You need to
know who you are as you walk into the first session of mentoring at any
stage in your career. Realistic expectations can only be developed with the
mentor when the mentee has an honest view of his or her current circum-
stances, abilities, and potential. The key word is realistic. This requires hon-
esty during self-examination.
20
As a Person
In chapter 2 you began to examine specific goals, examined their plausibil-

ity, wrote them down, visualized a course of action, and hopefully dreamed
about the future. Goals and aspirations are part of who you are as a person.
However, there is much more involved. Grit, a combination of passion and
perseverance, is necessary in the teaching profession. Those who flourish
have developed a strong sense of self through which they realize, even in
times of doubt, that they are making a difference in the lives of others,
and they believe these contributions are worth facing the challenges of the
teaching profession.
Music teaching presents an even more varied set of challenges above
and beyond what the typical teacher faces. Our work is continually on
display for all to view, support, and criticize. In small towns, music teach-
ers can almost reach celebrity status because everyone recognizes them.
A five-minute trip to the store can morph into a two-hour discussion of the
last concert, with a myriad of opinions being expressed on how to improve
upon what is currently being accomplished. Just as there are armchair
coaches, there are many audience-chair music teachers. The early career
music teacher must be gracious in dealing with a person with minimal
music experience who holds opinions on how the band program should
be operated, yet transparent when expressing frustration when discussing
these odd types of situations with his or her mentor.
Knowing who you are involves examining your attitudes, philosophies,
personal commitment, personality traits, and thinking processes. Take
time at this point to pause and think about each of these topics, candidly
scrutinizing each area.
Students tend to mirror the attitudes of their teachers. Extraordinary
teachers promote great expectations while displaying a positive attitude
of belief and a readiness to assist. They abstain from participating in nega-
tive conversations that drain strength. They center on and devote time to
solving problems rather than simply recognizing them and reworking the
same aspects repeatedly. This positive, proactive rather than reactive atti-
tude pervades every aspect of their daily operational functioning. As an
emerging music educator, you must cultivate this attitude daily. It is not
always an easy task, but it is necessary to becoming a productive mentee
and successful master music educator. Take time to evaluate your proactive
thinking patterns compared to the amount of time you spend simply react-
ing to situations. Developing a proactive thinking process takes practice,
dedication, and commitment. This personal commitment is essential to the
development of not just a proactive attitude, but also a personal teaching
21
philosophy and the manner in which this philosophy will be demonstrated

daily in and out of the classroom.
Whether you are in your first music education methods course, in stu-
dent teaching residency with hopes of graduating soon, or in the first few
years of music teaching, personal commitment is a quality to be cultivated
promptly. Music teachers evolve and change throughout their careers,
similar to all teachers. Some music education researchers, such as Conway
(2008), have proposed that more focused research in this area of music
educator career cycle is needed. In Constructing a Personal Orientation to
Music Teaching, Campbell, Thompson, and Barrett (2010) discuss the work
of Michael Huberman and his colleagues, especially their finding that
“teachers who felt personally satisfied with their careers over the long term
made subjective choices to commit to teaching … early on” (p. 57).
In other words, the earlier one fully commits to the idea of teaching, the
more personal and professional satisfaction will be garnered. Numerous
studies have been completed that suggest teachers grow and develop in
stages and through various cycles. For example, Frede (1985) proposes
that teachers’ comprehension of learning to teach can be viewed as a four-
stage process. These four levels include, “mastering the ‘nuts and bolts’,
too much of a good thing, do it my way, and creative adaptation” (1985,
p. 1–4). At the first level beginning teachers are very concerned with struc-
ture and the concrete facets of curriculum. By the second level teachers
have learned to ask unrestricted and differing questions. In the third stage
teachers may need to broaden their perceptions. In the fourth and final
stage teachers are adept at understanding the foundation, principles, and
thinking behind the curriculum and are able to adapt it to very different
circumstances, atmospheres, and students. Frede also notes that “not all
teachers will be at the same place at the same time, and each level of growth
is positive, even if it is not the highest level attainable” (Frede, 1985, p. 3).
Fessler (1992) advocates a different approach from the paradigm offered
by Frede, in which he proffers an eight-component career stage model.
Berliner (1994) offers five stages of teaching expertise, from novice to
expert. Regardless of the overall construct, the initial stage of teaching can
be overwhelming in simply learning how to maneuver through each day.
Having an underlying commitment to teaching music that is unwavering
can serve as an anchor on the worst of days.
Campbell, Thompson & Barrett (2010) also discuss the Fuller model
of teacher development which proposes a three stage evolution in which
new teachers initially focus on themselves and then proceed to being more
student focused. This model has been discussed by other music education
researchers as well, including Berg & Miksza (2010) and Yourn (2000).
K n o w i n g Yo u r Pa r t [ 21 ]
22
Paise (2010) conducted a dissertation study that examined the transi-

tion of music teacher identity from per-service, to student teaching, to in-
service teaching. She described four selves during this transition (a) musical
selves, (b) instructional selves, (c) professional selves, and (d) ideological
selves. Her study is unique is attempting to follow this transition of the
emerging music educator.
It may be helpful to ask yourself questions like the following:
• Are you saying all of the correct phrases, but not following through with
completion of items that you know are necessary to advance your music
teaching path? This could range from something as simple as not com-
pleting assignments to failing to meet requirements set by the principal
or district school board.
• Are you sincerely ready to commit the time required by a workday that
never actually finishes, for the sake of your students and your program?
• Do your actions and words correspond when you discuss your commit-
ment to music education?
In the area of personal commitment, your attitude may be more obvious

to your professors, mentors, and supervisors than you realize. They are
observing the alignment of your spoken commitment to music education
with your actions. If you genuinely are not willing or able to make the per-
sonal commitment required for the sake of your students, future students,
and program, then it is much better to be truthful about this aspect than to
attempt to convince your mentor of dedication that simply does not exist.
If you wish to develop this commitment, your mentor can only assist you
through authentic dialogue. Remember, “commitment is the hallmark of
teachers who have successfully negotiated the first stage of their careers”
(Campbell, Thompson, Barrett, 2010, p. 57). Sincere commitment and
growing as an educator are intricately linked.
Personal commitment, attitude, proactive thinking, and personality
traits are all intertwined. Think through the following questions:
• Do I commit to projects, but do not follow through on these endeavors?

• Do I have an overall positive or negative attitude when approaching life
challenges? When approaching teaching challenges? When thinking of
my students? When thinking of my current teaching situation?
• Do I anticipate issues and think about possible solutions? Or do I wait
for issues to become problems and then react to those problems?
• Would I describe myself as having passion for music teaching? Do I typi-
cally demonstrate perseverance that will enable me to advocate for my
23
program, my students, and what I think is best for both? Would I list
fortitude as one of my personality traits?
The most important factor is to be honest. Perhaps you do commit to proj-

ects that remain unfinished. That is an issue that can only be addressed
once it has been properly acknowledged. For successful communication to
occur with current and future mentors, this type of honest inner evalua-
tion is necessary for opening candid dialogue.
As a Musician
George Bernard Shaw, in Maxims for Revolution, included at the end of the
play Man and Superman (Shaw, 1903), made the unfortunate remark, “He
who can, does. He who cannot, teaches.” This expression, and variations of
it, have been used for over a century to disparage those who are called to
teach. I say that nothing is further from the truth, especially when consid-
ering music education.
As an illustration, the world- renowned classical violinist Jascha
Heifetz, at the height of his success, accepted an appointment as profes-
sor of music at the University of California. When asked why he would
choose teaching over his successful performing and recording career, he
reportedly responded that his violin teacher Leopold Auer had at one time
told him that someday he would be “good enough to teach” (Maltese &
Maltese, 2010).
Who are you as a musician? Think through why you began this journey,
auditioning for a university department, school, or college of music. What
experiences have led you to this place? Influential teachers, parents, early
musical memories, the influence of a favorite artist or composer, aesthetic
performances, and much more may have played a role in the decision-
making process.
When teaching freshmen music education majors, I ask them to look
around the room and really see the other students sitting beside, in front
of, and behind them. I remind them that these are not simply students
with them in a class, but future colleagues. These are the individuals who
will become essential in their musical and teaching success. I ask them to
look again. This time I remind them that they are also their competition.
Yes, we speak much about collaboration, but I remind them that all of
them will be applying for the same positions at approximately the same
time. Some of them will move through the degree program more slowly
than others, but many of them will begin and end together. I bring this
24
to their attention early on because they need to think about the school
administrator who will examine their transcripts as a first impression. If
a student has received stellar grades in applied lessons, conducting, music
education methods courses, student teaching residencies, and other areas
within the major area, and another student from the same institution and
program has received mediocre marks, who will the administrator call for
an interview? Which of these students will likely receive positive recom-
mendations from their professors, mentoring teachers, and university
supervisors?
The amount of time, effort, and dedication one devotes to the prac-
tice room and overall studies is of great importance. It matters not
just to receive a passing grade, but because modeling is one of the key
components by which we teach. A choral friend once said to me: “Well,
you know our choirs wind up sounding exactly like us.” I had not really
thought about it before, but afterward spent a great deal of time ponder-
ing this statement. I realized it was true. I thought about characteristics
of my vocal modeling as a choral teacher and the sound of my choirs
over the years. My choirs have always had very full, rich, free, resonant,
large, vibrant sounds. I would never characterize them as light, ethe-
real, or floaty. Both sets of musical attributes are excellent, but I am a
mezzo soprano with a very powerful voice, so light and floaty was not
the aural example my students heard on a daily basis. Consider the fol-
lowing questions:
• What sound do you wish your students to produce? Be honest as you

evaluate your musicianship skills and what you are doing to be the best
musician possible.
• Have you truly listened to the feedback given to you by your applied,
conducting, and music education professors?
• In what areas have you been told you need to improve?
• Are you technically proficient, but lack the musicality needed to convey
the meaning of the music?
• Are you emotionally connected to the music, but do not spend enough
time mastering the technical aspects?
• Do you spend time in score study before conducting and teaching a piece
to others?
• Do you prepare the musical as well as the teaching aspects of your
lessons?
Must you sing like Pavarotti to teach K–5 general music? Perhaps not, but
you must become the very best you can at your craft to be successful.
25
As a Teacher
One of the very first exercises that I have my beginning Philosophy and
Introduction to Music Education students complete is to think of a teacher
who has greatly influenced their lives. I ask them to write down five char-
acteristics that they feel made this particular teacher great. After they
complete the exercise, I list several attributes that research has shown are
characteristics of teachers who make a difference. Without fail, all of the
students will have named at least two characteristics that match the list,
and the majority will have identified three to all five that correspond to
my list.
This is the very first music education course they take as freshmen, so
I am very interested to (a) know more about them as individuals, (b) under-
stand why they want to teach music, (c) understand their perception of
what makes a master teacher, and (d) know what type of teacher they wish
to become. Also, I want them to think about the influence they will have on
their future students and how they wish to be remembered.
As a beginning music teacher, be truthful with yourself about the traits
you possess that will lead to success in the classroom. The list that I show
my students includes the following characteristics:
• caring
• fairness
• dedication
• personal discipline
• sense humor
• enjoyment of teaching
• great communication skills
• persistence (grit, which also includes passion for teaching and music)
• respect-worthiness
There are certainly other traits that can be added. How do your traits com-
pare to this list? Take a moment to be forthright and conduct an honest
analysis, answering the following questions:
• How will your students remember you?

• Will you be one of those teachers remembered for making a positive dif-
ference in the lives of your students?
Please note that musicianship is not on this list. I have never had a student
list a teacher’s musicianship as a reason he or she believed the teacher was
26
great. As I stated previously, the best musicians make the best teachers
because we must model our craft for our students. They will emulate us,
but if great musicianship is all one possesses, it is not enough to become a
great teacher who will leave a lasting legacy. Moreover, I voice the follow-
ing belief to my students frequently: “We do not teach music. We teach
people. Music is our vehicle. Never forget you will teach people.” Most of
my students are stunned when they first hear me utter the words, “we do
not teach music.” After all, is that not what they are doing in my class,
learning how to teach music successfully? As a music educator, it is your
commission to release the intelligence, creativity, and talent in each of your
students. If you wish to be effective, you must focus on both people and
results. It is human nature, and also necessary, for emerging music edu-
cators to focus on themselves during the first year of teaching. However,
excellent teachers become authentically student centered. This leads to yet
another expression my students hear often: “Students first, always.”
Simply as we model musicianship, we serve as models for our students
in other aspects of life as well. Becoming a music teacher means so much
more than teaching music. You will make mistakes as a music educator; this
is unavoidable. However, how you handle these mistakes will be observed
by your students, and they will emulate your behavior in more ways than
solely musically. I endeavor every day to demonstrate excellent teaching
techniques, not merely because it is good teaching but because I hope my
students will emulate those same techniques when they become music edu-
cators. I always instruct them to look beyond the surface of the concept
being taught. My joy is when a student discovers the secondary teaching
technique in the lesson, as a student recently did during a small group
activity involving Bloom’s Taxonomy. The music education students simul-
taneously moved through all of the critical thinking steps of the taxonomy
while learning about and applying it. When a student exclaimed, “Awwww!
Look what she did!” the entire class was able to move from the theoretical
exercise of applying Bloom’s Taxonomy to discussing how it was effectively
employed throughout the lesson. My hope is that the students will remem-
ber the taxonomy and how to employ these elements in a music classroom
setting when they begin to encounter it in their upper division education
coursework that is not specifically music centered.
HONESTY: AREAS OF STRENGTH AND IMPROVEMENT
Now that we have examined the areas of “knowing thyself” as a person,

musician, and teacher, take time to contemplate your answers. Based up
27
the information you have gathered about yourself in these three areas,
frankly answer the following questions:
• What personal characteristics do you possess that will help you become
a successful music teacher?
• What personal characteristics do you possess that need to be strength-
ened in order for you to succeed as a music teacher?
• What personal characteristics do you possess that need to be eliminated
in order for you to become a successful music teacher?
• What musical attributes do you possess that will help you succeed as a
music teacher?
• What musical attributes do you possess that may possibly hinder your
success as a music teacher?
• What aspects of music teaching are most attractive to you?
• What aspects of music teaching are least attractive to you?
• Are you willing to make the commitment of time and effort needed to be
a successful music educator?
VIEWS OF MENTORSHIP
The final advice in this chapter is to be truthful with yourself regarding the
dispositions and attitudes you have about the mentoring process. In edu-
cation circles, we tend to discuss the needs of beginning teachers from the
perspective that all new teachers value mentoring. As we have examined
in the two previous chapters, emerging music educators face many chal-
lenges, so who would not welcome mentoring? However, I propose that
if mentoring is viewed as simply another drain on time and energies, no
amount of collaborative interaction will be perceived as helpful.
The mentoring I received early in my career, mentioned in chapter 2, did
not begin as a pleasant experience. I viewed it as state-mandated drudgery.
I felt my time could have been spent more wisely preparing for my classes.
After all, this noncurricular mentor was certainly no help in sharing strate-
gies for how to miraculously accomplish the daunting task of having all of
my male singers sing on pitch. I gathered this type of information through
my own observations of honor choir directors at every event I attended, so
that by my fourth year of teaching, when I would accept a different posi-
tion I walked into that classroom fully equipped with the proverbial choral
bag of tricks. However, as discussed previously, there were other valuable
lessons to be learned from this noncurricular mentor. The key was for me
as a mentee to be in a frame of mind willing to accept what she had to offer.
28
The first step to changing this type of outlook is acknowledgment. In

most cases, seasoned mentors and music teacher educators rarely ven-
ture into this type of discussion with pre-service and early career music
educators. We do examine and evaluate attitudes, but only the emerging
music educator actually knows what is in his or her heart. The assumption
tends to be that the young educator is willing and ready to receive whatever
mentoring may come his or her way. It is important to remember that an
assigned mentor in a noncurricular area may be just as much at a loss as to
how to proceed as the mentee. This is why it is important to examine one’s
outlook on mentoring, so that negative attitudes can be discovered, dealt
with, and put in a secondary place to developing an inspiring and compel-
ling mission with one’s mentor, regardless of curricular similarities.
Be honest with yourself concerning your current views on mentoring.
Which of the following statements are accurate with regard to your frame
of mind today?
• I enjoy the mentoring process.

• Mentoring is a required process that I must complete.
• I feel I have mentored others in college and enjoy it, but I do not look
forward to being the mentee.
• There is nothing I can contribute as the mentee. The mentor has the
responsibility to guide me and assist me as I need.
• I enjoy being mentored, but I never want the role of mentor. I have noth-
ing to share with others.
Acknowledging and examining how teachable we are as individuals will

help promote a positive atmosphere from the initial stages of the process.
Excellent teachers are never finished as students. To become a master
music educator, one must be willing to continually learn and be open to all
opportunities, both musical and nonmusical in nature.
29
As I write this, I am just a few days away from starting my first year as an official
teacher. Surrounding me are dozens of pieces of sheet music, worksheets, and
calendars as I prepare for the year … and yet I find myself not looking forward
with anxiety, but rather reflecting on why I feel such self-efficacy. The reason is
simple, and consists of two words that I, until recently, completely underappreci-
ated: mentor teachers.
Prior to my time student teaching under two separate mentors (a middle
and a high school placement), I viewed mentor teachers as a necessary evil—
someone who was there to make sure I didn’t make a disaster out of myself;
someone who would likely not let me remove the training wheels of my under-
graduate education program. I figured that it would be a mutually awkward
experience for both of us while I become the quasi teacher for a few months
while they and their students suffered through me pretending to be a “real”
teacher. If I was lucky, I thought, I would be able to glean a few classroom ideas
from observing and working with them. That assumption was, to put it mildly,
erroneous.
During my placements, both my mentor teachers became more than my
overseer—they were my partners in learning. Rather than keeping me on a tight
leash and questioning and criticizing everything I did, they gave me the free-
dom, resources, and thoughts on how to develop relevant and exciting curricu-
lum. After each lesson, they would ask me to reflect on the lesson, and offer their
input on how to handle the various situations that had occurred. They frequently
checked in on my personal life and my professional life. Throughout the entire
experience, they helped me develop the critical thinking required to be a self-
reflective educator.
Yet beyond helping me reflect to improve my pedagogy, they also went out of
their way to impart hands-on knowledge that I was naïve enough to not know
I needed to even ask about: how to run a sound board, handle a parent-student-
teacher conference to address a struggling child, set up spreadsheets for budgets,
plan a field trip, shape music to match the needs of changing voices, and how
to work a copy machine were all things that my mentor teacher knew I needed
to know.
By the time I had completed my residencies, I had gone from dreading hav-
ing a mentor teacher, to dreading the absence of a mentor teacher. Luckily, my
new school has already assigned me a mentor teacher who has shown all the
promise in being just as gracious and empowering as the ones I had during my
teacher candidacy. We’ve met in person several times over the summer, and have
been exchanging emails nearly weekly as I bounce ideas off of her. I can already
30
tell that my new mentor teacher will be the reason I have success in my new
placement.
All signs are good that as I enter my first year of teaching, I will continue to
seek a partnership with my mentor teacher so that we can grow together in our
professional lives … and I am so excited.
31
CHAPTER 4
The Duet Begins
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
THE INITIAL MEETING
Preparation is the key to the initial mentoring meeting. Be prepared to

share your personal mission statement with your mentor during this open-
ing meeting. This will serve as the basis for the development of a plan of
action that you and your mentor can design together. Provide the mentor
with a copy of the SMART goals that you have developed on your own.
Begin to discuss these goals and ask the mentor to share resources that
may help you achieve them. Demonstrate openness to the mentor’s sugges-
tions and input regarding your goals. Perhaps your goals are not as achiev-
able and realistic as you had imagined. This is an opportunity for you and
your mentor to candidly examine the relevance of the goals you have devel-
oped and discuss what behaviors you might have to change to reach them.
The mentor may discuss alternative approaches for reaching the goals or
provide information about similar situations.
Remember, mentoring partners need to come to an agreement on learn-
ing goals and define the content and process of the relationship. This initial
conversation usually sets the tone for the relationship.
BUILDING TRUST
Early mentoring sessions can be awkward if there is not an immediate con-

nection with the mentor. Becoming acquainted with your mentor increases
32
the comfort level and builds a sense of trust. So do not be afraid to ask
questions that will help you understand the mentor’s educational, musical,
and personal philosophy.
Edwards and Dendler (2007) shared comments of several early career
music educators reflecting on their student teaching experiences and what
they wish they knew before student teaching. One participant expressed,
“intuition and people skills are far more important than I realized” (p. 46).
Be mindful of the manner in which you are addressing your mentor and
of your body language. For example, your music teacher educators have
undoubtedly discussed mannerisms that should be employed and ones to
be avoided during an interview. These same principles apply when meeting
with your mentor. Head nods, good eye contact, restating ideas to dem-
onstrate full attention to the conversation, and open body posture are the
type of behaviors that express respect (Keltner, 2016). It is imperative that
you develop these types of social skills not only for communication with
your mentor and other colleagues, but also for effective teaching in the
classroom. Music teachers who demonstrate effective social skills are also
perceived as effective teachers (Juchniewicz, 2010).
It is perfectly normal to feel some anticipatory stress before meeting
and working with a new mentor. Hopefully the mentor will expect a bit of
nervousness on your part and place you at ease by asking friendly, open-
ing questions. Just as you have prepared, the mentor has also prepared for
this meeting. So be equipped to discuss what is currently taking place in
your classroom and perhaps your life. It is the mentor’s duty to establish
and maintain an open and affirming learning climate. It is your duty as the
mentee to fully participate in the learning climate that has been created.
Sharing specific details with your mentor allows thoughtful, candid, and
constructive dialogue to occur.
This is the best time to set boundaries for the relationship as well. The
logistical aspects are not always the most obvious but can cause unforeseen
issues if not addressed early. For example, time is a precious commodity. If
the mentor only has 30 minutes for a meeting to occur, but you as the men-
tee are expecting an hour, this may inadvertently cause you to feel slighted.
These feelings unaddressed can cause a rift in the relationship that could
have been prevented from the beginning through mutual understanding.
In a formal mentoring relationship, you may need to address the
following:
• How often will we meet?

• What is the length of each meeting?
• What is the process for rescheduling a meeting?
33
• How would each partner prefer to be contacted? By office phone? By

school email?
• Is it OK to call a home phone or cell phone, or to text a question?
• Are there hours when the mentor or mentee prefers not to be contacted?
Perhaps the mentor has young children, or the mentee does not answer
work calls on Sundays. These preferences should be discussed and
agreed upon.
• What is the process for scheduling additional meetings? For example,
is it acceptable to appear unannounced for a conversation during either
the mentor’s or mentee’s planning time?
VOICING YOUR HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS
This initial meeting is the time to ask questions about your hopes and
expectations for the mentoring process. Asking these types of questions
allows the mentor to assess the seriousness of your intentions. The mentor
will appreciate your focus and recognize that you are not simply attending
the mentoring sessions because it is a requirement. This is also the time to
clearly express that you do not expect the mentor to provide the solutions
to all of the situations you may encounter over the course of the upcoming
academic year. Communicate to your mentor that you wish to be actively
involved in the problem-solving process and implementing of strategies
that are discussed.
In c hapter 3 I listed persistence as a trait of effective teachers. I utilize
the word “grit” in my classes on a recurring basis. The type of grit I speak
of is directly related to hopes and expectations. In the book Grit, Angela
Duckworth has been able to quantify what those of us in the education
profession have known for decades. She has developed assessment tools to
examine the level of persistence, passion, and steadfastness that is required
to be successful in any given field. “Grit depends on a different kind of
hope. Its rests on the expectation that our own efforts can improve our
future” (Duckworth, 2016, p. 169). This is the type of hope that is essential
to successful music educators. It is the type of hope that allows us to look
at tomorrow as a new day with fresh expectations.
This type of hope does not depend on chance, but rather on the will
and desire to evolve and progress. Successful music teacher educators,
those who teach future and current music teachers, cultivate this type of
mind-set in their students. For example, think of the times you have heard
one of your music education professors ask how you approached a certain
lesson or what might have been more effective. This mode of questioning
The Duet Begins [ 33 ]

34
encourages you to grow and also increases your level of grit. This is difficult
for beginning music education majors. Many freshmen are puzzled that
I answer their questions with a question. This is nothing new in educa-
tion circles, and is often referred to as the Socratic method of teaching. Yet
unfortunately I find that many students enter my classroom having heard
responses that only praised their natural talent and acknowledged them
for trying rather than for succeeding, or conversely convinced them that
they are not gifted in a particular area and that this means they should
contribute in other ways, which actually encourages them to cease any fur-
ther attempts.
I once had a student whom I encouraged in middle school to audition for
the advanced high school choir. She looked at me questioningly. She stated
that she would love to audition. She enjoyed singing in middle school choir
so much that she longed to be in the advanced high school choir, like her
older sister. However, she was surprised that I would encourage her because
the elementary music teacher had informed her that she could not sing.
I was entirely dismayed by these remarks. She did audition, and she sang in
the advanced choir for the next four years. She did take voice lessons, and
through these voice lessons we tried many techniques to develop more res-
onance in her voice. During one of these voice lessons she shared the results
of X-rays that been performed by her dentist. Her dentist had deduced that
she had inherited a condition in which her nasal passages on one side were
not fully developed. She needed to undergo surgery, just like her father, to
correct the issue. Equipped with this information, we changed our strategy
during vocal lessons. She continued to sing and greatly improved, not only
as a choral singer, but also as a soloist and member of several small ensem-
bles. She remains one of my favorite people because she continually exudes
an attitude of tenacity, determination, and stamina. You must develop grit
for yourself and for the sake of your students.
Be clear that you do not wish to squander any of the mentoring ses-
sion time by concentrating primarily on emotions or reactions, such as
complaining and lamenting over the same issue repeatedly. We are human.
There will be days when we are frustrated and impatient. Growth is not
easy. Therefore, there will also be days when you do not feel like putting
forth the effort that is needed to move forward. Acknowledge these feel-
ings, then move on. Remember, your mentor will be a great source of sup-
port, but you should not expect him or her to take on the role of therapist.
It will be necessary to discuss emotionally charged issues throughout the
course of the sessions, but focusing primarily on the problem and not the
solution through constant complaining will be a drain on both you and your
mentor. Set the tone from the initial meeting that you wish to be a problem
35
solver. Do not allow the difficult days to overwhelm you and change the
tone of your mentoring sessions.
OVERALL OBJECTIVES
The very first meeting is an excellent time to discuss the overall objectives
of the mentoring meetings themselves as well as the overall objectives that
are to be accomplished during the semester or academic year. Since this is a
duet, each mentoring partner plays a distinct part.
The mentor should provide timely, candid, and constructive feedback,
balancing compassion with challenge. An effective mentor should also
encourage the exploration of many options and co-create opportunities. In
addition, effective mentors know when to refer their mentees to others for
insight or information.
As a mentee, you must be willing to discuss a variety of strategies. The
preparation for the initial meeting should continue throughout all of the
meetings. The examination of your personal mission statement, goals,
learning objectives, and plan of action is never stagnant. Often the seem-
ingly complex is actually very simple. Analyze these situations so that you
may come to the meeting with precise questions. Be honest with your men-
tor should you feel that he or she is interfering rather than advising and
guiding.
Bear in mind that you have a great deal of work in your own learning to
teach and that the educative objectives and proficiencies of music teach-
ing are continuously transformed by that work. Effective music teaching
requires acquisition of knowledge, skills, and certain dispositions. A valu-
able mentoring relationship should invite you into the conversation and
acknowledge your role in defining your journey. In order to accomplish
this, you must bring all of the experiences of your music teacher prepara-
tion programs, what you have learned so far about effective music teach-
ing, and a willingness to co-create with your master teacher mentor.
The Duet Begins [ 35 ]

36
Every teacher should have a mentor whether they are new to the profession or
not. Developing mentor relationships keeps teachers out of isolation and helps
teachers survive in an educational world that is constantly changing. So many
teachers forget the importance of fostering professional relationships. Teachers
need to invest their time and energy in building relationships with other music
teachers. They also need to build relationships with their coworkers, administra-
tors, and stake holders of the community. This can be overwhelming at the start
but starting small will be beneficial.
The key for all teachers to understand is that building these relationships is
their own responsibility. Teachers should never rely on any district to provide
this for them. I was fortunate to receive a mentor my first year teaching in my
district. However that is the only mentoring service I received by my district.
That is not enough. Teachers need to take responsibility in building the mentor-
ing relationships they need inside and outside the school or district where they
are employed.
37
CHAPTER 5
Developing Technical Accuracy

Becoming Proactive Not Reactive
ACTION PLAN
If you have discussed your personal mission statement and SMART goals
with your mentor, then the two of you are ready to develop an action
plan that will assist in guiding your focus toward the items that are truly
significant.
As mentioned in c hapter 2, the mentoring relationship should also have
a separate action plan for the mentoring sessions themselves. You should
have a set of goals for the mentoring process and a separate set of goals for
you as an individual.
Proactivity is built on the distinctive human capability of self-awareness.
Hopefully you completed the self-analysis in chapter 3 before the initial
meeting with your mentor. If you skipped over any of these areas, take time
for reflection before attempting your individualized action plan. We must
understand our current paradigms before we are able to make any type of
paradigm shift. This allows us to understand what is not working, as well
as what has been successful in both our personal and professional lives.
Chapter 10 presents ways in which you and your mentor can access more of
the creative right brain to significantly impact your time together. One of
the first steps at this point is becoming proactive and not reactive. Through
proactivity we do not wait for circumstances to define our experiences; we
create our own experiences regardless of circumstances. “You can always
change your plan, but only if you have one” (Pausch, 2008, p. 108).
38
I express this concept to my students on a recurrent basis. Yet I am still

dismayed at how many of them do not internalize this idea. Being proac-
tive rather than reactive is beneficial inside and outside of the music class-
room. As Colwell and Wing (2004) express in their text An Orientation to
Music Education: Structural Knowledge for Teaching Music, “you have a great
deal of agency in your own learning and that the educative intentions and
experiences of your music teacher program are nearly always transformed
by that agency” (p. 132). When teaching classroom management concepts,
I remind students that the best course of action is to be proactive. Visualize
what possible behaviors may be produced in your classroom by certain
actions and anticipate them. Do not wait for a discipline issue to arise and
then allow your actions to be determined by classroom behavior. The same
is true in our personal and professional lives. One who simply waits for
situations to occur and spends a lifetime reacting becomes a spectator of
rather than a participant in his or her life and career.
The worksheet in appendix D will guide you step by step through the
development of an effective action plan. However, before you can complete
appendix D, we need to examine a few of the stumbling blocks that seem
to keep young professionals from moving from the stage of having a per-
sonal mission statement to planning a course of action that will allow for
tangible results.
STUMBLING BLOCKS
When I encounter freshmen music education majors, one of the first signs
that they will have a difficult time in the major is a lack of organization.
Keeping ahead of disorganization is a daily discipline that is necessary to
maintain order in both our personal and professional lives. It is truly heart-
breaking to observe students who are exceedingly musically talented and
have an aptitude for teaching fail course after course because they do not
turn in assignments, miss classes, and erroneously think that somehow
organization simply happens. It is even more disappointing when a music
education student graduates still not realizing the importance of organiza-
tion. These graduates become teachers who, although perhaps well mean-
ing, have still not developed the skills necessary to place their students
first. These are the teachers whose students miss opportunities because
they fail to meet deadlines for payments, applications, recommendations,
and other items. Once again, will you make mistakes as a music educator?
Yes. However, if the same mistakes are continually occurring, then they are
no longer mistakes. They have become a way of life and a habit. In order to
39
write a successful action plan, you must be candid and practical about your
organizational skills. This cannot be simply a wish to be more organized;
the establishment of a specific course of action is required.
First, identify the areas of your private and professional life that need
ordering. Honestly examine each area. Identify the reason behind why
you are having difficulty in each category. For example, if you are missing
deadlines, truthfully determine why you are missing them. Is the reason
as simple as not marking deadlines in either a planner or online calendar?
Perhaps the problem is the type of medium in which you are recording the
deadlines. In other words, do you save them electronically only to forget
to check the electronic medium? Then you can conclude that you need a
different system that will prove effective. If you are missing deadlines for
other reasons, be truthful during this self-examination. Are you missing
the deadlines for a deeper reason, such as fear of failure? Perhaps you think
you have not prepared your students well enough and are subconsciously
missing deadlines for events. I know this is difficult to face, but this is a
matter that you need to discuss with your mentor sooner rather than later.
Recognizing and facing a pattern of disorganization early in one’s career
may save it in the future.
Another stumbling block to creating a successful action plan is time.
Often lack of time will be mentioned by those dealing with disorganiza-
tion, but even the well-organized can feel that there is simply not enough
time. As Randy Pausch discusses in The Last Lecture, time is finite. Having
been a professor at Carnegie Mellon, he decided to participate in the Last
Lecture Series. This is typically an exercise in which professors share words
of wisdom, what matters most, and the possible legacy that they would
leave upon their death. Dr. Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
by the time he participated in the Last Lecture Series. He knew that he
not only wished to speak to the crowd in attendance, but also wanted to
use this opportunity to speak words that would resonant with his children
in future years. The week before the lecture, he knew that his last cancer
treatment had not worked and that he only had months to live. After con-
vincing his wife that he should continue on as planned, he knew this would
be the last opportunity he would have to share what was truly important
to him, what he wished to leave as a legacy. The book is a continuation of
his lecture, which he dictated to Jeffrey Zaslow. Time is a limited resource.
Only you are capable of protecting your time. No one else will guard this
commodity for you. This can be very difficult for those of us who have an
issue with saying “no.” Often there are multiple areas screaming for our
attention. This is not an issue merely for new teachers. The issue of time
management is one that needs continual care.
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40
Highly productive people recognize and accept responsibility, but they

also recognize the need for rejuvenation. One of the hardest lessons for me
personally was accepting that in order to say “yes” to excellent opportuni-
ties, I had to say “no” to other noteworthy opportunities. Often we feel
pressured into saying “yes” to endeavors we truly do not wish to undertake.
“Even when the urgent is good, the good can keep you from your best, keep
you from your unique contribution, if you let it” (Covey, 2004, p. 157).
A few years ago a longtime friend and colleague of mine gave an inspir-
ing talk at a state music conference in which he discussed developing a “to
don’t” list when thinking of time management. We have all heard of and
often employ “to do” lists. We check off items with great enthusiasm when
each one is completed. A “to don’t” list works on the same principle, but
instead lists items that you sincerely do not want to give a commitment
of time. Where are you spending time that is not required of you and that
you do not wish to give? “Time must be managed explicitly, like money”
(Pausch, 2008, p. 108). I keep a small 30-minute hour glass on my desk.
I turn it over to remind myself of various parameters, such as not to spend
hours answering email or allowing a nonessential phone call to incessantly
proceed. In addition, I wear an i-fit watch that vibrates every 45 minutes,
reminding me to get up and move if I have been sitting at my desk. These
may seem like insignificant tools, but when managing time you must
employ all devices available. Find what works for you and then employ it
consistently.
Guarding one’s time involves more than saying “no.” This is another area
in which taking proactive steps are necessary rather than simply reacting.
For example, I currently have an urge to check my university email. It is the
summer, and I have set up an automated response, but I struggle with the
feeling that if I do not examine these emails I might miss important infor-
mation, opportunities, or assistance of others. However, the present task
at hand of writing this book is what I have consciously made my priority.
Checking email at this time would do nothing except take away from my
current goal. Even though I have this fear of missing items, I remind myself
that in reality my inbox has become a seemingly never-ending “to do” list.
The emails will still be there tomorrow, and I have done all I am able to let
others know that I have other pressing matters that require attention. In
addition, I have committed to not check email during holiday breaks to pro-
tect my personal time with family and friends. Once again I remind myself
of what I personally value in life and where my priorities reside during
seasonal breaks. This is difficult at times. However, the benefits of spend-
ing time with my friends and family far outweigh the acknowledgment
I receive from my professional institution for the countless hours I invest.
41
Remember, “It’s not a real vacation if you’re reading email or calling in for
messages” (Pausch, 2008, p. 110). We rarely contemplate retirement when
we begin our careers, but perhaps if we did we would give more thought to
those we wish to still have with us when the career concludes.
This is another reason you may have heard your music teacher educators
encourage you to have interests outside of music. If you had all the time
in the world, what activities would you love to pursue? Take a moment to
imagine the possibilities. Would you like to paint, travel, hike, learn to play
tennis or golf, or take up photography? As a music educator, you may not
be able to spend as much time on these activities as you would like, but if
you do not take proactive measures to carve out time for your other inter-
ests, you will spend zero time participating in other pursuits you enjoy.
Furthermore, these endeavors strengthen us as music teachers. We gain
insights from other worlds that allow us to continue to be passionate about
the music we perform and teach. These interests can help us overcome the
stumbling block of stress.
Dr. Howard A. Rusk, the father of comprehensive rehabilitation, once
said, “Stress is really an integral part of life. We set our whole pattern of
life by our stress end-point. If we hit it exactly we live dynamic, purpose-
ful, useful, happy lives. If we go over, we break. If we stay too far under, we
vegetate” (1967, p. 2053). We will never be free from stress. Speak with any
successful music educator, and you will find that stress is an accepted part
of life. If we feel no stress, then perhaps we lack the creative tension to suc-
cessfully perform our tasks. However, if we do not develop healthy ways of
dealing with stress, it can become overwhelming.
All teachers feel some level of stress regardless of years of experience.
The stress may change forms, but regardless of area or expertise, stress is a
factor. How do we deal with stress effectively? One way to deal with stress
is to know from where we receive our energy.
Do you know if you are an introverted or extroverted person? Do you
feel you lie in between the two (often referred to as an ambivert)? What
many people do not realize is that being introverted or extroverted has
nothing to do with how you expend your energy, but rather from where
the energy is received. Are you aware of whether you receive your momen-
tum from time alone (introversion) or from time with a group of people
(extroversion)? There are numerous online assessment tools and books
that can help you discover from where you receive vitality. A few are listed
in appendices E, F, and G. This is part of knowing thyself. This is also how
we effectively deal with stress. If one is truly an introvert and never takes
time to be alone to gather thoughts and reflect, the amount of stress this
person feels will be much greater. The same is true for a genuine extrovert
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42
who spends a great deal of time alone not communicating with colleagues
or friends on a regular basis. As music educators we can often be in parts of
the building where we do not interact with other colleagues. The fact that
we make music can be considered distracting to others, so often we are
placed in rooms across from other loud subjects, such as physical educa-
tion. This can be detrimental to the stress level of one who needs collabora-
tion to feel energized.
Another manner in which we deal with stress is to work on overcom-
ing our fear of failure. We must work to let go of past failures and use
them to catapult us to bigger and better matters. This is a difficult task.
In order to place this fear of failure in perspective, we must also celebrate
our achievements. We learn from the past, but we cannot only value past
achievements. This makes for not only stagnant teaching, but a stagnant
life. You are essentially forming a new identity during your first few years
of music teaching. This is truly a new beginning. Your accomplishments
during your college years have brought you this far and helped you secure
a teaching position. However, they now have little bearing on to how you
will be perceived and evaluated as an educator. If you change teaching posi-
tions and begin again at another school, the same will hold true once more.
This constant proving of ourselves can in itself create stress. Teachers who
do not see each new academic year as an opportunity for new adventures
with their students will soon find themselves exhausted and bored. Take
time to sincerely celebrate your achievement. Analyze your failures. Then
relinquish these failures and anticipate what is forthcoming.
PERCEPTION VERSUS REALITY
As we anticipate what is in the future, we need to create a positive environ-

ment that is proactive. How often do you use or hear the phrases “if only,”
“I can’t,” or “I have to”? If this language is continually coming from you or
you surround yourself with those who reside in this mentality, then it will
be exceedingly difficult to act proactively rather than reactively.
The first step is to think about how you can respond more proactively to
experiences you encounter. Can you visualize yourself responding to situ-
ations in a proactive manner? Do some of your reactions stem from hopes
that you had that were not realistic? Let us examine two different mentor-
ing scenarios, in which one mentee has a reactive outlook and the other
has a proactive viewpoint. How do you think having a proactive or reactive
mindset might affect the productivity of a mentoring session?
43
REACTIVE
Mentor: I enjoyed observing your general music lesson today. How
do you think it went?
Mentee: I think it was OK. I don’t think that everyone in the class
really understood the concept of eighth notes, but overall it
was OK.
Mentor: I agree with you. I think that a few students were still lost.
What do you think would help solve this issue and help them
understand?
Mentee: I don’t really know. I thought everyone would understand.
I think I taught it well, so I’m not really sure that anything can
be done. I will just have to keep teaching it until everyone under-
stands. That’s the way I see it at this point. There’s nothing that
can be done differently.
Mentor: Hmmm, are you sure? What other approaches might
you try?
Mentee: I don’t know. I mean I did what I thought would work. I had
them speak and clap rhythms. Then I instructed them as they com-
pleted a worksheet. We did board work, and I used other visuals.
Mentor: Do you think that some other type of hands-on work might
have helped? For example, can you think of another physical activ-
ity they might have been able to do with a partner?
Mentee: Oh, placing students together with a partner has never
seemed to work well for me. That’s just the way I do things.
PROACTIVE
Mentor: I enjoyed observing your general music lesson today. How
do you think it went?
Mentee: I think it was OK. I don’t think that everyone in the class
really understood the concept of eighth notes, but overall it
was OK.
Mentor: I agree with you. I think that a few students were still lost.
What do you think would help solve this issue and help them
understand?
Mentee: I’m not sure. However, I am definitely willing to look at
alternatives. I am certain there must be some other way that I can
teach eighth notes that I’ve not yet discovered.
Mentor: That is so true. There are so many different ways to teach
eighth notes, or any other musical concept for that matter. Let’s
examine what you tried. Do you remember the procedures you
utilized?
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44
Mentee: I had them speak and clap rhythms. Then I instructed them
as they completed a worksheet. We did board work, and I used
other visuals.
Mentor: Do you think that some other type of hands-on work might
have helped? For example, can you think of another physical activ-
ity they might have been able to do with a partner?
Mentee: Working in pairs might really help some of the students.
You mentioned hands-on work; what are some ideas I could try?
Mentor: Have you ever tried using Popsicle sticks?
Mentee: Popsicle sticks? No, but that sounds like fun.
Mentor: Prepare enough bags of Popsicle sticks for pairs of students
and then distribute them. Clap a measure with quarter and eighth
notes. Have the student pairs determine the rhythm together by
placing the Popsicle sticks in the correct pattern as the stems of
the notes. They will need to beam the eighth notes, of course. You
can also assess by walking around the room and easily view each
pair’s progress. This can be repeated several times until you feel
they have made progress.
Mentee: This is unlike any activity I’ve tried with them on eighth
notes previously. I’m definitely open to trying this different
approach. Thank you for the idea.
As shown in these two vignettes, there is only so much information the

mentor can practically present to assist the mentee with the reactive,
negative frame of mind. The mentor may eventually be able to convince
the first mentee to try other alternatives. However, it will be a much
slower process. The second mentee has developed a proactive, positive
approach to mentoring and is willing to try alternative approaches sug-
gested by the mentor. This mentee will gain more from the mentoring
process itself as well as advancing the musical skills of his or her general
music class.
The phrase “perception is reality” appears to be attributed to political
strategist Lee Atwater. It is true that if we perceive a situation in a certain
way, we may react in a particular manner. It is also true that a few indi-
viduals may perceive us in a particular way and never change their minds
because that is clearly what they choose to believe. This holds true in poli-
tics and life in general. However, between perception and reality lies the
truth. A candidate who is perceived as honest may in reality be dishon-
est. The truth in the above scenario is that the new music teacher with the
reactive, negative outlook is going to develop more slowly and not make
as much progress with his or her students as the beginning music teacher
45
with the proactive, positive viewpoint. As established in the scenario, the

language of the second mentee comes from a fundamental paradigm of
purpose. The second mentee came to the realization that he or she must
step outside of his or her preferred method of teaching in order to engage
all of the students in the classroom.
MOTIVATION
This leads us to the discussion of motivation. The second mentee in the sce-
nario was motivated by student success. He or she truly wanted each stu-
dent in the classroom to understand eighth notes. The first mentee was still
very self-focused. The comments were driven more by teaching insecurities
or lack of willingness to try different approaches than by student growth
concerns. Simply stating that we wish to be more positive and proactive is
not enough. The change cannot happen from the outside inward, but must
occur inwardly for the change to be authentic.
In order to be truly proactive, we must begin to improve the situations
over which we have control. We may not be able to control all of the various
aspects affecting why the students did not comprehend eighth notes, such
as not enough sleep the night before the school day or a disagreement they
had with their classroom teacher before coming to music class. However,
we can focus on what we do have control over, which is our own approach
to teaching the material.
APPLICATION
Take a moment to examine the learning and teaching that is occurring in

your classroom. Reflect on your choices as a teacher and their influence on
your students’ learning.
• How proactive have you been in handling these situations?

• What phrases have you been using, both in and outside of the classroom?
• How could you respond proactively instead?
Visualize this proactive approach and how you might employ it in future
situations. Make a pledge to implement a plan in which your choices will
not be dictated by circumstances. Rather, examine, anticipate, implement,
and follow through with actions that will effect change instead of simply
being an observer of circumstances in your own classroom.
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46
At my school, there are three assistant band directors and one head director. We
all teach beginner classes separately and co-teach the intermediate junior high
and high school band classes together. We are a tightly-knit staff and spend very
little time apart. My favorite part of the day is lunch and dinner, when we do
most of our planning and reflection. If classes went well, it is a time to be excited
for our accomplishments. If classes did not go well, it is a time to share the nega-
tive experience, blow off some steam, and regroup for the next class session. The
time spent together is precious because I am able to get through good and bad
times with a team of educators in my field. I am lucky because at most schools
there is only one band director or music specialist. I also keep in touch with my
mentor teachers from my student teaching year during my time in college.
47
CHAPTER 6
Developing Musicianship Skills
Creativity in Time Management
TIME MANAGEMENT MATRIX
There are numerous phrases and words of wisdom regarding time. As

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote in his prologue to The Clerk’s Tale, “Time and tide
wait for no man,” and as Jim Croce (1971) sang in “Time in a Bottle”: “There
never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you
find them.” We are continually faced with the challenges of managing time.
One frustration when attempting to organize time is that many plan-
ners or plans do not adapt well to the day of a music educator. We typically
begin before 8:00 a.m. and we do not end our days at 5:00 p.m. Appendix C
provides the opportunity to work with a time matrix designed specifically
for the life of a music educator. However, before delving into an actual plan,
some analysis is required.
First, how do you spend your time? You might instinctively reply with
answers such as teaching, practicing, and planning. However:
• Do you know how much time you are spending in the areas you listed?
• Do you plan a certain amount of time for activities, but actually spend
much more time in that area, causing the rest of your schedule to become
derailed?
• Is this a regular occurrence?
48
Be as honest as possible when completing the “Music Educator’s Time

Matrix” in appendix C. Perhaps you write down 30 minutes for planning,
but in reality you spend 2 hours every day planning, or perhaps your
30 minutes is really only 15 minutes due to other circumstances. Do not
approach this activity with what you wish were true, but with as much
accuracy as possible. It is only when we establish how our time is actually
spent that we can make adjustments as wanted or needed.
Second, do you control your time, or does time control you? To clarify,
think about a typical day:
• Are you continually adjusting your schedule due to unforeseen urgent

requests, obligations, and demands of others?
• Do you feel as though these imperative matters continually force you to
push aside items that you feel are essential?
• Could it be that your time management system is too restrictive and
does not allow for spontaneity?
• Or are you perhaps too accommodating to outside influences and not
protective enough of the items on your preplanned schedule?
Third, are you arranging time around priorities?
• Do you have a clear sense of what you wish to accomplish each day?

• What is important for you to accomplish each day?
• Do you find yourself often frustrated that you did not complete activi-
ties that you considered significant because you allowed someone else’s
priorities to supersede your own?
If we do not have well-defined concepts of what is essential, we are simply

redirected into reacting to issues that are not as important to us personally.
This leaves us frustrated at the end of the day when we realize that once again
our important activities were overshadowed by the pressing matters of others.
TIME MANAGEMENT DURING MENTORING SESSIONS
It is true that your mentor has a significant impact on setting the pace of
discussion during mentoring sessions. However, you can also play a role
in ensuring that the limited time you have with your mentor is used effec-
tively. Your mentor will be a sympathetic listening ear, so be certain that
you are not taking advantage of this too often, which will lead to less pro-
ductive mentoring sessions. There are some key ways in which you can con-
tribute to a beneficial use of time.
49
First, do not waste time and energy in the sessions indulging in self-pity.
There will be times when you will need to discuss troubling issues with your
mentor. However, be wary of allowing this to become a pattern of behav-
ior. There is a time and a place to feel sorry for yourself, but the fleeting
moments you have with your mentor are not best used by allowing defeat-
ism to guide the conversation.
Second, analyze the conditions you wish to discuss with your mentor in
advance. It is futile to waste time and energy in the mentoring sessions on
issues you cannot change. Know which situations are and are not change-
able. Attempt to remove your personal feelings from these conditions and
examine them from an outsider’s perspective. If you determine that the
conditions are changeable, the best use of time with your mentor will be to
develop a plan of action to bring about change. As a music educator, you are
an agent of change. However, as a new teacher, you must be aware of what
conditions, traditions, and perspectives are deeply engrained in the com-
munity. Depleting your limited mentoring session time complaining about
the status quo will not help either you or your mentor.
Third, learn to focus on the future and not the past. If you and your
mentor have previously discussed an issue that has been resolved, do not
continue to exhume it repeatedly in continuing sessions. This applies to
a variety of issues. Perhaps it was the way in which you interacted with a
student or how you taught a particular lesson. If it has been adequately
addressed, then move on from this matter. Likewise, do not allow your
mentor to unearth past concerns that have been resolved. You may need
to simply state that you have addressed the issue to the satisfaction of all
parties involved. This can be a delicate situation. Be respectful but firm at
the same time.
TIME MANAGEMENT OUTSIDE OF MENTORING SESSIONS
A day in the life of a music educator can be challenging. This is what makes
teaching music exciting. Every day brings new possibilities and new oppor-
tunities. No two days are exactly identical. We teach new material, and our
students encounter new revelations. However, there are also many ele-
ments that accompany teaching that drain our pool of time. These take not
only our time, but also our energy and focus.
For the next few moments, think about your average day. Take time to
examine the items you have on your agenda for tomorrow. Perhaps they are
prioritized, but many beginning teachers simply list one item after another
without prioritization. Examine a 12-hour period of time from when you
begin your day. I refer to a minimum of 12 hours because most successful
De v e l op i n g M u s i c i a n s h i p Sk i l l s [ 49 ]
50
music educators do not work 8-or 9-hour days. Frequently the inclina-
tion may be to simply try to schedule when we will accomplish items in
between the times that we are teaching and then shift the remainder of
elements onto the next day. Scrutinize your list and think through each
item to determine how much proactivity it truly requires to be executed
well. For example, are you scheduled to speak at the faculty meeting after
school, but have not truly had time to prepare your thoughts? You have the
meeting listed on your schedule at 3:30 p.m., but what essentially needs to
occur in preparation before that scheduled time?
Also, examine whether there are items that you actually should say “no”
to doing. In order to plan for the presentation at 3:30 p.m., are there items
that you could delegate to others? Are there organizational tasks that per-
haps a student worker, choir president, or section leader could accomplish
that would also provide that person with a learning opportunity? Granted,
it may take more time to train the student, but investing this time may free
up additional time for you in the future.
As you inspect your items, are there several that you want to complete
for your own professional competence that you continually find at the end
of the list? These are the items that you repeatedly push to the next day.
Perhaps you have actually crossed off a few of these items because you
never seem to have time to accomplish them. Therefore, you have simply
eliminated them from the list as not necessary. However, these matters
may be very important to accomplishing your best work or staying current
on events that will affect your students. As research has shown, “profes-
sional development for teachers promotes deep instructional improve-
ment for students” (Kendall-Smith, 2004, p. 43). For example, do you find
that you have relegated score study or reading the Music Educators Journal
to the bottom of the list? “Teacher learning is an integral part of mentor-
ing. Essential to mentoring is an understanding that professional growth
is linked to the cultivation of key professional dispositions” (Campbell &
Brummett, 2007). When Cutietta and Thompson (2000) asked experi-
enced music educators to name one event that had affected their teaching
over the years, the most consistent answer they received was some type of
continuing professional development.
It will take a concerted effort to retrain your thinking about your daily
activity list, but truly scrutinizing each item at the beginning of the day
will allow you to take control of the list rather than allowing the list control
you. This concept is rather idealistic, and it is not without challenges. There
will be days when you will revert to merely plugging any item into an empty
slot of time. However, as with your musical skill, you can do this with prac-
tice and effort. Also, remember that the best plans are not always realized.
51
When this occurs, breathe deeply and continue to be persistent in taking

control of prioritizing your daily list.
SATISFACTION AND NEEDED CHANGES
The master teacher does not procrastinate. Therefore, if it is your goal to

remain in this profession for many years, and you know that you regu-
larly procrastinate, this pattern of behavior will need to be changed. You
will never be satisfied with your own performance, nor will your mentor,
administrators, parents, and others be satisfied with your performance
if procrastination is an engrained part of your daily life. By procrastina-
tion, I am not referring to those times of creative daydreaming or taking
time for necessary renewal. I am discussing the type of procrastination
that results in disappointed students in your band or choir because
important registration deadlines were neglected for an upcoming event
in which they prepared to participate, or in lost opportunity for the
senior who is auditioning at several colleges and is depending upon you
to write and submit recommendation letters in a timely manner.
Whether you are teaching specific concepts, returning an email to a par-
ent, or dealing with classroom management issues, it is essential to com-
plete these duties in a judicious manner. Many new teachers only think a
few weeks in advance. The successful music educator must continually think
months in advance. Students cannot succeed when the teacher is unorga-
nized or has not given adequate time or prepared materials for favorable
outcomes. Organization is the source of success, and it is achieved through
thoughtful planning, creating comprehensive lists, effectual use of time,
and shunning procrastination. The sooner you embrace the role of leader,
the more successful you will become.
Another area in which you may need to make changes for full satisfaction
in music education is the ability to embrace new opportunities. The accom-
plishments of college life are meaningful. You may use these as examples
for your students of what they can achieve by pursuing music beyond their
K–12 experiences. However, avoid living in the days of nostalgia. This will
not move you forward as a music educator. For example, you may miss the
days of being a part of Drum Corp International, but this is no longer your
life’s focus. The wonderful opportunities you had in college prepared you to
become an excellent music teacher. Your focus now is on your students and
inspiring them to fulfill their dreams.
Finally, a more delicate topic of needed change is examining the rela-
tionships in your life. Are you involved with individuals who impede
52
your progress and prevent you from accomplishing your best work?
Unfortunately, I have observed music education majors with great poten-
tial not succeed as music teachers because of the influences of those around
them. The essential commitment these students needed to be successful
music educators was not understood or supported by their companions.
I recently filled out a recommendation for a school district regarding
one of my former students whom I could not fully endorse. Due to a rela-
tionship in his life during his senior year, he began missing classes, was
often late when he did attend, forgot assignments, attempted to teach
unprepared, and other changes in his behavior. He did graduate, but was
dismissed from his first teaching position. He has been hired by another
district, but if he continues with the behavior of not being his best, he will
not succeed in this new district. Prior to his senior year, I would have pre-
dicted that he would be one of our most stellar graduates. The relationship
that developed during his senior year is still part of his life and continues to
influence his conduct. This is an awkward subject, but those you allow into
your inner circle directly affect and impact your success.
This is not to say that all of your relationships must be completely sup-
portive at all times. However, be aware of those relationships that are a
continuous struggle. You may not need to end the relationship, but it may
require some understanding of the other individual and in return his or
her willingness to understand the responsibilities and pressures you have
undertaken in the area of music teaching. As Parrott (1996) notes, “the
difficulty you experience with most impossible people is in your relation-
ship, not in the person” (p. 6). This is to say that a person with whom you
are struggling may be perceived by someone else in a completely different
light. It can be a challenge to accept that you may be in a relationship with
someone you care for deeply, but that relationship is not a healthy one.
On the other hand, it can be difficult to accept that an individual with
whom you have had difficulties is loved and respected by others. In this case,
you must learn the skills to build a better relationship with this individual.
You must come to an understanding of the other’s limitations by recognizing
some of these characteristics in yourself. This will help you view this person
with more empathy. The task is to develop practical ways in which to cope and
deal with such challenging individuals. Remember, “everybody is somebody’s
impossible person some of the time” (Parrott, 1996, p. 5). That is why I advise
student teaching interns to avoid the chatter of the teacher workroom. If you
are fulfilling your mission of being a master music educator, you have no time
for unnecessary drama. Uninvited drama will find you easily enough in numer-
ous ways. Therefore, consciously avoid placing yourself in delicate situations.
53
Currently in my second year of teaching, I teach choir and general music

for grades 5–8. My daily teaching responsibilities and duties include music
instruction for every grade level from Monday to Friday, morning arrival
duties, and occasional small-group instructional support for core sub-
jects. Each day, I see four music classes, comprised of students from each
grade level.
Like many schools in my district, my school has a mentor program in place for
first year teachers. However, my school’s situation is somewhat unique in that
the mentor program is promoted and heavily supported by administration and
staff. Though I had been told to reach out to other teachers for support during
my first year, my administration was very proactive in getting me paired with a
mentor of my choosing. Because of the relationship that the previous choir and
band directors had established, the band director instantly offered support and
agreed to mentor me.
My school held formal monthly mentor meetings in which all first year
teachers and their respective mentors came together to discuss issues and
challenges that we were facing. Though these meetings were helpful, the
informal meet-ups and chats between my mentor and me were the most ben-
eficial for my specific needs. Although my mentor and I were required to meet
a couple of times each month, I was in his office every day and sometimes
multiple times each day. We discussed everything from student-specific issues
to district paperwork.
Those informal meetings with my mentor in which I vented frustration,
laughed about something funny that happened in class, or talked about instruc-
tional challenges, made all the difference in the success of my first year of teach-
ing. To first year teachers, my biggest advice would be to find an experienced,
trustworthy teacher in the building in whom you can feel comfortable to discuss
any and all issues that you might be facing in the classroom. At the beginning of
the school year, immediately begin talking with and forming relationships with
the other teachers in the building so that you can find a mentor who is right for
your particular teaching situation. This is especially imperative if your school
does not already have a mentor program in place.
The most effective way to begin a mentor relationship, in my opinion, is to
reach out and offer your own support and assistance to other teachers. This
does not imply taking on more responsibilities than you can realistically han-
dle, but it means just simply being willing to offer an extra hand. In my situa-
tion, I went to my mentor for numerous challenges that I was facing, but I also
supported him through band concert assistance and other areas of need. Our
54
mentor-mentee relationship was mutual, trustworthy, and informal. Though

formal mentor programs can be very helpful in providing a launching pad for
mentoring, it is those informal meetings and relationships with other teach-
ers that will improve your specific teaching situation and keep you sane and
encouraged.
55
CHAPTER 7
Creative Responses to Your

Duet Partner
Creating a Positive Environment
THE POWER OF WORDS
Proactive people are intelligent, principle driven, realistic, and anticipate

what is necessary in various situations. Unfortunately some individuals
may misconstrue proactive to denote behavior that is powerful or insensi-
tive. These tend to be individuals who are in some fashion threatened by
the efficiency, focus, and determination of others. Hopefully your mentor
is not one who sees your initiative as a threat. Be aware that at times these
situations occur. It takes courage to be proactive in certain situations. Just
as being proactive means keeping a mind open to new ideas, it also means
standing firm and perhaps responding in a way that is not always popular.
There may be times when you disagree with your mentor, administration,
or others on how to handle a particular situation. Words have weight. So
how do we make the most of the words we use?
One way is to avoid negative speech. Negativity breeds negativity.
Negative speech rarely encourages positive relationships with others,
including coworkers and administration. Positive relationships, with other
music educators and your students, are also necessary for the development
of your identity as an educator (Russell, 2012).
Another approach is to focus on the solution, not the problem. If you
are continually discussing the problem, but never possible solutions, this
56
will interfere with proactivity and pinpointing plans of action. Be certain

that your words and your actions are in alignment with each other. In other
words, does your speech represent the type of growth you wish to see in
yourself? Are you overly critical of yourself and possibly others? You must
realize that others grow as well. Perhaps your mentor is new to mentor-
ing. Realize that if he or she has the persistence and passion that we have
discussed earlier, he or she will also grow as a mentor. This may take under-
standing on your part as well. Truly, as we desire to improve our ability to
recover from difficult situations, we wish to be understanding when others
have attempted and failed. This can be difficult at times if we sense that
the other person is not succeeding because of lack of preparation, lack of
organization, or complacency. Yet we must continue to focus on our own
contributions and how to perform to the best of our abilities.
Accomplished individuals are those who have encountered trials and
endured with conviction to reach the other side. Successful teachers learn
from both personal and professional adversity. The vital element is to con-
tinue aspiring and not yield to discouragement and bleakness. Continue in
the knowledge that your contribution is worthwhile and that you can make
a difference. Remember, you must learn how to handle failure as well as
success. Be aware of your self-talk. Is it optimistic or pessimistic? Realize
that you may need practice and guidance to alter your inner speech as well
as your outer speech. There will be days when you will want to try an easier
profession, but that is when you must reach out to your mentor, a colleague,
a friend, your spouse, or anyone who can help you place these feelings in
perspective. This is important for both your inner and outer person.
When I was in high school my mother delighted in purchasing small
inspirational poetic wall hangings to place in my room. She valued lan-
guage. I vividly remember that she always completed the “Enrich Your Word
Power” sections of Reader’s Digest. She was an avid reader and had a beauti-
ful mastery of the English language, both written and oral. Most who knew
her would have been surprised to learn that her formal education ended
with completion of the eighth grade. She worked tirelessly to improve her
overall knowledge, including of world affairs. For example, upon her pass-
ing I discovered a letter dated August 9, 1961, from the secretary-general of
Thailand written on behalf of Prime Minister Dhanarajata in response to a
letter she had written. He complimented her “superb thinking” and stated
that the long response was very unusual for the prime minister. My father
also completed only the eighth grade. I remember as a child watching him
while he studied to pass the GED exam. He was 63 years old. Neither of them
allowed the hardships they encountered during the Great Depression, such
as not earning a high school education, to define their lives. I am thankful
57
that both of my parents valued learning and never ceased to maintain a

mindset that fostered growth. Their adversities provided many lessons for
my own life.
Due to my parents’ lack of formal education, they felt strongly that
I should attend college. As a teenager who heard my friends discussing
their options after high school graduation, I knew my path was set and that
no alternative, such as continuing to work or travel, was an option. I was
raised in the inner city, and we were not well off financially. As I entered my
teenage years, my parents made the decision to move from the inner city to
a small town in another part of the state in which we lived. I did not real-
ize how poor we actually were until we moved to that community, where
many of my peers regarded those from the inner city with distaste. I also
did not realize that this move was for my educational benefit. My parents
knew I would have educational opportunities that I would not have if they
remained in the inner city. I knew their expectations of me, so I saved every
penny from my job earnings and worked diligently to secure scholarships
and grant monies. I was determined not to squander the sacrifices they had
made for my educational gain.
According to numerous studies, as an underprivileged youth from the
inner city whose parents’ formal education concluded with eighth grade,
statistically I should not hold any advanced degrees. The explanation is
simple. My parents both had grit, which is a concept we have examined
briefly in previous chapters and that is further discussed in c hapter 9.
They had a passion for knowledge and the persistence to flourish, not
simply endure. They taught this to me. Both my parents would live long
enough to celebrate the completion of my undergraduate degree, but only
my mother would live to applaud the completion of my master’s degree.
Sadly, neither of them lived long enough to see the completion of my doc-
torate. There were many challenges I faced without their physical pres-
ence. Yet their passion, strength, perseverance, love, and support were
always with me. Every time I am addressed as Dr. McWhirter, I feel it is
a tribute to them.
One of the poems my mother gave me still hangs on my office wall. It
is entitled “Don’t Quit” (see below). Several sources refer to this poem as
anonymously written, but an Internet search reveals that it was originally
published under the title “Keep Going” by Edgar A. Guest. Other sources
indicate that perhaps it was written by poet John Greenleaf Whittier.
Although I am not certain of the author, I am thankful for my mother, who
communicated this message to me through a decorative scroll. On many
days throughout the course of each academic year I stand by the window
in my office and read it aloud. I encourage you to find ways of calming and
C r e at i v e R e s p o n s e s t o Yo u r D u e t Pa r t n e r [ 57 ]
58
encouraging your inner voice. Remember, your inward thoughts affect your
outward countenance and actions.
Don’t Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit
Success is failure turned inside out

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far
So, stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit

It’s when things go wrong that you must not quit
VISUALIZING PROACTIVE RESPONSES
Visualizing proactive responses begins with the brain. Although previous

assumptions by scientists and researchers have led to conclusions that
imagination is singular, that there is one particular formula that leads to
creativity and innovation, more recent, advanced neurological research
has shown it is essentially a talent that takes on numerous configurations
(Lehrer, 2012). Sometimes we need to unwind, with time to let our minds
wander, while at other times we need energy and excitement to propel us
forward. Sometimes we need new surroundings to stimulate our thought
processes. There is an occasion for every type of contemplation.
One of the characteristics I implore music education students to develop
is fortitude. Determination is a key component to not only surviving, but
flourishing as a music educator. Determination allows us to continue when
times become troublesome. When things become difficult, how do you typ-
ically respond? Be honest with yourself. Only you know the true answer to
this question. Are you willing to step outside of your comfort zone to try
new solutions to issues? Teaching is a demanding profession, but often it
59
is the challenges outside of the classroom that test our willpower. Dealing
with paperwork, administrative issues, parent consultations, and numer-
ous other dilemmas take their toll each day if not placed in the proper per-
spective. In order to succeed long term as a music educator, you must rise
beyond survival mode. As Conway (2006) states, “it’s hard to watch begin-
ning teachers teach their second year for the rest of their careers” (p. 58).
Numerous studies in education reveal that the first five years of a teacher’s
professional life are crucial for longevity. Exasperation, dissatisfaction,
weariness, disappointment, and aggravation can occur at all stages of the
teaching career, but when these feelings arise and are not dealt with in a
positive manner during the early stages of a teaching career, they can have
long-lasting detrimental effects.
Being realistic with your mentor is very important at this early stage
of your career. You have the desire to excel as a music educator. Do not
allow difficulties to thwart you. Perhaps you have a goal of seeing more
students in your band or choral program. When this does not happen as
quickly as you hoped, do not become discouraged. This is a time to take
action and develop plans with your mentor. Also, celebrate the small wins
along the way. Perhaps your program has grown by five students. Celebrate
that victory and continue forward. The next year the program will continue
to expand. Being proactive also means refusing to settle for the status quo.
Do not become satisfied with simply gaining five students. Keep your goal
for exponential growth at the forefront, and eventually it will occur. This
is why the mentoring relationship is exceedingly important. Continually
discuss and revise your goals, being realistic along the way.
FOCUSING ON THE SOLUTION
Realize that there are no shortcuts in proactive thinking. Know that there
are times you are going to fail, and that is perfectly fine. Music educators on
the whole enjoy sharing what works in their classrooms. Make a conscious
effort to recognize when your mentor is sharing his or her processes with
you and inviting you into his or her world. Think about what you have to
share with your mentor that could be of value. You have control over how
much you wish to share and reveal, but the more you are willing to share
with your mentor, the more likely he or she is to be able to assist you with
issues.
Do not limit your vision. Be proactive by continually discussing your per-
sonal mission statement and action plan with your mentor. If you develop
60
these items and then set them aside, they will not be of benefit. If you are
going to stay on course and achieve the goals that you have set, then these
items need to be a continued source of focus. Through discussion with your
mentor you may find that these items need to be revised as the year pro-
gresses. The mission statement should be a driving force behind what you
wish to accomplish, but the action plan should be a living document that
serves your goals, not a stagnant piece of paper or computer file that is
never opened and once completed is never adapted and transformed to the
present situation.
Where does inspiration dwell? What inspires you? For me, it is my stu-
dents. They are a daily inspiration for me. My thoughts always go to my
students when I am contemplating courses of action. For example, I am a
member of several committees. When new policies are being presented, my
thought is always first and foremost, “How will this affect my students?”
Once again, candor is crucial in this process. No one else is inside of your
head as you read the following set of questions. When contemplating solu-
tions, are your first thoughts
• To continue a musical tradition that you have inherited?

• To march in a particular, prestigious event?
• To perform in a particular venue?
• To receive a specific trophy or rating?
None of these items is evil. As a matter of fact, I am a firm believer in the
old adage that success breeds success. However, you need to understand
why you are teaching music. If it is truly for the next event, concert, trophy,
or rating, you will never be satisfied. This is how burnout begins. Look for
inspiration from those spheres of life that do not fade. Continually remem-
ber that you are an inspiration to others as well. You are building a legacy.
What matters is what type of legacy you wish to leave.
61
I want to begin by saying that I feel the mentor/mentee programs are beneficial.
However, the relationships that this young teacher cultivated with others within
his specific line of education has tended to be even more beneficial than the men-
tor provided by the school.
As I began my first year teaching 6th–8th General Music, it was announced
that all new teachers would be assigned a mentor based upon what their field
was but the mentor may not be in their specific field. This was to get teachers
out and meet others in the building they might not normally work with. I was
paired with a Special Education teacher. While he was kind to check if I needed
anything, it did not go too much into detail because he did not handle the IEPs or
the paperwork I would be needing from that department. While I taught classes
that had at least one or two students with special needs, they were always under
another teacher from the SPED department. My mentor and I get along very
well as coworkers, but our relationship has not particularly been the most help-
ful as a mentor/mentee relationship. Our fields are related in that we both teach,
but he is not a musician and our class schedules are vastly different.
One thing that has been helpful is that we would have mentor/mentee meet-
ings once a month that would count toward our in-service credit. We would have
experienced teachers present on varying topics along the lines of considerations
for teaching students with special needs, various forms of assessment, and
technology tips and tricks for the classroom to name a few. Also these meetings
would provide opportunities for each of us to share something that had worked
well or did not work well at all in our classrooms. I felt that the meetings were
extremely beneficial and it helped us to cultivate relationships with one another
as new teachers.
Within our district, we have Professional Learning Communities (PLC). As a
music teacher, our PLC usually meets on Early Dismissal Days. This is where the
most useful information pertinent to what I do as a music teacher is shared. Lots
of dates important to our choirs such as audition dates, performance dates, and
clinic dates are shared in these meetings. We also share examples of successful
units in our music classes. These meetings have proven very useful as a beginning
educator and have allowed opportunities to gain insight from more seasoned
educators and build relationships with more experienced music teachers.
Luckily, I work close to my former mentor teachers from my college years.
They have always been an email, text, or phone call away and they have always
made time to help me in any way. I have had one of them come help me run
sectionals with my after school choirs and share various points of wisdom along
the way. The great part of this is we understand one another and since we teach
62
within the same field—music—they are able to offer advice that would be more
directly applicable than if a Family and Consumer Science teacher were to assist.
Finally, the greatest and most beneficial mentor/mentee experience I have
had has been with our school’s Band director. He has taken time during his plan-
ning to help me check my lesson plans before I turn them in, he has proofread
emails to parents before I sent them, and has offered counsel about more situ-
ations than I can count over the last two years. While he may not have been
designated my official “mentor” I would certainly call myself a “mentee” because
he has always offered good advice and has been very helpful. At our school, even
though I may be in General and Choral Music, we always work as a team within
our music department. That has been the greatest part of where I work is that
there is a true spirit of camaraderie within our department.
I have tried to glean something from every opportunity to be mentored that
I could. Sometimes the experience has been life-changing and affected me to the
point to where I want to help another as I have been helped. Other times, when
the information was not pertinent to a music classroom, it felt more like a for-
mality and was not useful. Overall, I am glad for the experiences I have had thus
far in my school and district. I feel that there are opportunities in our district
that many other districts are not able to offer. I am looking forward to the time
when I can hopefully mentor another based on the positive experiences I have
had as a mentee.
63
CHAPTER 8
Cultivating Active Listening

Creativity in Interactions
COURAGE AND CONSIDERATION
Journalist William Hollingsworth Whyte (1950) wrote in Fortune maga-

zine, “The great enemy of communication, we find, is the illusion of it”
(p. 174). Commit to a balance between courage and consideration when
attempting to negotiate a solution or come to an agreement with your
mentor should conflict arise. You may have many concerns to discuss with
your mentor, and you may not always agree upon on how these concerns
should be approached. Once the student teaching internship has been com-
pleted, early career music educators enter the field concerned about apply-
ing the knowledge and techniques they have learned, whether they possess
the skills and other attributes needed to teach well, exhibiting confidence,
performing administrative duties, and growing as teachers (Killian, Dye, &
Wayman, 2013). As a proactive mentee, you must have the courage to
address your concerns, but with consideration that your mentor may
(a) feel differently about the solution or (b) is not accustomed to a mentor-
ing style in which the mentee takes an active role.
The term mentor is not new. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, (743–
713 B.C.) Mentor was the name of a friend who was entrusted with the care
of Odysseus’s son, Telemachus. As the story progressed, Mentor steered
Telemachus on an expedition to find his father and a more complete under-
standing of himself in the process. However, the relationship between
Mentor and Telemachus was not without complications. Mentor allowed
Telemachus to discover his own mistakes, knowing that growth must be
64
direct and personal. Any effective mentor will allow the mentee to develop
his or her own comprehensions and constructs (Smith, 2005). Emerging
music educators learn through their own achievements and occasional
shortcomings. However, understand that it is difficult at times for a men-
tor to allow a mentee to fail. As guardians, mentors may feel the need to
shield and protect emerging music educators from missteps and mistakes
that they have previously encountered. This may at times bring conflict
into the mentoring relationship. As a mentee, you may wonder why your
mentor intervened in a particular situation. Or perhaps you feel that the
situation should have been handled differently. These are not easy conver-
sations to have with your mentor. Also, your mentor may have been correct
to intervene in this case. However, the vision of the mentee, not the plan
of the mentor, should be the cornerstone of the mentoring relationship,
and this is what guides the communication. Be courageous but considerate
when dealing with these dilemmas.
THE ART OF NEGOTIATION
When you and your mentor disagree, create a list of obstacles that you
believe could be hindering the negotiation. Be honest with yourself about
how you feel in this situation. Are you hurt? Are you angry? Then ask your-
self why you feel this way. Try to pinpoint the action that is eliciting this
response. Do you perceive that your mentor is unhappy with you in some
way? Do you feel your mentor is angry or upset? If so, can you pinpoint why
your mentor is feeling this way? Once you have been able to identify the
obstacles that are between you and your mentor, then you can make prog-
ress toward a possible solution. It is fine to be angry, but know why you are
angry and channel this into productive solutions and creative work.
It is difficult to negotiate a solution to any issue effectively until you
deal with your own emotions on the subject. Once you have analyzed your
feelings and drawn conclusions about the underlying reasons for these feel-
ings, then you may proceed with logical, thoughtful communication with
your mentor.
ROLE REVERSAL AND EMPATHETIC LISTENING
Listening is the means to nourishing the trust that is crucial to a strong

mentoring relationship. Both the mentor and mentee should sincerely
65
listen to each other. Reiterating what the other has spoken often aids
clarification. This technique of listening to what a person has said and
then restating the primary concepts that person has expressed is utilized
regularly by counselors during the process of mediation. The original
speaker then either verifies that the listener understood or restates his
or her ideas in a manner that can be better understood by the listener
(Smith, 2005).
Use the concept of empathetic listening. Try to put yourself in the place
of your mentor and write down explicitly how you think your mentor views
the solution. Then list from your own perspective what would be an accept-
able solution for you. Actively contribute to keeping the lines of communi-
cation open until you reach a point of agreement.
Work on understanding the perspective of your mentor and ask for
feedback on your concept of what is being communicated. Consider
ways in which you view situations differently than your mentor. If
something is important to your mentor, it is essential that you give it
recognition. Recognizing does not equate with agreement, but it does
allow you to view the issue being considered from a more objective
perspective. Continue asking questions and gathering information
for the purpose of understanding. Contemplate avenues in which the
two of you can find agreement without feeling that either person has
lost. Examine ways that both of you can feel as if you have reached
a winning outcome for all parties involved, especially the students.
Ask yourself if these differences could be a path to a third alternative
solution.
DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS LEADING TO ALTERNATIVE

SOLUTIONS
Learn to seek out your mentor’s guidance on current projects or problems,

valuing the different viewpoint you are likely to receive. Identify a situa-
tion, project, or problem that you wish to address with a team effort. Be
honest about whether you have truly been open to seeking advice from
your mentor. Ask yourself if you have sincerely attempted to apply your
mentor’s ideas and suggestions. Are you adamant about the manner in
which you will progress regarding a particular issue? If so, then perhaps
you need to take a moment to think through why you feel this way and deal
with your inability to compromise. This is not effortless. It takes a strong
person to examine your own motivation.
C u lt i vat i n g Ac t i v e L i s t e n i n g [ 65 ]
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OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION
A free-flowing line of communication with your mentor is necessary to

improve, not damage, the relationship. Remember, your mentor’s ideas,
beliefs, and background may be different than your own. Try to understand
your mentor’s perspective and motivations. Ask yourself the following
questions:
• Has you mentor expressed teaching, performance, or personal concerns

to you?
• Have you tried to understand the underlying reason for those concerns?
• Can you address the underlying reasons in a creative and mutually ben-
eficial fashion?
Until you understand the conflict, you cannot effectively communicate

with your mentor. It is important to know the difference between perceiv-
ing that you understand and actually understanding. Be sure you define
your own position. Have you been honest with yourself about what you
need and want? Have you been honest with yourself about whether these
needs and wants are reasonable? Have you considered what kind of agree-
ment might be fair to both you and your mentor in this situation? If your
mentor has a concern he or she has expressed, what does he or she need
from you?
When you have answered these questions and are ready to communicate
with your mentor, be sure that you are discussing your interests and posi-
tion. Stating only one possible outcome is not an effective way to commu-
nicate with your mentor. For example:
Mentor: How do you feel about the concert last night?

Mentee: I think it went really well. The choir sounded beautiful.
Mentor: They did sound beautiful. However, do you think the con-
cert was a little short in duration?
Mentee: Well, it was a little shorter than I liked, but I really wanted
to focus on building tone.
Mentor: Do you think they could do more repertoire at the next
concert?
Mentee: No, I really don’t. I would rather they sing fewer octavos of
quality literature than sing pieces of less musical value and per-
form a longer concert.
Mentor: Well, I really want you try and make the concert longer this
next time. See what you can do.
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In this scenario, the mentee has lost the negotiation by stating one possible
outcome, that he will simply not have the choir perform more literature.
The mentor then states his point and the two are at an impasse, with the
mentor basically dismissing the mentee’s unwillingness to try to add more
repertoire. The mentor may not have fully understood the positon of the
mentee. The mentee may have not appreciated the interference of the men-
tor in literature selection. Either way, this type of discussion is not in the
best interests of the mentoring relationship. What if the conversation had
been more effective? For example:
Mentor: How do you feel about the concert last night?

Mentee: I think it went really well. The choir sounded beautiful.
Mentor: They did sound beautiful. However, do you think the con-
cert was a little short in duration?
Mentee: Well, it was a little shorter than I liked, but I really wanted
to focus on building tone.
Mentor: Do you think they could do more repertoire at the next
concert?
Mentee: Well, I would rather they sing fewer octavos of quality lit-
erature than sing pieces of less musical value and perform a longer
concert. I am really concentrating on their tone quality. I am con-
cerned that at this point adding more literature will not help them
since I see them so few times during the week. The schedule makes
it very difficult to add more material and have effective learning
take place. I am open to alternative suggestions, but I think the
scheduling issue is the biggest problem.
Mentor: I understand the scheduling issue. Perhaps this is some-
thing we need to actively address with the vice principal and coun-
selor as they work on the schedule for the next academic year.
Let’s schedule a time to meet with them. In the meantime, the
choir may not be at the point where you can add more literature.
However, perhaps you could add a few quality unison selections.
Unison singing is one of the best ways to work on tone quality, and
this will also lengthen the concert time without sacrificing your
long-term goals for the ensemble.
Mentee: I think I could possibly add a couple of quality unison selec-
tions. This would help their phrasing and singing of a line as well.
I’ll give it a try. Thank you for your willingness to accompany me
when speaking to the vice principal and counselor concerning
scheduling.
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CREATIVE RESOLUTION
Once sincere communication has begun, thinking through possible resolu-

tions can be initiated. Begin thinking about a resolution from the stand-
point of common interests. Work on creating a variety of ideas. Do not
commence critiquing or assessing the ideas. Merely discuss and allow the
possible solutions to emerge. Afterward, deliberate about which are the
worthiest approaches. Also, express your appreciation to your mentor.
If you feel that a resolution cannot be found, then perhaps it may be
time to enlist the assistance of an unbiased third party. This might be an
informal mentor in whom you have confidence or a colleague both you and
the mentor can agree upon as being an objective mediator for both parties.
Realize at the onset of any conflict with your mentor that you may have
to confront the possibility that you will not find a resolution that will be
acceptable to you. Consider the pros and cons of each alternative that is
presented to you. Be realistic and practical. This is especially true if you
mentor is very powerful and influential in the school district. Chapter 10
discusses some of the factors surrounding these types of micropolitical
issues. In any case, this is bound to be viewed as a stressful situation by
you and possibly also your mentor. Be sure that you have all of the available
information before coming to conclusions.
Consider that the worthiest solution to a conflict is the most suitable for
both sides. It is in your best interest to use all of your resources to solve the
conflict as smoothly and as quickly as possible.
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In this vignette, the mentee is much more focused on stating his or her
interests and concerns to the mentor. He or she is clear about goals, but
still leaves room for negotiation of the addition of more literature to the
concert program. This allows for different positions that address the same
interest.
DISCOVERING UNDERLYING REASONS
Realize that at times your mentor may not always understand your reason-
ing or why you make particular choices when teaching, choosing music, or
a host of other items. He or she may misinterpret what you are trying to
accomplish or may even disparage or ignore your undertakings and suc-
cesses. This is unfortunate, but it does occasionally occur. This may happen
especially after you have several years of teaching experience and find your-
self on more equal terms with your mentor regarding professional and life
experiences. On the other hand, have you overstepped boundaries in some
way that perhaps you are not even aware of consciously? Have you in your
proactivity stepped on other colleagues’ figurative toes, or even your men-
tor’s, by not respecting and acknowledging their abilities and responsibili-
ties? Did you offhandedly make a derogatory remark about another music
education colleague, perhaps in another district, who is a dear friend of your
mentor, without realizing what you had said? The undercurrent in your rela-
tionship with your mentor may be more complicated than you realize.
The underlying reasons for conflict may be unknown to you. Perhaps
the conflict has arisen for reasons having to do with the mentor’s inse-
curities. Or perhaps your mentor is entering the final years of his or her
professional life and unfortunately is struggling with relinquishing part of
the program to you. There may also be a certain amount of professional
jealousy involved. We do not like to discuss these types of issues, and often
we do not want to think that these types of behaviors exist in the world of
music education and mentoring.
Still, if you find yourself in this type of situation and cannot disassociate
yourself from the mentor because he or she is professionally assigned to
you, then the best you can accomplish is attempt to identify the underly-
ing reason for the treatment you are receiving. Then deal with your men-
tor from a point of understanding. Be professional and courteous. Try to
accommodate his or her wishes even when he or she does not understand
your idea of the bigger picture. In addition, stop looking for validation that
you will not receive, and be too busy performing your best work to wonder
whether others continuously approve.
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At my school we had a mentoring program. However, as the only music teacher

I was matched up with the 8th grade social studies teacher. On the surface, this
doesn’t seem helpful, but our relationship has been so fruitful! She was and con-
tinues to be able to help me with all of the non-music teaching things that come
with being in a school community that you aren’t necessarily taught. She helped
me fill out POs, learn to respond to parents, told me how to start my after school
choir, and she continues to support me and direct me as I bring my new big ideas
into the reality of a school. So my advice would be to not discount the other fac-
ulty as mentors, even if they aren’t a music person.
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CHAPTER 9
Intensifying the Aesthetic Aspects

Expanding Perspective Using the Right Side of the Brain
VISUALIZE, SYNTHESIZE, AND TRANSCEND

FOR A HOLISTIC PICTURE
“What was will be again, what happened will happen again. There’s noth-
ing new on the earth. Year after year it’s the same old thing” (Eccles. 1:9,
MSG). When attempting to be more creative in a mentoring relationship,
one of the challenges is not becoming too comfortable with the familiar.
Meetings can become stagnant. You may feel as if the same items are being
discussed repeatedly. However, rather than allowing this to be the main
focus of attention, perhaps the question that we should ask is: How can
we use what has come before as a catalyst for new, inventive thinking and
embrace what we have previously accomplished to invent new ideas? Each
original vision is simply an alteration of earlier concepts. Amass excellent
ideas from those around you. The more you collect, the more you will be
able to synthesize these ideas into new concepts.
Remember that your mentor has accumulated many ideas throughout
his or her professional life. Some of these ideas may have even been for-
gotten and need to resurface once again. For example, as a choral director
I have accrued numerous warm-up exercises for various choirs and choral/
vocal situations. I have found that warm-ups that were effective for several
years suddenly no longer worked with the next group of students. Thus,
I would place these warm-ups aside and try new warm-ups, which worked
well. Over the years some of the earlier exercises disappeared completely
72
from my teaching. Then one day I encountered them again in the back
of a filing cabinet drawer and wondered why I had not been using them.
A similar process may be needed in conversations with your mentor. It is
appropriate to engage him or her in a discussion of the vast knowledge he
or she has assembled from years of teaching music. Your mentors may cur-
rently share a variety of teaching tools with you, but there are a portion of
solutions that may only arise after interactive, focused conversation. These
ideas must be retrieved from the back of the brain’s filing cabinet drawer.
EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS IN THE ACTION PLAN
In previous chapters I have alluded to the characteristic passion. In an exer-

cise that I include at the initial stages of one of my courses, I divide the
class into smaller cooperative learning groups, give them a list of words that
begin with the letter “p,” and ask them to collectively come to a decision
about which word is the most important for successful music teaching. As
you might have guessed, all of the traits listed on the page are essential to
becoming and remaining an effective music educator. This exercise is meant
to ignite their thinking skills with regard to what other professional prin-
ciples may be occurring in the exercise. The facilitator is required to advance
the discussion and ascertain that every member has contributed. The
recorder’s role is to transcribe accurate notes as the discussion progresses
and refer the group back to important points of the conversation. The
reporter must stand and present the outcome of the discussion as decided
upon by the group, refraining from expressing his or her personal consider-
ations if these opinions vary from the consensus. In addition, the groups are
required to complete this work with one another in an organized, collegial
manner. Hopefully the students recognize these roles and the manner in
which the activity is conducted as a secondary lesson on the traits needed by
successful educators. As far as the “p” word itself, it is no surprise that pas-
sion is chosen a majority of the time as the most important characteristic.
Perseverance is often the next most frequently chosen word. Both of these
selections are worthy choices, and I am delighted when these characteristics
rise to the top of the discussion, because both are necessary for longevity
in any area. Duckworth (2016) devotes an entire chapter to areas of inter-
est that are born out of passion in her book Grit. Remember, you and your
mentor share the same passions, music and teaching. Discussion of these
passions provides an excellent opportunity to include emotions in your plan
of action. There should be excitement when you discuss music and teaching.
This should be reflected in and have an influence on your actions.
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As a music educator, curiosity is imperative. Learn to examine details.

Consider every suggestion. Be willing to perform more work than others.
Explore all aspects of each situation. Do not ask a question before you
attempt to find the answer for yourself. You will either discover the solution
or develop an enhanced line of inquiry. One of the most frustrating things
I observe as a professor is when students have an abundance of available
technology and do not use this technology to acquire answers. Those of
us who are old enough to remember immersing ourselves in library stacks
to find answers and typing extensive projects on typewriters had to be
equipped with a sense of investigation, not simply completing research,
but searching for answers.
Begin the journey of curiosity by using technology to record your
thoughts and observations. When reading, either for personal satisfaction
or for professional knowledge, write down your favorite passages or begin
a file of favorite ideas to be used at a later date. Much of this is related to
your objectives as a music educator. Taking action and steps toward who
you wish to become as a music educator requires overcoming feelings of
uncertainty. It is the act of making music and the function of teaching,
accompanied by the curiosity to learn what we do not know, that allow us
to grow and fulfill our purpose.
You might be hesitant to discuss your feelings and emotions with your
mentor; this is natural. Remember, you are not alone. Your mentor has
probably experienced these same feelings at some point in his or her career.
On some occasions you may even believe that you have no concept of what
you are undertaking. Anyone accomplishing exceptional work has experi-
enced this at one time or another. This is especially true of high-achieving
individuals, as discussed by Clance and Imes (1978) in their article identify-
ing the “imposter phenomenon” (p. 241). Many in the fields of the creative
arts and teaching are high-achieving individuals. There are occasions when
we do not internalize our accomplishments and question our knowledge,
skill, proficiency, and qualifications. During these times of self-doubt, it is
essential that you realize that your willingness and commitment to give
100 percent each and every day to your students and colleagues is enough.
RIGHT-B RAIN THINKING AS GUIDANCE FOR

THE MENTORING RELATIONSHIP
You will have many mentors who inspire you. Use this to your advantage as
you enter into other mentoring relationships. What is it about them that
inspires you? How do those you admire view the world? If you could be a
I n t e n s i fy i n g t h e A e s t h e t i c A s p e c t s [ 73 ]
74
part of their thought processes, what insights do you imagine you would
discover? At the beginning of your professional career, you may find that
you imitate those you admire. This is an excellent first step. Through the
mentoring process, the hope is that you will begin to move beyond imi-
tation and progress to finding your own voice and manner of inspiring
others. You will find that your mentor is experienced and knowledgeable.
Your mentor will be able to provide insight into how to approach events,
incidents, and details regarding numerous matters. However, you may not
always be able to approach these issues in the same manner, not because
your mentor lacks expertise, but because he or she possesses a different
skill set than you. When you move from simple imitation to thinking cre-
atively, you begin to realize how you can utilize what you have learned
from your mentor but frame it in your own unique style that utilizes your
strengths. This is when you become an original in your classroom. Be grate-
ful that you cannot duplicate those you esteem perfectly. This is what per-
mits us to discover our own course and develop our own way of inspiring
others, especially our students.
We compose and perform music because we love and have a passion for
it. As I converse with my music education undergraduates, I am continu-
ally but not surprisingly reminded that they are sitting in my classroom
because they were inspired by a music teacher. As you develop as an emerg-
ing music educator, the challenge becomes the discovery of continued
inspiration and how to pass that inspiration on to others so that one day
when your former students are adults they will still maintain music, either
as an amateur or professionally as a part of their lives.
One of the ways to activate the right brain during mentoring sessions
is to engage the body. As a professor, my favorite part of each day is teach-
ing. I am required to research, perform service to the music education
profession, answer numerous email requests, serve on committees, write
grants, compose articles, and review the work of others, as well as perform
numerous other obligations. I spend hours in front of a computer screen.
However, it is when I am actually in a classroom teaching that I know I am
making a difference. The results of teaching are immediate and tangible.
When discussing new ideas with your mentor, encourage him or her to take
a walk with you or invite him or her for a cup of coffee off campus. Motion
thrusts our minds into creative thinking. Even during the process of writing
this book, I had to encourage myself to take time away from the computer
screen to prevent mental blocks from occurring. It felt somewhat counter-
intuitive, but time away from the screen allowed the creative momentum
to begin again. You need to be in an environment in which you feel that the
possibilities are endless. A school classroom or workroom is not always the
75
most conducive to this type of thinking. Once ideas begin to take shape and
flow, you and your mentor can always reconvene in the more traditional
office setting to finalize items and record them using technology.
PROPORTION AND BALANCE
As music educators we are creative people, or at least we should be creative

people. The world of education can stifle this creativity. We can become so
focused on amassing mounds of paperwork and discussions of test scores,
evaluations, assessments, and other items that we lose sight of the fact
that we are indeed musicians. Even in the world of higher education, other
musicians at times appear to forget that those of us in the field of music
education are accomplished musicians. If your mentor is an assigned non-
music-education person, he or she may not realize that you need time to be
creative. I am not referring merely to time for practice or study of a score,
although this is also needed. I am suggesting a time to allow for creative
thoughts, for example, to simply stare at a piano keyboard and experi-
ment. To maintain our passion for teaching music, it is important to be
passionate about music itself. This may take the form of continued per-
sonal performance, attending concerts that are not our own, listening to
beautiful recordings, or learning a new instrument. “Interest is one source
of passion. Purpose—the intention to contribute to the well-being of
others—is another. The mature passions of gritty people depend on both”
(Duckworth, 2016, p. 145).
As implied in earlier chapters 5 and 6, maintain interests outside music
and teaching. It is important to preserve these interests in a place of impor-
tance, because they provide time for your own rejuvenation. Also, you will
be amazed at how these interests will inspire your music teaching. When
you walk into a classroom, you are the summation of all your interests, not
simply music making. Take time to fully appreciate mundane activities. It
is at these moments that you may encounter some of your best ideas. These
other interests help form who you are as an individual and your unique per-
spective on how you perceive and present content to your students.
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Formal Relationships: The state in which I first taught new teachers had to com-
plete the PRAXIS III as part of their first year of teaching. A large part of this
was meeting with a mentor weekly. I was teaching elementary music and the HS
band director was assigned as my mentor. I enjoyed the relationship and having
someone to touch base with so regularly. It was hard that she did not know my
building’s unique pros and cons and often had to give general advice. I would
have appreciated a building mentor as well, but for the purpose of the PRAXIS
III my mentor had to be tenured and in my discipline. Since I was in a fairly small
district that left the band director. I would say organic mentor opportunities
have been more successful for me, but this relationship certainly helped me gain
my bearings in a new state and pass the PRAXIS III with flying colors. I moved
to a different district the next year and was offered no mentor of any kind when
I truly could have used one.
I have had the opportunity to have undergraduate students visit my class-
room for observations or practicum hours. I notice the students that arrive pre-
pared but open to new ideas do the best. The ones who arrive “knowing it all” are
difficult as they feel I have nothing to offer them since my program is small. The
reality is they will most likely have a small program. The state in which I cur-
rently teach only has a handful of large programs and those jobs are vetted years
in advance. The students who are open to learning about fundraising, creative
voicing, “ya’ll come choirs,” and the ins and outs of state contest always do better.
A willingness to learn and find something to take away, even if you can’t picture
yourself in my job or one similar to it, seems to create successful practicum expe-
riences and student teaching.
Organic Relationships: This is the kind of relationship that seems to suit me
best. Finding someone whom you respect but feel you can have honest conversa-
tions with seems to be key for me. My graduate adviser has turned into that
for me. I was formally placed as her GTA but our relationship continued after
I graduated. I assisted her with honor choirs and MUED events at the university.
We talked about real issues like balancing work and family. This isn’t a topic that
I would have ever felt comfortable bringing up with my mentor in the previous
state in which I taught, but I think it’s a valid one for a HS director. Her guidance
is never heavy handed but she’ll offer advice when I need it. She has offered clin-
ics to my choir and helped me see areas of growth for them that I may not have
recognized.
Another organic mentor has been my choir’s accompanist. She is a retired
30 year MS teacher. She is a wonderful person and has helped me in ways I can
never thank her for, such as running my Christmas concert when I was in the
hospital before the birth of my child. Her input and guidance is natural and
77
comes from a place of caring about students and young teachers. An example
would be her sharing a warm up that would strengthen the entrance on a partic-
ular piece. She would share this after rehearsal just with me so that my students
continue their trust in both of us. She checks in with me and gave me a baby gift
at the Christmas concert dress rehearsal. It’s little things like this that continue
to strengthen our relationship. I know she cares about me not just as a choir
director but as a friend.
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CHAPTER 10
A Creative Musical Collaboration

Co-Creating Opportunities
MUSICAL CO-C REATING OPPORTUNITIES
“Every creative journey begins with a problem. It starts with a feeling

of frustration, the dull ache of not being able to find the answer. We’ve
worked, hard, but we’ve hit the wall. We have no idea what to do next”
(Lehrer, 2012, p. 6). When we discuss creativity, we often omit the exas-
peration and aggravation of trying and not succeeding. This type of discus-
sion involves a certain amount of vulnerability. This is why the issue of
trust between mentor and mentee is of utmost importance. In order for a
co-creative collaboration to occur, it must begin with discussing what has
been attempted and has failed as a solution. This can be difficult for a stu-
dent teaching intern or beginning teacher who wants the master teacher to
see only his or her best. However, a level of disappointment and acknowl-
edgment that a solution is beyond our scope of knowledge is necessary for
growth and acceptance of assistance from another.
Just as you may have experienced times in the practice room when you
felt as though you could not play or sing through a particular passage,
then experienced a breakthrough in which everything your applied teacher
said made sense, resulting in beautifully executed tones, the same is true
for mentoring. There will be days when the resolution to a situation does
not seem apparent, and then miraculously a solution will present itself.
According to those who study brain research, this is a result of the right
hemisphere of the brain making connections. In various experiments it
80
has been concluded that the “right hemisphere excelled at solving insight
puzzles since that side of the brain was better able to see the hidden con-
nections, those remote associations between separate ideas” (Lehrer, 2012,
p. 13). So how can we bring more of the right hemisphere into our mentor-
ing sessions?
CREATIVE DAYDREAMING
It was once thought that daydreaming was an idle cerebral activity. However,
magnetic resonance imaging studies have revealed that the brain is exceed-
ingly active during this phase: “There seems to be a particularly elaborate
electrical conversation between the front and back parts of the brain, with
the prefrontal folds … . firing in sync with the posterior cingulate, medial
temporal lobe, and precuneus” (Lehrer, 2012, p. 45). What is most interest-
ing about this discovery is that these regions do not typically interrelate
in a straightforward manner. They have distinct operations and are part of
separate neural paths. It is not until daydreaming begins that they operate
jointly. In this manner, the mind merges ideas that are generally stored in
separate regions. The outcome is the capability to perceive fresh associa-
tions. Therefore, creatively daydreaming during mentoring sessions may be
helpful in unlocking that “aha moment” of an inspired solution.
However, daydreaming must be mindful in order to render innovative
solutions. Researchers have found that when subjects realized that their
minds were wandering, this was when increased creativity was exhibited
(Lehrer, 2012). Enough awareness must be maintained to perceive when an
inventive concept has occurred and the daydreaming can be paused to take
note of this potential solution. This is how daydreaming produces insight.
So how might mindful daydreaming, in which we allow the mind to think
freely enough to be useful without wandering into futility, appear in a men-
toring session?
Mentee: I am having a great deal of trouble getting my parents

involved with my choral program.
Mentor: Why don’t you fill me in on the ideas you have tried up to
this point?
Mentee: Well, I have created a monthly newsletter to keep the par-
ents informed. Also, I keep our choral website page updated reg-
ularly. I also send emails inviting the parents to come hear our
performances.
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Mentor: It seems you have worked hard to establish avenues of pro-

viding information to your choir parents. What other ideas have
you had recently to raise their level of participation?
Mentee: I really have so much going on that I haven’t had much time
to actually think about it.
Mentor: I tell you what. Let’s take some time right now. How about
we leave this office and go for a walk outside? There’s no one on the
outside track right now. Why don’t we enjoy a few laps?
Mentee: OK, I would actually enjoy a walk. I don’t seem to have much
time to simply walk for enjoyment, either!
Mentor: What a gorgeous afternoon! I’ve never really noticed how
green the grass is back here during this time of year. Our facili-
ties manager does excellent work. Do you know that we also have
football and track parents who assist with the upkeep of this area?
Mentee: Really? I wasn’t aware that they helped. You know, as we’ve
been walking, I’ve been thinking about how I inform my parents of
concerts and events, but I never really provide any opportunities
for them to actually help with tasks. I just assumed they would not
be interested in helping. Plus, I suppose I like doing things on my
own. I feel that it is my duty and I know for sure that tasks will be
completed correctly.
Mentor: That sounds like a big piece of the puzzle. I would like you
to take some time this week to simply daydream about the pos-
sibilities of what you can do with more help. Take a walk or enjoy
nature. Be mindful of your thoughts. Take just a few moments this
week to disconnect from electronic media and be mindful. Before
our next meeting, I would like you to think about those areas in
which you sincerely would like some help and would be willing
to let go. Then post these opportunities on your choral webpage,
include them in your newsletter and email updates. Speaking of
which, have you ever considered asking a parent to assist with the
newsletter itself? This might free up your time in other ways in
which you can actually do more for your students. I look forward
to hearing your ideas.
During this scenario, the mentee was able to relax enough to visualize
other options for parental involvement. Productive daydreaming can be an
abundant source of awareness. If you and your mentor are perplexed by a
situation, do not hesitate to suggest a relaxing activity such as a walk or a
change of meeting venue, such as a park bench.
A C r e at i v e M u s i c a l C ol l a b or at i o n [ 81 ]
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DEVELOPING AN OUTSIDER’S PERSPECTIVE
In addition to meaningful daydreaming, developing an outsider’s perspec-

tive can assist us in problem solving. Our inspirations can be restricted
by common, everyday occurrences. In other words, our routines are very
efficient but do not always contribute to the development of new insights.
If we are able to distance ourselves at times from a conundrum, we may be
able to consider a far greater number of alternative solutions. Of course
perceptual flexibility does not come simply from dissociation. Merely
changing one’s routine is not enough to gain an outsider’s perspective. One
must experience actual difference. To allow for creativity, we must be will-
ing to place ourselves in situations where we will learn as much from mis-
understanding as from understanding. For example, traveling to a foreign
country where the language and customs are not familiar positions us in
a state of asking questions and examining situations as an outsider. Later,
the knowledge gained through this travel experience may affect the way
we view our own culture and interpret the world (Lehrer, 2012). Travel to
a foreign country is not necessary for successful music education mentor-
ing, but placing ourselves in a position where we are not anesthetized to
new possibilities is vital. Music educators who “contribute to school reform
initiatives by examining and reshaping their classroom practice, collabo-
rating with others within the school, and establishing partnerships with
various communities outside the school” (Thiessen & Barrett, 2002) are
more suited to maneuvering around obstacles and handling difficult situ-
ations with flexibility. “When we learn about the world, we also learn all
the reasons why the world cannot be changed” (Lehrer, 2012, p. 135).
The same may be said about music education or any other profession. We
become acclimated to our disappointments and limitations: the numer-
ous times we have encountered questions regarding the repertoire we have
chosen for our ensembles, the challenges of working with students who
have exceptionalities for which we feel inadequately trained, budget issues,
scheduling issues, lack of understanding by school administrators, lack of
proper etiquette from the audience during our concerts, and numerous
other examples. We develop knowledge and necessary expertise in dealing
with these situations. However, this awareness can also be an impercep-
tible affliction. We lose the ability to look at each situation openly without
cynicism. Recently I was having a chat with a recent graduate at Starbuck’s.
He was close to being offered a teaching position and had been through his
first gamut of interviewing experiences. As he was awaiting the decision
of this latest round of interviews, he remarked that he was trying not to
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become cynical during the process. He had realized that some interviews
were simply formalities, in which the school district was simply comply-
ing with what was legally required of them. They had every intention of
offering the contract to a predetermined candidate, but were progressing
through the required motions of holding interviews for the position. He
had definitely moved from being without knowledge of the interviewing
process to being acutely aware that offers did not necessarily hinge on his
talent, intelligence, and ability. He will never be able to remove this knowl-
edge. He was offered and accepted an excellent position that will suit him
well. However, the insight that he gained during this experience will be
with him should he move on from this position and begin interviewing
for others. So how do we regain the ability to look at issues as an outsider?
One way is to consider the problem from the perspective of other arts
areas. For example, in Imagine: How Creativity Works Jonah Lehrer dis-
cusses the InnoCentive website, launched by the vice president of Eli Lilly.
On this site amateurs were able to solve problems that had thwarted skilled
scientists. The puzzle solvers were mainly successful when operating on the
perimeters of their fields. “In other words, chemists didn’t solve chemistry
problems, they solved molecular biology problems, just as molecular biolo-
gists solved chemistry problems. While these people were close enough to
understand the challenges, they weren’t so close that their knowledge held
them back and caused them to run into the same stumbling blocks as the
corporate scientists” (2012, p. 121). In the world of music, we are fortu-
nate to have related areas as well. How might a visual artist, choreogra-
pher, dance instructor, theatrical director, acting coach, or poet approach
the issue you are currently facing?
Thinking as an outsider is definitely one way in which a mentor who is
not a music education specialist is beneficial. If you have a mentor out-
side of the music curricular area, this is the perfect way to engage his or
her expertise. If your mentor is a music education specialist, it may feel
counterintuitive to seek out a mentor who is not an expert in the field.
However, communicating with an enthused outsider at times is the best
way to find an answer. The music education mentor has extensive exper-
tise, but as we recently examined, being deep inside a particular domain
may actually work against finding a solution in certain situations. We are
capable of inventive thinking throughout our professional careers as long
as we make an effort to continue examining issues from the viewpoint of
the outsider (Smithton, 1999). Outsider vision is an attitude. Hopefully
your mentor will be willing to ask ridiculous questions with you and leave
behind the shelter of expertise.
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CREATIVITY AS A THOUGHT PROCESS
Mentorship allows for authentic professional development. As a teacher,

you will have many opportunities for professional development. These
opportunities often are not personally relevant to music teachers. They
are generally organized by the school district, and nonmusic teachers
also occasionally have issues with the professional development benefit
of these activities or workshops. Valid professional development is most
effective when facilitated by teachers. Mentoring allows for you as the new
teacher to think and plan through a course of action for growth that you
will receive from no other source. This may be done formally or informally.
However, it takes purposeful thought and consideration to develop.
CREATIVITY AS A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS
As an emerging music educator, you may wish to solve issues through a

solitary process. During the student teaching residency experience, many
pre-service music educators yearn for their own classrooms in which they
can implement their own ideas. Therefore, the idea of more collaboration
is not always easily accepted or welcome. However, some problems are so
intricately difficult that a connection of ingenuities is required to find solu-
tions to them.
In addition, many early career teachers face the challenges of solitude,
such as the “silencing of beginning teachers in relation to interactions with
other teachers” and “isolation in relation to other teachers” (Conway &
Rawlings, 2015, p. 33). Most early career teachers are not aware of the
political savvy needed to navigate daily negotiations with colleagues, par-
ents, administrators, and students. Physical or emotional detachment
from colleagues or the administration precludes emerging music educators
from developing the connections necessary for gaining the skill and ability
to master the proverbial political waters.
As a young music teacher, I was rather naive regarding collegial politics.
After all, were we not all here teaching for the same reason, that being the
best interests of our students? I remember as a fifth-year teacher being
asked by the principal to read the names of students who had received
Honor I ratings and who would advance to State Music Festival during the
morning announcements. The reading over the intercom of the names of
students who were advancing to various state competitions had become
a tradition. I felt fortunate to work for an administrator who valued the
arts and was always encouraging me and my band colleague to share the
85
events and accomplishments in our department. Apparently not all of the

teachers appreciated this support. During the reading of the names, one of
the veteran English teachers stormed into the office with pieces of paper
on which she had written in large, capital letters, “DO YOU THINK YOUR
STUDENTS ARE SO IMPORTANT?” and “YOU KNOW YOU DON’T HAVE
THE ONLY STUDENTS IN THIS BUILDING.” She then stormed out of the
office in an angry huff. I was stunned, but continued to read the list of
names with even more conviction. I was baffled. Were they not her students
as well? I was especially perplexed since her son had also been a member of
one of my choirs two years earlier. As I hung up the intercom, the adminis-
trative assistants in the office looked dumbfounded by her behavior as well.
I had no assigned mentor at this time in my career with whom to dis-
cuss this incident. I handled the situation by ignoring it and continuing to
teach to the best of my ability. A collaborative relationship with a mentor,
who was a seasoned educator, may have made a difference in this situa-
tion. According to Conway and Rawlings (2015), two strategies that early
career teachers utilize to navigate their environment are “seeking collegial
assistance” and “a growing awareness of the need for micropolitical lit-
eracy” (p. 33). Various researchers have discussed and defined micropoli-
tics in teacher education literature. I believe that Achinstein (2006) states
it most concisely: “Micropolitics, as highlighted in the research, refers to
the political negotiations within the day—to—day life of schools—the
intraorganizational processes” (p. 149). Collegial support from a mentor,
whether a music teacher coworker or not, is one component in overcoming
the challenge of feeling alone when maneuvering through everyday politi-
cal situations.
It is important to emphasize that a productive mentoring relation-
ship will be one of support, tolerance, respect, and openness toward one
another. You as a mentee must be willing to admit vulnerabilities and areas
in which you need assistance. You must be ready to take risks. Entreat a
mentor who will allow you to have space to try innovative ideas. Realize,
however, that you may have a mentor who is not willing to engage in these
types of discussions. No amount of legislated mentoring, which is being
conducted strictly due to obligation, can suffice as your sole type of men-
toring. Remember, your mentor may embrace the perspective that solitary
experiences are not only beneficial but necessary for learning the art of
teaching. It is a balance to blend a collaborative relationship with your
mentor while accepting that you as the individual are ultimately respon-
sible for the day-to-day management of your classroom.
It is important in creating a cooperative environment in mentoring that
the conversations center around how to best serve the students. Being
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a probationary teacher can at times hinder the open communication of

issues such as classroom management, pedagogical approaches, or even
questioning school policies. Novice music teachers at times do not request
assistance because they wish to be certain that their basic competence is
not in question. If your mentor is consistently concerned about your abil-
ity to teach music, then this must be remedied before you will feel confi-
dent discussing other issues related to the best interests of your students.
Strive to be the best teacher in the building so that genuine collaboration
may occur.
Teachers in all curricular areas are expected to reflect upon their teach-
ing practices. Yet most schools, whether public or private, allow little time
and space for this type of reflective activity. I often tell my students that
the best teachers continue to learn throughout their careers. However,
many schools are not designed as an environment in which one continues
to learn to teach. Organized professional development often places addi-
tional demands on teachers’ exhausted minds and bodies. Authentic col-
laborative mentoring is the only way in which this can even begin to be
alleviated. As the mentee, request that time for meaningful teaching reflec-
tion be an element of the collaborative mentoring process.
In this age of accountability, mentoring relationships are not exempt
from the constraints of timelines and the requirement to report tangible
results. The important point to remember in a creative, collaborative men-
toring relationship is that the human elements of connection, affiliation,
and rapport that work together to form a genuine bond must be estab-
lished and remain as the center of the partnership. This may or may not be
possible with an assigned mentor. This type of collaboration may only arise
from those mentoring relationships that seem to occur gradually or sponta-
neously, because the associations are more personally created. Regardless,
creative collaboration should be a goal for which we strive.
87
Pursuing mentors is one of the quickest ways to improve your instruction and
pedagogy, especially as a music educator. Through the art of mentorship, an inex-
perienced teacher can learn from the experiences and wisdom of master teachers.
Here are my thoughts regarding mentoring and its importance in music educa-
tion. “Seek and Ye Shall Find; ASK and it Shall Be Given.” I used to be very shy
about approaching musicians or professionals I admired. I got to a point where
my desire to become the best teacher I could be overcame my fear of approaching
people. If there is someone within your profession that you admire and see as a
model educator, do not be afraid to contact them or introduce yourself. You will
find that most accomplished educators are very approachable. They are just wait-
ing to share their ideas with those who show desire to grow as educators.
Availability of Mentorship. With the advances in technology and popularity
of social media there are endless opportunities to reach out to people that would
be great mentors. BE PROACTIVE—I have built great mentoring relationships
by reaching out to experienced educators just by doing some basic research.
Start with your college professors. I made it a point to establish a great rela-
tionship with the teachers I student taught under as a senior music education
major. During my first year teaching, it was these teachers that helped guide me
through the initial stages of my career as a band director.
Find some of the most successful programs within your local area. Once you
do this, introduce yourself through call or email, expressing your appreciation/
admiration of their program and your desire to learn from them and share ideas.
This can be done through an informal meeting at a coffee or a meal on a weekend,
or you could even set up a time to observe their teaching. For example, during
Spring Break of my first year teaching, I made plans to observe three different
band directors in surrounding counties. To this day, I still consider these educa-
tors as mentors that I can talk to about anything pertaining to music education.
Get involved in your local music education association. By being involved in
professional organizations, I have been able to network with some of the best edu-
cators in the state. This is a great opportunity to seek mentoring opportunities.
“Go Big or Go Home.” Find people that are the best in your field. Don’t be
afraid to approach your heroes! My second year teaching, I had the opportunity
to meet one of my role models. He was serving as the guest clinician for a senior
high honor band. Not only was I able to watch him in a real rehearsal environ-
ment, I was able to introduce myself and form a lasting relationship. Since
this initial meeting, I have been able to reach out to him through emails and
social media.
Frequently Participate in Professional Development Opportunities. Whether
it is a clinic, workshop or seminar, it is so important to participate in these
88
events. Educators that attend these events typically are ones that are passionate
about teaching music. Not only are you learning at these events but this gives
you another opportunity to network, create a professional learning community
and meet potential mentors.
Find mentors that are strong where you are weak. Since there are so many
facets to being a great teacher and everyone has their own strengths and weak-
nesses, you may have many mentors that you go to for advice on certain aspects
of your teaching. I have different mentors that I talk to about different areas
of my teaching such as conducting, jazz pedagogy, concert band, classroom
management, etc.
In order to get the most out of any mentoring program, it is important that
you have mastered the art of self-reflection. Every day you should get in the
habit of thinking about the following: What went well today? Why did it go well?
What didn’t go so well? Why didn’t it go well? What can I do to fix it? This allows
you to think critically to reinforce good qualities and fix undesired qualities. Self-
reflection becomes very important as you begin to discuss improvement strate-
gies with your mentors. Once you try some of your mentor’s suggestions, reflect
on the previously listed four questions.
Pay It Forward: The Importance of Mentoring. As an educator, the best thing
you can do to improve the teaching profession is to continue to teach with pas-
sion and strive to never lose the desire to learn new creative and effective ways
to engage students in learning. As I find out what teaching strategies work, it is
important to me that I share this knowledge; not only to students, but to teach-
ers as well. A great way to share my knowledge with others is by being a supervis-
ing teacher for college music education majors. Almost every year I have taught,
I have had some of my former students that are planning on being music educa-
tors job shadow me for a day during their senior year of high school. Whenever
I have an opportunity to go to a music education workshop, I try to make the
most of professional development. I see the importance in investing in my abili-
ties as a teacher and musician. It is this type of mindset that will have an impact
on the teaching profession as a whole.
The mentee is not the only one that benefits from mentorship. As Itzhak
Perlman says, “When you teach others, you teach yourself.” This is true from
both the perspectives of the teacher/student and mentor/mentee. Strong teach-
ers should help other teachers learn how to become better teachers by sharing
effective teaching strategies and being supportive mentors. I can be involved in
leadership roles that allow me to be an example for others in the field of music
education. Mentoring ensures the longevity and enhances the quality of music
education.
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CHAPTER 11
Challenges of Playing a Duet
Coping and Flourishing with Constructive Criticism
DEVELOPING A “TOUGH SKIN”
As musicians we must develop a “tough skin.” This is to say that we must

learn how to deal with an onslaught of criticism. Hopefully the majority of
criticism we have received as musicians has been beneficial and construc-
tive. It is a necessary component of improving as a musician. It is also a
necessary component of improving as a teacher, conductor, public speaker,
and many other roles that are a part of the music teaching process.
As teachers we are also taught the skill of offering constructive criticism
for the improvement of our own students. One afternoon I was observing
a student in beginning fieldwork. This was prior to her student teaching
experience. Therefore, my observation time with her was less formal. She
understood that I might interject helpful suggestions occasionally as she
taught. She was teaching an intermediate level choir. They had just finished
singing a passage in which they were definitely not demonstrating their
best music reading skills or vocal technique. She told them “good job” and
began to proceed to the next octavo. At this point I asked her to pause and
I questioned the choir, asking them if they thought they had done a “good
job” on that portion of the octavo. They resoundingly and practically in
unison replied, “no.” Then I asked the music education major if she actu-
ally thought they had done a “good job,” to which she also replied “no.”
I instructed her to give the ensemble directions about what might improve
their music reading and vocal technique in this passage and have them
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attempt it again. She did so, and the second reading was vastly improved.
She and the ensemble felt a sense of accomplishment that was palpable in
the room, and this time they truly knew they had performed well. This time
she could say “good job” with sincerity.
In this situation, constructive criticism from the pre-service teacher
was necessary for the improvement of the ensemble. If she had allowed
this ensemble to think this was her definition of a job well done, then the
ensemble would not have improved beyond this expectation. She was unin-
tentionally setting her expectations of them and subconsciously they were
living up to only what they thought she expected of them, even though
they knew they could achieve at a higher level. Also, it was necessary for me
to indicate to her that she needed to examine the type of feedback she was
offering to the ensemble. Was it authentic? Was she settling for less than
what she knew they could demonstrate? Was she actually undermining her
credibility with them? Did they think that she did not know that they could
do better? Early career music educators must master the art of giving con-
structive feedback as well as learning from it themselves. This requires a
focused attention to what is being communicated to the students and how
it is being communicated.
Unfortunately, I have encountered pre-service music educators who, no
matter how gentle the feedback, simply did not handle written or oral criti-
cism well. There are those who may become angry and belligerent. Most
who respond in this manner feel their knowledge is under scrutiny. There
are those who cry and wilt. The first hint that they are not executing musi-
cal technique or teaching technique perfectly causes them to melt. Neither
one of these responses to criticism bodes well in the field of education
when one becomes a teacher.
It is imperative to find a way to handle criticism, especially criticism that
is not constructive or is unwarranted. Regrettably, this type of criticism
does exist in the field of music education and may come from parents, the
administration, and others. The secret is to allow it to propel you forward.
You cannot dwell on these types of comments or issues that will arise dur-
ing your professional career. There is no advantage in internalizing any
comment or situation that hinders your mission statement or prevents you
from giving your best each day in the classroom. Think through the course
of action you must take in each situation. At times the best course of action
is to ignore the criticism. At other times it is to face the criticism head on
and challenge it. This is especially true if you find yourself being bullied.
I use this word intentionally and not lightly. Let us consider an example.
During one of my sixth-grade general music classes, I had a young man
who was continually disruptive. He had failed sixth grade twice, so was
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much older and larger than the other children. He also exhibited signs of
anger and hostility. Each day I knew that I would need to be proactive by
moving him to another seat or by employing other measures. His older
sister was in my advanced high school choir, and I had known his family
for years. I had, of course, had him the previous two years in sixth-grade
general music as well.
Using humor with him seemed to help our connection. One day during
completion of a worksheet he refused to work and began bothering others.
I had an octavo in my hand that I was going to instruct the class to sing
upon completion of the related worksheet questions. As I was walking up
the permanent risers next to his seat, I gently tapped him on the shoulder
with the octavo and instructed him not to disturb his neighbor.
Over the course of the next two months an onslaught that I had never
envisioned occurred. That evening I received an exceptionally threaten-
ing phone call from his mother at my home residence, during which she
screamed at me for hitting her son. I assured her that I had not hit her son
and that if she wished to have a conference with me she could schedule
one during school hours by calling the middle school office in the morning.
The next day arrived, and she had informed the middle school principal
that I had beaten her son. He was dismayed and came to visit with me. Of
course I explained the situation to him. He also called in other students
to his office without me present; they verified that I had not struck him.
Most were not even aware that I had tapped him on the shoulder with the
octavo. One or two who sat next to him said that I had tapped him on the
shoulder with a piece of paper, so as far as the principal was concerned
the matter would be closed once he had informed the mother of his find-
ings. This should have been the end of the situation, but it was not.
That night the mother called me again at home. She repeatedly rehashed
the same allegations and stated that her son was now fearful of attending
music class; knowing the temperament of this student, I found this highly
doubtful. I asked her repeatedly to contact the school office during school
hours. The next day she appeared at my classroom door with a notebook in
hand and stated that she was going to observe my class. I was taken aback,
but allowed her to enter, thinking this would stop her behavior. The middle
school principal arrived just moments later when he had heard from the
office staff that she had arrived on campus and proceeded to my room. He
offered to stay through the duration of the class. I told him he was wel-
come, but that it was not necessary unless he felt he needed to observe.
He left and I proceeded with my class. That evening she again called my
residence with more rantings. She had not found anything out of order in
my classroom, but still wanted some form of action taken regarding the
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incident with her son. By this point I was exhausted by the nightly phone
calls. I told her not to call my home phone number again and that as far as
the school was concerned the matter was closed. I also reminded her that
she should contact the principal regarding any further discussion. All the
next week she showed up at my classroom door with demands that she be
permitted to observe my teaching.
Feeling harassed, I went to the principal and told him that the young
man needed to be removed from my classroom because I would no longer
deal with his mother. This is the only time in my career I have requested
that a student not be allowed to attend one of my music classes. I had
reached my limit of tolerance for receiving phone calls at my home in which
the mother yelled and screamed into the phone, as well as impromptu vis-
its to my classroom in which she was rude and confrontational. I felt this
was a last option, but a necessary decision that I had to take for my own
well-being. The sister remained in my advanced high school choir without
incident. During the ordeal, she repeatedly apologized for the behavior of
her mother. I assured her that she did not owe me an apology and that
this situation did not alter my care and concern for her in any manner. The
young man could never look me in the eyes during or after the incident,
because he knew he had not told the truth. His mother transferred him to
another district the next year because, according to her, none of us were
capable teachers. He dropped out of that district at the age of 16. I have
often wondered what happened to him afterward.
The point of this anecdote is that you must handle criticism with patience
and professionalism, but you must also stand firm when criticism is unwar-
ranted. Furthermore, you must be willing to draw the line in the proverbial
sand and effectuate what is necessary for your own mental and emotional
health. It is necessary not only to develop a “tough skin” in accepting con-
structive criticism, but also to defend one’s self through the difficult times
of unwarranted and undeserved disparagement.
CRITICISM OF MUSICIANSHIP
As musicians, we are continually under scrutiny from others as a way of

life. Your applied teachers, conducting professors, and others have exam-
ined your musical ability from numerous angles. Think for a moment how
you have assimilated the criticism you have been given over your years of
music study. How has it affected the way you interact with your instrument
and how you teach?
93
One of the most difficult tasks is to separate the criticism of our musi-
cal ability or musical performance from our own persona (Seagroves &
McWhirter, 2011). Many of us view our instrument as an extension of our
very selves. This is particularly true of vocalists and conductors. Have you
ever cried either during or after a lesson? As a teacher, have you inadver-
tently made a student cry during an applied lesson? Even though we must
learn to accept criticism and make it work for us, it can be a difficult mis-
sion to accept it as beneficial.
CRITICISM OF TEACHING
There are many who will voice their opinions on how classroom matters
should be conducted or question why you teach in a particular manner. You
must learn to differentiate which opinions and questions are valuable and
which might be detrimental to you, your students, and/or your program.
When I was a second year teacher, a novice principal attempted to
improve upon the manner in which the holiday musical would be organized.
This was during the time I was teaching K–12 vocal and general music. I had
numerous K–6 classes. I had secured a production that included speaking
parts and songs appropriate for each grade level. I was very excited and had
planned every detail for the smoothest execution of performance in the
gymnasium, which was our performance space. I had discussed the details
with all of the classroom teachers, who were equally excited about the pro-
duction. The students had been given explicit instructions about when they
were to enter as a class, how they were to exit, where they were to go to wait
for their next appearance, and so forth. These instructions had been given
over the course of many weeks, especially since I only saw each class twice
a week. The day before the concert arrived. This was our one and only dress
rehearsal in the gymnasium before the actual production the next evening.
The new elementary principal appeared in the gymnasium before we
began and told me that he did not like the plan to have each classroom
teacher take his or her students to assigned holding areas when they were
not performing. He insisted that all of the students remain in the gym-
nasium to hear all of the other classes perform their selections. I desper-
ately tried to explain to him that there were speaking parts and that each
class was not simply singing songs and then walking off stage. They would
return at various times during the production to sing their selections as the
script warranted. I informed him that the day before the concert was too
late to change the instructions to the classes and that each teacher also had
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very specific instructions as to how the sequence of songs was organized.

He continued to insist that all of the students be present for the entire
production. They were all to sit at the end of the gymnasium in a particular
bleacher section, and according to him this should “work fine.” I continued
to explain how this would disrupt the entire program and that it would also
create gaps as the classes from the top of the bleachers tried to make their
way down to the performance areas, which included the stage, risers on
the floor, and another floor area for the songs with movement. I could see
from his reactions that I had no choice but to follow his demands. I knew
this was going to create a host of problems. In addition, I had only this
one dress rehearsal to change every instruction the elementary students had
been given after weeks of instructions to the contrary.
Needless to say, the production did not run smoothly. I was mortified,
but much more for my students than for myself. At this time in my pro-
fessional life, I had not yet learned the art of negotiation or when not
to yield to unreasonable demands. Moreover, I had not yet learned the
art of diplomacy. When the evening ended, the principal came to me and
said, “Well, that was a mess. I take the blame.” Rather than being gracious,
I looked at him and replied, “Good, because I blame you.” The next day at
lunch the superintendent and I were seated at the same table. His com-
ment to me regarding the previous evening’s production was, “Next year
just sing something we all know. We don’t need to be educated out here.”
Needless to say I was angered and stunned by this comment. I remember
angrily getting up from the table while making a very loud retort, but to
this day I do not remember exactly what I said in reply. I can tell you it
was loud enough for the entire cafeteria to fall silent and wonder what
had just occurred. In hindsight, I can now view this incident in the proper
perspective of my entire career with a bit of a chuckle, but at the time it
felt catastrophic.
I learned a great deal concerning the need to stand firm when necessary.
There have been other moments similar to this in which I have responded
with more finesse, but with steadfastness. I have worked diligently to be
more diplomatic in my responses. This has served me well in my career, but
it has also perplexed others who have not understood why at times I am
so unwavering. There have still been times when perhaps I have responded
with more rigidity than perhaps was necessary, but it has been from a deep
desire to do the best for my students. Nearly three decades have passed
since this encounter, but this and other experiences have helped to edu-
cate me regarding which battles are worth fighting. I have learned when to
relinquish and when to stand firm. You will learn this as well. Remember
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to always place your students first; this will help guide you in whether you
need to heed the criticism or simply smile and nod politely, knowing you
will continue to follow your convictions. Your response may not be popular,
but you will gain the peace of mind that you have acted in the best interest
of your students.
CRITICISM OF PERSONA
During the situations discussed in this chapter, it was difficult at times for
me to separate issues from feelings of being personally scrutinized, in other
words criticism of character and competency. I had to remind myself that
the elementary principal was acting from his lack of knowledge of music
programs and a desire to be in control. The mother in the first example was
acting on false information from her son.
It is difficult not to take comments and situations personally. It does not
get easier with age or experience. Unfortunately there are also times when
what happens is intended to be personal. Each unique situation must be
carefully considered. Solicit counsel from your mentors should a situation
that you feel is personal arise. Weigh their advice and then proceed in the
direction that you feel will bring about a conclusion to the situation. This
may be to ignore the criticism, to meet with the other party to determine
the root of the difficulty, to call upon third-party mediation, or to pursue
some other plan of action. In particular instances you may simply have
to accept that you have a colleague or parent who is dealing with numer-
ous issues and you are regrettably the target of that person’s frustration.
Accept that there is nothing you can do in these situations and move past
these hurtful encounters.
Perhaps an administrator has made changes to your classes or schedule
and you do not know why, because you have received outstanding evalua-
tions. Accept that it may not be about you. Perhaps he or she is protecting
another teacher in the building in some manner or dealing with curricu-
lar issues that are unknown to you. You may not like the decision, but is
it really worth investing your time? Each situation is different and war-
rants thoughtful consideration. For example, has some of your budget been
moved to another area? This may be an issue worth fighting over. Then
again, your time and resources may be better invested advocating for your
program with others than in lengthy discussions with an administrator
who is set on a particular course of action. As discussed previously, time
truly is a precious commodity. Use it wisely.
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BENEFITING FROM CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
One way to benefit from authentic constructive criticism is to release the

negative encounters we have had with unwarranted criticism. This is not
an easy task and requires more than the passing of time. Surround yourself
with caring mentors, friends, family, and others who encourage and are
supportive of your work. Realize that you cannot go backward and redo any
situations, but you can move forward and do your best work from today
onward.
It is difficult to also accept criticism from those whom we feel do not
have our best interests at heart. For example, if you have had a negative
encounter with your building principal and then are scheduled for a teach-
ing evaluation the same week, it can be a stressful situation. You must not
allow your frustrations to affect your teaching performance. Continue to
place your students first and graciously accept the criticism that may come
your way with forbearance and a smile on your face. It is much easier to
accept critiques by those we feel are genuinely invested in our success. That
is the primary factor when assessing our students as well. When our stu-
dents know that we care and are sincerely invested in their success and
development as individuals, they are much more appreciative of any evalu-
ation we may proffer.
Constructive criticism should always come from a standpoint of encour-
agement and love. This does not mean that the message is diluted. On the
contrary, one of the most difficult but caring discussions I can have with a
university student is helping him or her establish a realistic mindset about
his or her future as a music educator. It is difficult at times to walk the
line between encouragement and realistic expectations. This is a challenge
when either giving or accepting constructive criticism, but a skill that we as
music educators must master from both sides.
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I had very different experiences with the mentor process during my student
teaching. While one of experiences was not the best, it still was valuable as
I learned what works for me as far as being mentored, and what kind of mentor
I would like to be for someone one day.
The first mentor teacher I was placed with was a gem. She always made
sure I felt comfortable and was prepared for me to be a part of her classroom
the moment I walked in on that first visit. I had so many questions I wanted
to ask her, but she answered most of them before I even had the chance to ask.
Throughout my time there (about 2 months), she coached me through every step
of the way. When I had questions, she answered them just as any outstanding
teacher would. Meaning she didn’t give me a direct answer, but rather made me
think about it and guided me in the right direction. Even after my placement
ended with her, she let me know that I could call her any time with questions and
she would be there to help. I feel so blessed to have been placed with her because
I now have built a strong relationship with her and we talk weekly. She is actu-
ally coming to my first performance that I’m putting on as a real life elementary
music teacher! How lucky am I?
The second mentor teacher I was placed with was a great person and had
an outstanding personality, but I must say he had a very different approach to
teaching and mentoring from my previous mentor. As a disclaimer, I was the first
student teacher he ever had so it was like a complete 360 from my first place-
ment. He was much more unorganized and did not make me feel as comfortable
throughout my time there as much of the time I just felt like I was a burden.
Whenever I would come to him with questions or concerns, he would usually just
agree with whatever idea I proposed and did not really challenge me to think.
Sometimes I would ask him something that had to do with my requirements of
student teaching such as how to approach a certain aspect on my evaluation, and
he would just tell me that it’s not like that in the real world so to just do some-
thing for now that would get me by. This was a really discouraging and stressful
time for me as I wanted to be the best I possibly could and I just felt like I was
all alone in my last months of college. Luckily, I was able to call upon mentors
I already had in my life such as professors or my mentor teacher from my first
placement so I managed. Don’t get me wrong, I loved this teacher as a person,
but I would not want him to be a mentor for me again.
Now that I have graduated college and have landed my first job teaching ele-
mentary general music, I feel blessed to have a job at a school with two full time
general music teachers. From the moment I got hired, the other music teacher
at the school wanted to get together to go over a few things. We met numerous
98
times leading up to the school year where we discussed our philosophies, meth-
ods, and general ideas for the school year. She is not my official mentor as my
school does not have a program in place (at least not that I know of yet), but
she has definitely taken me under her wing. She has even gone out of her way to
make sure that I am prepared for that first week of school by making lists with
me and just talking through it all.
My main advice for those student teaching or who have mentors is to not take
your mentors for granted. They are there for you to help you grow and learn. Do
not waste the time that they are investing into your professional career. Always
be prepared and have possible solutions to questions you might have. Do not let
them do everything for you. Put in the work so that you can flourish and really
grow as a professional with their guidance.
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CHAPTER 12
The Finale
The Duet Concludes
STALLING OF A MENTORING RELATIONSHIP
A mentoring relationship may start out wonderfully, with mentoring part-

ners respecting each other, sharing mutual interests, and developing an
excellent repartee. However, these relationships may also stall over time.
Be aware of signals that indicate that it is time to close a mentoring rela-
tionship. This stalling may occur with both nonmusic education mentors
and those within the music education curricular area. Neither type of rela-
tionship is immune from coming to a plateau.
Mentoring relationships stall or come to a close for numerous reasons.
The first may simply be that the relationship has run its course. In other
words, goals have been achieved, success has been demonstrated in and
out of the classroom, and many lessons have been learned. The mentor
and mentee simply feel that all has been accomplished. Therefore, it is time
for a new action plan with a mentor who can effectively collaborate at this
stage of the mentee’s career.
Along this line, perhaps there is still more work to be accomplished, but
the mentor feels that another mentor has the capability to be more effec-
tive. A piano teacher I once had simply looked at me during a lesson and
stated, “I’ve taken you as far as I can. You play at a more advanced level than
my skills.” She then recommended and helped me secure an audition with
another piano instructor who had an incredibly long waiting list. I passed
the audition and began study with this new teacher, which was exactly
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what I needed to prepare for college and beyond. This same type of scenario
can exist in mentoring relationships as well. The current mentor may even
recommend a possible next mentor.
Unfortunately some mentoring relationships need to come to a close
due to bias or discrimination. This could be related to obvious factors such
as gender or race, but it could also be related to views on collaboration.
Perhaps the mentee has not been allowed to have input into the mentoring
relationship due to views held by the mentor. The mentor may continually
forbid the mentee to experiment with alternative solutions and demand
that the course of action be only what the mentor has prescribed. We would
like to believe that this would not occur in the field of music or education.
However, we do not live in a perfect world with perfect people. Regrettably,
there are music programs in which all of the facets are not united for the
best interests of the students, and personal egos are involved. These types
of issues tend to permeate mentoring situations as well.
In these situations, the mentee may bear the responsibility of ending
the mentoring relationship. This is an extremely difficult circumstance,
which can be particularly problematic if the mentor is formally assigned
through the school district and daily interaction occurs with this person,
especially if he or she is a music colleague. It is critical to approach this
situation carefully with respect, but also with strength, resolve, and clear
communication.
EVALUATE ORIGINAL LEARNING OUTCOMES
Closure involves evaluating the original learning outcomes set at the begin-
ning of the relationship. It is important at the close of a mentoring relation-
ship, especially one that is formally assigned, to assess strengths that have
been developed and concerns that have been addressed through the men-
toring process. The duration of the mentoring relationship will also affect
how much analysis needs to occur. Has this relationship been formally
assigned over years of development, or is it a relatively new mentoring
relationship cultivated perhaps only for one semester? If the relationship
has spanned years of development, it is important to examine the progress
that has occurred since the beginning of the relationship. Perhaps you are
moving to another district or state and leaving a mentor with whom you
have worked for the past two or three years. It is important to evaluate the
specific objectives set initially and examine how these objectives were met
and how others developed over the course of the relationship.
101
In addition to specific learning outcomes, it may be beneficial to exam-

ine the progress made in specific areas, such as classroom management,
parent interactions, administrative duties, and specific teaching elements.
These teaching elements may include conducting issues, choosing litera-
ture, lesson planning, general music activities, student assessment, and so
forth. Also, this may be an excellent time to discuss workshops and clin-
ics that have provided meaningful professional development, as well as to
examine the value of observations of other music specialists.
ACKNOWLEDGE ACHIEVEMENTS
Closure includes acknowledging and celebrating achievements related

to the original learning outcomes, as well as those musical, educational,
and personal milestones that have been reached. These achievements may
be large or small. Perhaps growth in the music program has been accom-
plished or a personal goal of additional training, such as earning Orff Level
I certification. No accomplishment is too small, and all successes should
be valued. This does not need to be a formal checklist. A lunch or dinner at
which successes are discussed may be all that is needed to provide a sense
of appreciation and resolution.
EVALUATE PERSONAL LEARNING
When a mentoring relationship comes to a conclusion, it should be viewed

as an opportunity to evaluate personal learning and apply this learning to
other relationships and situations. It may be helpful to think about three
or four powerful learning experiences that occurred over the course of the
relationship, write them down, and then analyze the significance of each.
These learning experiences do not need to be limited to what transfor-
mations occurred in the classroom, but can also encompass professional
situations, personal gains, or philosophical beliefs regarding the teaching
of music.
This is also an opportunity to ask your mentor about important events
or influences on his or her career that you have not had the opportunity
to discuss. This is the time to ask about personally rewarding events or
struggles that he or she overcame or encountered. In this way you can con-
tinue to add to your personal learning even as the mentoring relationship
draws to an end.
The Finale [ 101 ]

102
TRANSFER TO OTHER RELATIONSHIPS
As I recently watched the public memorial service for the legendary bas-
ketball coach Pat Summitt, I was struck with the thought that at times our
mentoring relationships come to a close due to the unexpected illness or
passing away of a mentor. These types of endings are not foreseen and are
beyond anyone’s control.
Pat Summitt was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease at
the young age of 59. Her 1,098 career wins are the most in NCAA basket-
ball history. She won eight NCAA championships and two Olympic med-
als, is listed as one of the 50 Greatest Coaches of All Time, received the
Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, and
never had a losing season in her years as a coach. However, the former play-
ers that spoke of her did not speak of her as a legend, but as a caring, firm,
fair, compassionate mentor and friend. The lessons they learned under her
leadership and in the time they spent with her were not merely lessons on
the basketball court. Speaker after speaker referred to the life lessons she
learned. These lessons learned will not disappear because Pat Summitt is
no longer living. These lessons will endure and carry on into other relation-
ships, as these protégés continue to learn and serve as mentors themselves.
Every mentoring relationship contains valuable lessons that must not
be forgotten, but should be built upon as we enter new mentoring relation-
ships. Surely these include lessons on teaching music, but also lessons on
how to live. Regardless of why a mentoring relationship comes to a close,
be sure to examine the best way you can carry forward the lessons learned.
This is how we honor those individuals who have made a difference in our
lives. We continue to apply the valuable insights we have gained through-
out our journey.
SEEKING OUT A NEW MENTOR
It is important that at all stages of your career as a music educator you

have mentoring relationships. The quest for a new mentor can be a chal-
lenge. When seeking a new mentor, it is important not to avoid past expe-
riences, but connect to them. Hopefully the mentoring relationship that
has recently concluded contained experiences that affected your daily life.
Reviewing and reprioritizing goals is important as you grow as a pro-
fessional. When considering a new mentor, remember that your goals and
objectives are now different than during your first year of teaching. Find
someone who will continue to invigorate your thinking and point of view.
103
Regardless of your current mentoring situation, it is important to remain

in a proactive, continuous learning frame of mind. To that end, appendices
E, F, and G list sources for further reading for inspiration and increased
knowledge. These lists include works on music teaching, the art of teach-
ing itself, creativity, organization, relationships, purpose, and other topics
for your inquiry. These are books that can be read before, during, and after
mentoring relationships. You may even wish to suggest a few of them to
your mentor for joint reading and discussion.
Remember, what you do each day as a music educator makes a differ-
ence. All music educators, regardless of years of experience, need places
of restoration and rejuvenation. Part of this replenishment comes in the
form of help from other music education professionals. We need to learn to
accept assistance if we are to stay professionally healthy. The opportunity
to bond with other music teachers is a potent source of growth. The process
of mentoring can be a professional support system to an emerging music
educator. Veteran music educators who are willing to guide and share are
essential in this process, but the emerging music educator also has contri-
butions to make for the relationship to be successful. Become proactive and
take steps toward creating a meaningful professional development strategy
regardless of the type of mentoring situation in which you find yourself.
Take the step and reach out to other music educators as well as cultivating
the relationship that you are officially assigned. Work toward the vision of
who you wish to become professionally as a music educator and person-
ally as an individual. You, and those who enter your classroom, deserve
nothing less.
The Finale [ 103 ]

104
105
CHAPTER 13
The Encore
Giving of Yourself
PROGRESSING FROM MENTEE TO MENTOR
How do you know when it is time to become a mentor? There is no magi-

cal number of years of teaching or special formula to know when you are
ready to be a mentor to another. You may find yourself in a mentoring
position simply because another, less experienced music educator requests
your help. Our music education profession thrives because we are willing to
assist one another. Do not be afraid to mentor others.
On the other hand, you may feel predisposed to be a mentor, but you
are not deemed ready by your school district because you do not yet have
enough years of experience. This may be purely district policy. However,
you can still serve as an informal mentor, just as you had informal mentors.
Remember, you cannot force mentoring relationships. This is a difficult
lesson to learn if you are a natural leader who sincerely wants to make the
path less cumbersome for others. I have observed young teachers struggle
and make missteps, but if there is no openness to receive assistance or an
actual resistance to assistance, then one must take a step back. At times
your attempts at mentoring may even be viewed as overbearing, even
though this is definitely not your intention. You may need to realize that
this relationship is not going to develop into a mentoring situation. This is
especially difficult if you are serving in the position of music supervisor or
are the veteran member of the arts department at your school.
106
Of course mentees need to be informed when they have an assigned

mentor. Once I had an assigned mentor and the administrator had failed to
inform me. The assigned mentor assumed I had been informed. Therefore,
she thought nothing of summoning me to her office and critiquing my work
on a regular basis, which I found rather offensive, not realizing that she had
been assigned as a formal mentor. I never had the perspicacity to share my
confusion with her. And unfortunately she did not approach the mentoring
sessions in a manner that would have led to such a discussion. Regrettably,
this created a great deal of misperception and perplexity on both our parts.
Sometimes mentoring experiences present themselves very early in one’s
career. During my second year of teaching, my band colleague decided to
work for a music textbook publisher and stopped teaching. I found myself
the veteran music educator in the district when the newly hired band col-
league was a first year teacher. Fortunately she and I developed a wonderful
relationship in which we assisted one another. She and I advocated for one
another’s programs on a consistent basis and shared our triumphs, frustra-
tions, and mishaps. She assisted with my classes when I had to be in the
hospital for major surgery, and I held her hand when a piano dolly failed,
causing the piano to slide on top of her and break her leg. Our mutual men-
toring of one another became the basis of a long-term friendship.
Review the qualities of a mentor discussed in c hapter 1. A mentor is
encouraging, perceptive, understanding, caring, and supportive, and
serves as a role model. Most important, a mentor is willing to make a com-
mitment of time to the mentoring relationship and the mentee. You must
ask yourself (a) if you are at a point in your career where you are willing to
invest this time and (b) if you have the qualities of a mentor as well as a
successful music educator. Giving time, putting forth effort, and making
an investment are necessary traits of effective mentors.
PREPARING TO BE A MENTOR
With these characteristics in mind, what are some factors that you can
work on to help prepare yourself for the time when you too will become
a mentor? One of the workshops I often present to area music educators
for professional development is titled “Habits of Master Music Educators.”
There are many habits and characteristics that you need to cultivate each
day in order to be successful in the classroom and to be the type of indi-
vidual others will solicit for advice and knowledge. Previous chapters have
discussed the qualities of teachers who make a difference in the lives of
107
others. Review these traits and commit to developing and exhibiting them
on a continuous basis.
In addition, examine not only what motivates you, but also what pro-
hibits you from moving forward in your own life and professional career.
This is also what we have to determine for our students. When you become
a mentor, this ability will aid in assisting mentees with finding the answer
to what holds them back as well as what drives them forward.
Mentoring is an extension of teaching. It utilizes both the skills we have
developed in teaching music and our interpersonal abilities. An effective
mentor masters the ability to ask questions that both support and chal-
lenge the mentee. This is coupled with the ability to stimulate reflection in
the early career music educator as well. Preparing to mentor means devel-
oping the traits of empathy, providing feedback constructively, acknowl-
edging emotion, and suspending judgment. Simultaneously, the mentor
needs to discourage grumbling and dissatisfaction while balancing compas-
sion and challenge. A valuable mentor knows when to refer the mentee to
others who might have more expertise and knowledge in a particular area.
In addition, he or she helps the mentee understand that the complex is
often more simple than he or she initially realized. This is why it is equally
important to develop the skill of asking the correct question at the most
opportune time.
Before mentoring others, be certain that you have your priorities firmly
established, that you readily learn from other music educators whom you
admire, and that you have developed a “tough skin” with a kind heart.
Work on accepting the advice of others. Apologize when necessary. Move
on from missteps. Do not allow others to keep you from moving on from
gaffes, whether real or imagined on their part. Practice forgiveness. Learn
to laugh at yourself.
Realize that you are ultimately responsible for your own future learning.
Only you are able to keep yourself from becoming stale and stagnant. Stale
and stagnant music educators lose their effectiveness in the classroom and
as mentors.
Strive to be the type of person who speaks to those who might be ignored
by others and ask them sincerely about their day. They might give you the
standard answer of “good” or “fine,” but on occasion you will find individu-
als who simply need to express themselves. Take time to listen. They may
even look at you and remark that they do not understand why they are
telling you about the situation. This may not be comfortable for those who
are more introverted than extroverted, who require time alone to replenish
energy, or who find this type of conversation difficult. However, all of the
T h e E n c or e [ 107 ]
108
previously discussed situations pose a certain level of difficulty, requiring

consistent care and practice.
THE SECRET TO LONGEVITY IN THE PROFESSION
When you begin to mentor others, does that mean you no longer need
mentors in your life? Absolutely not! This is one of the secrets to longev-
ity as a music educator. Even after years of experience and giving inspira-
tion to others, you will continue to need inspiration and insight. This may
actually be more true later on in your career than at the beginning. After
you have taught for some time, you may begin to feel as if you cannot be
taught anything new. True longevity comes from acknowledging how little
you still know and how much more there is to experience and learn. When
you arrive at the place of knowing and recognizing how much more there
is to learn, then you are truly at a point of being able to appreciate the gifts
of each new day.
As you progress in the field of music education, it is important to main-
tain a standard of excellence regardless of the teaching circumstances in
which you find yourself. If your program is struggling, it is important to
continually feed yourself with excellent music and performances in order
to maintain the vision of where you wish to arrive. Surround yourself with
music educators who understand your situation and who are willing to help
you strive for improvement of your program, whether that is an improved
choral sound or securing Orff instruments for your general music courses.
If your program is excellent and is creating a legacy of lifelong music learn-
ing, then fight the lure of complacency. Always be appreciative and grate-
ful for every musical victory. Avoid the state of mind that views the truly
miraculous as commonplace. For example, discourage thoughts like, “well,
we accomplish this every year.”
In 2010 several music education colleagues and I conducted a study to
determine characteristics of those who have taught music for more than
five years. We wished to determine the factors influencing why teachers
remain in the field of music education. Overwhelmingly, the top two rea-
sons for remaining in the field of music education were (a) a love of teach-
ing and (b) making a difference (Baker et al., 2010). More than 600 music
educators from various sections of the United States and with a variety of
backgrounds in music education participated in the survey. Interestingly,
only 23 percent of those respondents were assigned a formal mentor during
their initial years of teaching. Yet 59 percent of the participants expressed
that they have assumed the role of mentor at some point in their careers.
109
This is very encouraging. Their answers to questions about personal charac-

teristics they felt they strongly possessed included the following:
• determination/persistence
• love/passion for teaching
• caring
• sense of humor
• competence
• compassion
• goal orientation
• liking for working with people
• creativity/resourcefulness
• positive attitude
• psychological health
• energy
• flexibility
• patience
Our findings corroborated the research of others, as discussed in previous

chapters of this book regarding the traits of master teachers. Moreover,
when asked to indicate on a scale of 1 to 5 if they considered themselves
to be “negative thinking,” with 1 being not at all and 5 being extremely, the
respondents rated themselves at 2 or less.
Longevity as a music educator requires that you be at your best person-
ally. Continue to be honest with yourself. Acknowledge when you are tired.
Concede when you need a time of refreshing. Recognize that it is accept-
able to take time for yourself and your family. Keeping a balance between
work and life is essential to avoiding burnout in the profession (Hamann &
Gordon, 2000). I typically do not teach summer courses at the university
because I value the short break from campus to spend time with my hus-
band participating in activities we enjoy. This is also time I use for research,
writing, and undertaking projects at home that are neglected during the
academic year. Several summers ago, I was requested to attend numer-
ous summer meetings on campus as we began to develop changes to our
student teaching program. I was not being compensated in any manner
for these meetings and frankly, they were not achieving a great deal. In
addition, since I do not live close to campus, the commuting time plus the
meetings were leaving little time to accomplish any other tasks on those
days. A colleague gave me excellent advice for the following summers. He
said that I needed to be less visible and not as easily accessible to others. He
was correct, as was another colleague who reminded me that our spouses
T h e E n c or e [ 109 ]
110
and family are the ones who will be there when our careers are concluded.
Longevity requires that we continually revisit our priorities as to what is
truly important to us as individuals.
Longevity in music education also comes from an in-depth knowledge
of the subject matter and becoming a master of technique. “A disposi-
tion toward life-long learning and problem solving is a necessity for music
teachers” (Conway, 2012b, p. 336). It is essential that you learn your craft
well. This is how you inspire others. There will be times when classes and
performances will not go as planned. The secret is not to dwell on these
times, but to continually move forward knowing that you have presented
your absolute best.
Remember that every student has value. You will not remain for any sig-
nificant length of time in the field of music education if you do not remem-
ber the importance of each individual who enters your classroom. Do not
forget that you are necessary to the students as well. Those who arrive at
your door each morning may not always express it, but they have come to
depend upon your smile, knowledge, humor, enthusiasm, and love.
Never lose your appreciation of music. To remain in the profession long
term, you must be willing to try various styles, new music, and different
techniques. Be willing to challenge yourself. I remind my choral methods
students that they should include at least one octavo outside of their per-
sonal comfort zone in every concert. This may be a selection that tests their
conducting skills or will demand more preparation time because it is rhyth-
mically challenging. New does not necessarily mean contemporary. If you
predominantly choose music from one era, this may mean adding selec-
tions from other time periods. It could mean experimenting with other
genres. Perhaps you always shy away from jazz selections. I knew a choral
director who rotated the same selections every four years. I was baffled
that she did not become extremely bored, nor did her audiences filled with
parents who may have had multiple children. Remain open to new musical
adventures.
Our students keep us young. Work to stay in a youthful frame of mind to
avoid burnout. This includes keeping humor in your classroom. Be aware of
opportunities to laugh. Be enthusiastic and energetic, even when it is dif-
ficult. This is especially difficult if you deal with chronic pain issues or when
tragedy occurs. Sometimes it is exhaustion or fatigue that overwhelms us,
but if you give your students your best they will reciprocate. This is true
particularly in times of hardship.
Remember to value your gifts each day. This is very important for lon-
gevity. There will be numerous times throughout your years of teaching
when you feel frustrated. Perhaps you did not receive the extra duty pay
111
you feel you deserve. Or perhaps others insisted that you apply for a lead-
ership role because they adamantly wanted your experience, but then they
chose another individual. Maybe it was an offhand comment from a par-
ent who had no idea of the planning involved in a particular production.
Regardless of the situation, knowing the internal worth of your talents and
abilities is critical for endurance.
SHARING WITH OTHERS
Why strive to become a mentor? Mentoring can be a satisfying, gratifying,

and professionally fulfilling experience. It is rewarding to assist another
music educator as he or she develops and matures. In addition, the men-
tor may benefit from the relationship. As discussed previously, we remain
young by interacting with our students and maintaining a youthful atti-
tude. Accordingly, a beginning music educator brings new energy and ideas
from his or her recent experiences in college and working with other sea-
soned professionals. This can motivate the mentor to try new approaches
and think from a different perspective.
A mentee trusts his or her mentor to provide insight and set an exam-
ple of proficiency. He or she is observing the mentor, investigating the
best manner in which to conduct class and function in a school setting
efficiently. From this standpoint, serving as a mentor boosts confidence,
serves as an acknowledgment of professional capability, and allows the vet-
eran music educator opportunities to continually grow.
In a formal mentoring program, there may also be some minor financial
incentive to participate as a mentor. This is especially true of those agree-
ing to serve as cooperating teachers for student teaching interns. However,
as we know in the field of education, any financial benefit is minimal. I ven-
ture to say that most individuals motivated by money are not in the field
of education. Those who enter the field of education view the profession as
a calling or opportunity to help others. This is also the greatest motivation
for mentoring as well. “They are motives based on desires to help another
person to grow in competence and realize his or her full potential” (Smith,
2003, p. 123).
Many times I have been asked by students why I left teaching high school
and decided to teach on the collegiate level. I assure them that it was not
because I disliked teaching high school. I loved my high school students.
I loved teaching choir. However, I was at a point in my professional life
where I was at a crossroads. I had a desire to teach future music educators,
to assist them on the path of growing through pre-service experiences to
T h e E n c or e [ 111 ]
112
becoming mature music educators. I wanted to help young adults realize

their full potential in the area of teaching music, so that they in turn could
go forth and instill the love of music in their students and create lifelong
musicians. I had taught for 13 years in K–12 public education and had spent
10 of those years also teaching on both the adjunct and instructor levels at
both private and state universities. I was provided the opportunity to teach
for another three years at both a private university and a state university
as I worked on my doctorate. This would total 16 years of teaching before
entering the field of academia as a full-time assistant professor who would
be eligible for tenure and promotion. If I wanted to teach on the univer-
sity level beyond the adjunct positions and lecturer/instructor level that
my master’s degree afforded, then it was not wise to wait much longer to
make the transition. As my mentor explained to me, it was time to embrace
change if I was going to have a career of length in academia. Therefore, my
strong desire to assist beginning music educators and life circumstances
combined at the right time to embark on a new adventure. I had to prepare
myself for the journey that lay ahead. In this fashion, we are obliged to
embrace the concept of preparation and change to transition from mentee
to mentor.
As an emerging music educator, examine the ways in which you wish to
assist others and then professionally train to become an excellent teacher
and effective leader in the field of music education. Absorb all that you can
from observing master music educators and attending professional devel-
opment sessions. Learn all that you are capable of learning and then apply
that knowledge in creative ways to better others.
Remember, every music educator must discover the means by which he
or she professionally regenerates. Mentoring others helps us on the path
of regeneration. In giving back to other emerging music educators, you are
capable of gaining something beyond what you provide to them. In a suc-
cessful mentoring relationship, both participants may flourish. And when
this occurs, it benefits our students, our school districts, and the music
education profession at large. In this manner, mentoring is truly the cre-
ation that continues to create.
113
Coda
Lifelong Mentoring Relationships
The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost (1874–1963)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
When I was a junior in high school, I was seriously considering quitting

choir. I had a large voice that did not quite fit in with the typical light
114
female voices of the high school choir. We had a new choir director my
sophomore year as well who, because I had such a large voice and could
read music, kept trying to place me in the alto section. Also, during my solo
at district music festival I had received a low rating from an area college
voice professor, who insisted I simply should not have such a large voice for
my age and size, since I was very petite in stature. Coming into my junior
year I felt musically uninspired, plus I had another passion in which I was
talented: speech and debate. The guidance counselor was currently in the
process of trying to convince me that I should become a lawyer. However,
my mother insisted I continue music, especially since I was talented as a
pianist as well as vocalist. She herself was a talented singer, played piano
by ear, and was a church music director. I knew that it was very important
to her that I continue musically, so I obliged.
It was in this frame of mind that I auditioned for and made the All-
District Choir. The guest conductor was a young professor who was just
beginning his career on the university level. He was full of a contagious
energy that filled the gymnasium in which we rehearsed. One of the octa-
vos to be performed was “The Road Not Taken” from the Frostiana cycle
composed by Randall Thompson. Each octavo was a poem by Robert Frost
set to music. During one of the rehearsals, the professor relayed the story
of his musical journey to us. He told us that there were family expectations
that he should take another path, because they were known in his small
community as owning a family car dealership. He was not expected to be, of
all things, a music teacher, much less to go on, earn a doctorate, and teach
music at the university level. I cannot relay all of the details here, but I was
so touched and moved by his story, the poetry of Robert Frost, and the
wonderful setting by Randall Thompson that I knew I must take the road
less traveled. Perhaps I would have made a fine lawyer, but at that moment
I made the decision that teaching music was my calling.
I did not attend the university where this professor taught, although he
did make several attempts to recruit me. What made the greatest impres-
sion on me were the phone calls he made to my home that displayed an
interest in my musical growth, not simply where I would attend college. As
a university professor, I still keep this in mind as I try to visit one on one in
person with as many prospective music education students as my schedule
will allow.
After college, when I began teaching, I made it a point to observe this
professor every time he was the guest conductor for an honor choir in
which my students were participating. Even though I was not a student of
his, he still remembered me from my high school years and that All-District
Choir event. When I moved on to the next teaching position after my initial
115
appointment, he kept track of where I was teaching. He came and worked

with my choirs. He conducted honor choirs that I hosted. He contacted
my students individually by phone to encourage their musical development
and of course, to try to convince them to attend his institution. It struck
me that after all these years, and with the development of email, he still
took time to make phone calls and invest his personal time in my students.
I continued to study his conducting and how he worked with honor choirs.
I learned so much and borrowed so many ideas. He adjudicated my choirs
on several occasions as well. I always listened to and read his comments
with the utmost respect. I always knew I could call and speak with him
directly. When he submitted materials for the rank of full professor, he
asked if I would write a letter of affirmation for him. Of course I submitted
it with a joyful heart. I was delighted to speak of his long-time influence on
my teaching and conducting.
During my 10th year of teaching my choir was selected to perform at
our state music educators’ conference. In this particular state this was an
exceptionally high honor, and typically at this type of performance ses-
sion one could expect to see 500 to 600 colleagues in attendance. Another
career-long mentor gave me some excellent counsel: “Perform what you
love and what your choir does best.” I took his advice. So one of the octavos
I chose was “The Road Not Taken.” Since that moment in my junior year in
high school it has remained one of my favorites and holds a special place in
my heart. I was honored that that professor, who was now well seasoned,
came and worked with my choir before the performance. During the per-
formance he was in the front row and led the standing ovation. I will never
forget that moment. It was also very poignant because my mother had lost
her battle with cancer that year and was not in attendance. I looked at the
first few rows and saw several career-long mentors, some who had known
me since my high school years and others who had invested in me from the
very beginning of my career. I can honestly say that I do not think I have
ever been so deeply moved, seeing so many who had held me up along
the way.
Then I turned to face my choir once more, as they broke out in spon-
taneous applause. The tears began to stream down my face. These were
my true teachers. They inspired me each and every day. They gave me
hope, love, inventiveness, brilliance, and so much more. They were a very
special group of students, and I am fortunate to still mentor some of
them who have gone on to become music educators themselves. It truly
is the circle of life. Go become a fabulous music educator! Observe oth-
ers, never stop learning, give with all of your heart, and become a men-
tor yourself.
C o da [ 115 ]
116
And yes, in case you are wondering, the once-young professor is now
retired. When I accepted the position at MTSU, he was one of the first cli-
nicians I invited on campus to work with the music education majors. He
had just finished writing a book, and I looked forward to having him pass
along wisdom. In this book, he states that his philosophy is “anyone who
goes into teaching must love working with students. They need to be moti-
vated to go to the classroom each morning simply because they love seeing
the ‘light bulb go on’ in the students’ eyes and face(s) as they comprehend
and learn a new concept or understand a new idea” (Weymuth, 2005, p. x).
During his clinic I began to realize just how much I had borrowed from him
over the years. He is still busy in retirement, and we still keep in touch. He
continues to inspire others, including me. Regardless of how many years
I teach, I will always consider him a mentor.
117
APPENDIX A
Personal Mission Statement and

Mentoring Mission Statement
PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT
A personal mission statement should be brief. This way it is easily remem-

bered and can be posted above your computer or placed in your daily plan-
ner. It should be in a prominent place where you can refer to it often during
times of busyness, difficulties, and doubt, as well as on days of triumph.
Although the statement itself is brief, the work behind the statement
requires reflection. Several questions are listed below to help initiate the
process. Feel at liberty to add your own questions. There is no magic for-
mula for writing a personal mission statement. This will also change over
time. However, it is important to contemplate what is of core importance
to you as an individual and as a music educator.
Questions for Ref lection
• What is it about music teaching that I sincerely love?

• What are my natural talents and gifts inside and outside of the
classroom?
• What areas of my life, personally and professionally, need improvement?
• If I had unlimited resources and time, what could I imagine for my music
program?
• Why am I a music teacher?
• What would I like to change or do differently in my daily life?
118
• What important contributions would I like to make to the field of music

education?
• What are the qualities of the music educators I most admire?
• At the end of my career, what qualities would I like my students to
remember about me?
• What do I need to do to add balance to my life physically, mentally, spiri-
tually, socially, and emotionally?
It is important that you write out the answers to these questions. This
allows for deeper reflection and the opportunity to revisit your answers
if you are not able to complete all of the questions in one sitting. Once
you have written down the answers to each of the questions, examine
your answers and contemplate what is of most importance to you. What
attributes are reflected in your answers? When you have determined the
important attributes, experiment with writing down your main focus
for the academic year. Remember, this is your personal mission state-
ment, not your philosophy of music education, which I am sure you have
written and rewritten many times throughout your university courses.
Your philosophy of music education will also change and develop as you
teach and will be tied to your personal mission statement. However, this
is taking a personal, inward look at who you are as a person and a music
teacher.
I have included my personal mission statement for this upcoming aca-
demic year to serve as an example. It is only four sentences long, but it
serves as a reminder of why I am a music education professor, how I wish
my students to perceive me, what I need to do in order to continue at my
best at this stage in my career, and my commitment to serve the profession
at large.
My Personal Professional Mission Statement
I teach to create a lifelong passion for music teaching in my students and

to leave a legacy that can be continued by their future students. I would
like my students to feel that I am caring, fair, and 100 percent devoted to
their success, whether that be in or outside of the field of music educa-
tion. In order to be at my best, I will make physical, spiritual, and mental
renewal a priority. I will strive to continue to serve the music education
profession with excellence and dedication through service, research, writ-
ing, and presenting.
[ 118 ] Appendix A
119
MENTORING MISSION STATEMENT
As mentioned previously, the mentoring relationship itself should have

a mission statement. Whereas you should develop the personal mission
statement on your own and bring it with you to share with your men-
tor, the mentoring mission statement should be developed in conjunc-
tion with your mentor. The process begins with contemplating how the
mentoring relationship will function and sharing ideas with each other.
Once again, these answers should be written down for contemplation and
reflection.
Questions to Discuss
• What one word would you use to describe yourself?

• If we were establishing a country, what two rules would we wish every-
one would follow?
• What unique talents, skills, and qualifications does each of us bring to
this relationship?
• What unique contributions can each of us make to this mentoring
relationship?
• What do we want to achieve in our meetings? Overall?
• What are our priorities?
• What type of plan do we need to implement to address these priorities?
Ref ine and Implement
These questions are the beginning of a conversation. Add your own

questions. Discuss your mentor’s vision for each meeting, the semes-
ter, and the academic year. This is the time to discuss expectations,
because these will certainly affect the mission statement. Present your
personal mission statement and share the reflections you are comfort-
able sharing at this time with your mentor. Once discussion and reflec-
tion have occurred, craft the priorities discussed into a short statement
or motto that can be used as guidance throughout the course of the
school year.
If you research various organizations, you will find that they have devel-
oped mission statements as well. Mission statements are most effective
Appendix A [ 119 ]
120
when they are developed with the core principles in mind, concise, easily
remembered, and easily implemented. The following mission statement for
NAfME serves as an example.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR MUSIC EDUCATION MISSION

STATEMENT (WWW.NAFME.ORG)
Preamble
Music allows us to celebrate and preserve our cultural heritages, and also
to explore the realms of expression, imagination, and creation resulting
in new knowledge. Therefore, every individual should be guaranteed the
opportunity to learn music and to share in musical experiences.
NAfME’s Mission
The mission of the National Association for Music Education is to advance

music education by encouraging the study and making of music by all.
[ 120 ] Appendix A
121
APPENDIX B
SMART Worksheet
SMART Goal Number: __________

Action 1: I need to write my goal in concise, clear language. My goal is to:
____________________________________________________________
Action 2: My goal needs to be detailed and specific.

Whom do I need to contact or approach?
____________________________________________________________
What resources do I need?
____________________________________________________________
Where will I find resources or where do I need to be located?
____________________________________________________________
How will I reach this goal? List at least 3 tangible steps to move forward:
1. __________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________
Action 3: I need to make my goal measurable.

I will determine my progress toward my goal by using the following methods:
____________________________________________________________
I will determine that I have successfully completed my goal when:
____________________________________________________________
122
Action 4: I need to make my goal attainable.

How will I find the time?
____________________________________________________________
What do I need to investigate and learn more about before proceeding?
____________________________________________________________
Do I know other music educators that I can talk to about this goal who
might have advice or knowledge?
____________________________________________________________
Action 5: I need to make my goal relevant.

Why do I want to reach this goal?
____________________________________________________________
Action 6: I need to make my goal timely. I will reach my goal by (date):
___/___/____
Indicators of progress: __________________________________________
[ 122 ] Appendix B
123
APPENDIX C
Music Educator Time Matrix
List your activities for each day. Under (C) write 1, 2, 3, or 4 depending
upon which category the activity represents. Color coding may also be uti-
lized. See the following pages for category explanations. Examine in which
categories you spend your greatest amount of time.
Time Monday (C) Tuesday (C) Wednesday (C) Thursday (C) Friday (C) Saturday (C)
6:00 a.m.
6:30 a.m.
7:00 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
8:00 a.m.
8:30 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
Noon
12:30 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
2:30 p.m.
3:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
5:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
8:00 p.m.
8:30 p.m.
9:00 p.m.
9:30 p.m.
10:00 p.m.
124
MUSIC EDUCATOR CATEGORIES BASED UPON STEPHEN

COVEY’S FOUR QUADRANTS OF TIME MANAGEMENT
Category 1 (Urgent and Important—Yellow Highlighter)
• Teaching classes during the school day

• Paperwork or computer work with specific deadlines either for school
(i.e., daily attendance entries) or outside of school event (i.e., honor
choir or festival entries)
• Immediate emergencies that cannot be avoided (i.e., injury of a student)
• Required faculty meetings
• Concerts and performances
• Assigned school duties (i.e., hallway duty or cafeteria duty).
Category 2 (Not Urgent, but Important—O range Highlighter)
• Teaching additional ensembles or sectionals before or after the school day

• Teaching private lessons before or after school
• Planning
• Score study
• Mentor meetings
• Returning phone calls and emails to parents
• Individual meetings with students
• Booster club meetings
• Booster club events
• Preparing students for auditions
• Literature selection
Category 3 (Urgent, but Not Important—P ink Highlighter)
• Dealing with fund raising items and accounting

• Certain interruptions
• Some meetings
• Particular demands from others for immediate action
Category 4 (Not Urgent and Not Important—B lue Highlighter)
• Unsolicited emails and phone calls from companies

• Trivial matters that are time consuming (i.e., searching for a lost bowtie)
• Time wasters (i.e., twitter)
[ 124 ] Appendix C
125
These categories are not all inclusive. This list is simply the beginning
of what type of items may go in each category. There are numerous other
examples, such as updating social media and websites with information,
speaking at the local school board meeting, one’s own personal rehearsal
and performances, advocacy events, and other important items. Notice
that I also did not include basic entries such as eating, time with family,
exercising, and recreation. These types of activities would be considered
important, but not urgent. This is why unfortunately many of us delay eat-
ing when we should, relegate an evening walk to the bottom of the list,
and use the excuse that our spouse will understand when we must change
plans again. These types of items are and should be important to us. They
are an integral part of what makes each day important, but since they can
be delayed we often sacrifice the important for the urgent, which is not
always important.
As you examine your category numbers each day, consider where you
are spending the largest amount of your time. Color coding may be utilized
in order to more effectively visualize these categories. Try to spend the
majority of time in Category 2, the important but not urgent. For example,
when we do not spend enough time planning, this can lead to a crisis in
Category 1. If this continues on a regular basis, we find ourselves stressed
and fatigued. However, Category 2 because it does demand our urgent
attention contains those matters that we may tend to push aside to con-
stantly handle the urgent but not as important matters in Category 3. For
instance, demands for reports that are neither essential nor required. This
may necessitate us saying “no.” This can be difficult, but essential to main-
tain balance and to make time what is truly important to the elements of
music teaching. Your mentor’s advice can be helpful in these types of situ-
ations as you navigate what could be potentially sensitive circumstances.
This time matrix for music educators is simply a guide. The important
aspect is to find a time management system that works well for you and use
it consistently. Also analyzing it on a regular basis to assess where and how
time is spent. Time truly is a priceless commodity. Where do you need to
make adjustments to be more productive and healthier? And no, I did not
forget to add Sunday to the matrix. I did not include it so that you would
give extra thought to anything work related that you choose to add to that
day. For you, it may be Saturday rather than Sunday, but I intentionally did
not include seven days on the matrix so that you will weigh the value of
your time against the obligations you are asked to schedule.
Appendix C [ 125 ]
126
127
APPENDIX D
Action Plan Worksheet
Personal Mission Statement:

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
SMART Goal Number Action/Strategy/Task Action/Strategy/Task Action/Strategy/Task
Progress/
Progress/
Accountability/Feedback
Your Personal Mission and S.M.A.R.T. Goals in Action

As stated earlier, you must have your personal mission statement and
SMART goals developed before you can plan action toward these goals.
When completing the SMART goals worksheet, you thought through the
specifics of how you will achieve your goal and the specifics of resources,
expertise, and time you will require. These important steps cannot be
missed in order for your action plan to be effective.
128
At the beginning of the Action Plan Worksheet, you will find a place to
write your personal mission statement. This is followed by a template in
which you can write the number of your SMART goal. The SMART Goal
Worksheet has a place for you to assign each of your goals a number. Use
the SMART Goal Worksheet to complete the Action Plan Worksheet with
your mentor.
The worksheet is designed to accommodate two goals with three pos-
sible courses of action toward each of the goals. Under each of the goals
is a place to quickly jot notes regarding the progress made for each action.
These quick notes can be used in the next meeting you have with your men-
tor. This allows you a way of speedily recording progress without feeling the
need to write too much or over contemplate each area. The bottom section
allows for brief notes from feedback provided by your mentor. This section
encourages accountability with your mentor. Hopefully, this will provide
opportunities for you and your mentor to keep these goals at the forefront
of discussion even as other issues arise. Plans of action do little good if
there is no follow through. This worksheet space also serves as a tool to
assist you in remembering what you and your mentor discussed in between
meeting times.
[ 128 ] Appendix D
129
APPENDIX E
Inspired Reading for Music Teaching
Ayers, W. (2001). To teach: The journey of a teacher. New York: Teachers College Press.

Brown, P. C., Roediger H. L. III, & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make it stick: The science of
successful learning. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press.
Bullough, R. V., Jr. (1989). First year teacher: A case study. New York: Teachers
College Press.
Bullough, R. V., Jr., & Baughman, K. (1997). “First year teacher” eight years later: An
inquiry into teacher development. New York: Teachers College Press.
Burke, J., & Krajicek, J. (2006). Letters to a new teacher: A month-by-month guide to the
year ahead. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Conway, C. M., & Hodgman, T. M. (2006). Handbook for the beginning music teacher.
Chicago: GIA.
Duke, R. A. (2005). Intelligent music teaching: Essays on the core principles of effective
instruction. Austin, TX: Learning and Behavior Resources.
Frierson-Campbell, C. (2006). Teaching music in the urban classroom: A guide to survival,
success, and reform. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Hammerness, K. (2006). Seeing though teachers’ eyes: Professional ideals and classroom
practice. New York: Teachers College Press.
Heckman, J. J., Humphries, J. E., & Kautz, T. (Eds.). (2014). The myth of achievement
tests: The GED and role of character in American life. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press.
Johnson, L. (1992). Dangerous minds. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Joseph, P. B., & Burnaford, G. E. (Eds). (2001). Images of schoolteachers in America (2nd
ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Kane, P. R. (Ed.). (1996). My first year as a teacher. New York: Signet.
Kidder, T. (1990). Among schoolchildren. New York: Harper Perennial.
Lautzenheiser, T. (2005). Everyday wisdom for inspired teaching. Chicago, IL: GIA.
Lieberman, A., & Miller, L. (Eds.). (2001). Teachers caught in the act: Professional
development that matters. New York: Teachers College Press.
Miller, P. C. (Ed.). (2004). Narratives from the classroom: An introduction to teaching.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Schoonmaker, F. (2002). Growing up teaching: From personal knowledge to professional
practice. New York: Teachers College Press.
Steinberg, L. (2014). Age of opportunity: Lessons from the new science of adolescence.
New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
130
Tough, P. (2012). How children succeed: Grit, curiosity, and the hidden power of character.
Weymuth, R. (2005). My many hats: Juggling the diverse demands of a music teacher.
Dayton, OH: Heritage Music Press.
Willingham, D. T. (2009). Why don’t students like school: A cognitive scientist answers
questions about how the mind works and what it means for the classroom. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (1998). The first days of school: How to be an effective
teacher. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong.
[ 130 ] Appendix E
131
APPENDIX F
Inspired Reading for Motivation

and Organizing Your World
Covey, S. (2004). The seven habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal
change. New York: Free Press.
Derci, E. L., & Flaste, R. (1995). Why we do what we do: Understanding self-motivation.
New York: Penguin Group.
Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. New York: Scribner.
Duhigg, C. (2012). The power of habit: Why we do what we do in life and business.
New York: Random House.
Dweck, C. (2006). The new psychology of success. New York: Random House.
MacDonald, G. (1984). Ordering your private world. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us.
New York: Riverhead Books.
Renninger, A. K., & Hidi, S. E. (2015). The power of interest for motivation and
engagement. New York: Routledge.
132
133
APPENDIX G
Inspired Reading for Creativity

and Relationships
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â•‡1
4
INDEX
achievable, 14, 16, 31 Canser, J., 2, 139

Achinstein, B., 85, 135 characteristics
action plan, 15–â•‰16, 37–â•‰39, 59–â•‰60, 72, 99, development of, 58, 72, 106
127–â•‰128 of influential teachers, 25, 108–â•‰109
anxiety, 29, 133 of a mentor, 3, 6
art of teaching, 85, 103 personal, 27, 52, 95
assessment, 19, 33, 41, 61, 75, 101 Chaucer, G., 47
attainable, 21, 121 Christensen, S., xii, 136
attitude, 34 Clance, P. R., 73, 135
examination and evaluation of, 20, classroom management, xii, xiv, 11,
22, 27–â•‰28 14–â•‰15, 38, 51, 86, 101
as an outsider, 83 collaboration, xii, xv, 23, 42, 79, 84–â•‰86, 100
positive and youthful, 109, 111 Colwell, R. J., 38, 135, 139
Atwater, L., 44 communication, 12, 23–â•‰25, 32, 63–â•‰66,
Ayers, W., 129 69, 86, 100
competence, 50, 86, 109, 111
Baker, V., 108, 135 concepts, 9, 38, 48, 51, 65, 71
Ballantyne, J., xvi, 135 constructive criticism, 89–â•‰90, 92, 96
Barnes, G.V., xii, 135 context, xii, 13
Barrett, J.R., 21, 22, 82, 135, 139 Conway, C. M., xii, xvi, 2, 59, 84–â•‰85, 110,
Baughman, K., 129 129, 135, 136
Benson, M.A., 2, 135 Covey, S., 10, 40, 131, 136
Berg, M., xiv, 21, 135, 138 Time Management Matrix, 124
Berliner, D.C., 21, 135 creative
Blair, D.V., 2, 135 building a foundation, 1–â•‰7
Bloom’s Taxonomy, 26 as a collaborative process, 84–â•‰86
Brooks, D., 133 in daydreaming, 80
Brophy, T., xvi, 135 in finding resolution, 69
Brown, P.C., 129 opportunities, 79
Brummett, V. M., 50, 135 in responses, 55–â•‰59
Bullough, R. V., 129 as a thought process, 84
Burke, J., 129 using innovation, 9–â•‰17
Burnaford, G. E., 129 critical thinking, 26, 29
Croce, J., 47, 136
calling, 111, 114, 133 curriculum, xvi, 13, 21, 29
Campbell, M. R., 21, 22, 50, 135 Cutietta, R. A., 50, 136
421
Damon, W., 133 focus on, 67–68

DeLorenzo, L., 2, 136 measureable, 16–17, 20
Dendler, D., 32, 137 in the mentoring process, 37
Derci, E. L., 131 reviewing and reprioritizing, 102
Doran, G. T., 14, 137 revision of, 59–60
Draves, T. J., xvi, 137 sharing of, 31, 37
Drucker, P., 13, 137 writing and development of, 13–14
Duckworth, A., 33, 72, 75, 131, 137 Gordon, D. G., 109, 137
Duke, R. A., 129 Gregoire, C., 133
Duling, E., 4, 137 grit, 20, 25, 33–34, 57, 72, 75
Dweck, C., 131
Dye, K. G., xiv, 63, 137 Haack, P., 2, 9, 136, 137, 139
habits, 106, 131
early career music educators, Hamann, D. L., 109, 137
xi – xvii, 4, 6–8 Hammerness, K., 129
concerns, 63, 84–85 Hancock, C. B., 137
constructive feedback, 90 Heckman, J. J., 129
reflection, 107 Heifetz, J., 23
support, 12, 20 Hidi, S. E., 131
views on mentoring, 28, 32 Hodgman, T. M., 129, 136
Edwards, K., 32, 137 Homer, 63, 137
emerging music educators, 3–8, 64, 74, 84 Hourigan, R., xvi, 136
definition of, xii Humphries, J. E., 129
equipping, xiii – xv
making contributions, 103–112 identity, 22, 42, 55
personal commitment, 22–26 imagination, 58, 120
personal goals, 11 Imes, 73, 135
power of change, 17 induction, xii, 1–2, 7, 135
views on mentorship, 27–28 Ingersoll, R., 1, 137
Emmons, R. A., 133 interests, 41, 61–69, 75, 84–86,
empathetic listening, 64–65 96, 99–100
enthusiasm, 40, 110 isolation, xii, 11–12, 36, 84, 139
Ericson, A., 133
Eros, J., xvi, 136 Johnson, L., 129
evaluation, 2, 10, 23, 75, 96 Johnson, S., 133
Jordan, J., 133
Fallin, J., 11, 137 Joseph, P. B., 129
feedback, 4–6, 24, 35, 65, 90, 107 Juchniewicz, J., 32, 137
Fessler, R., 21, 137
Flaste, R., 131 Kane, P. R., 129
Foy, P., 108, 135 Kaufman, S. B., 133
Frede, E., 21, 137 Kautz, T., 129
Frierson-Campbell, C., 129 Keltner, D., 32, 133, 137
Kendall-Smith, M., 50, 137
Garlock, M., 11, 136 Kidder, T., 129
gender, xii, 100 Killian, J. N., xiv, 63, 137
goals, xv, 9–11 Kloss, T., 108, 135
achievement of, 99 Krajicek, J., 129
examination of, 35 Krueger, P. J., xii, 2, 136, 137
[ 142 ] Index
1
43
Lautzenheiser, T., 7, 129, 137 National Association for Music

leadership, 88, 102, 111 Education, 120
learning to teach, 21, 35 National Standards, xi
Legette, R., xvi, 138 negotiation, 64, 67–68, 84–85, 94
Lehrer, J., 58, 79, 80, 82, 83,
133, 137 objectives
lesson plan, 16, 62, 101 achieving, 16
Lewis, S., 133 identification of, 13
Lieberman, A., 129 as a music educator, 73
longevity, 59, 72, 88, 108–110 overall, xii, 35, 100, 102
system of writing, 14
MacDonald, G., 131 observation, 6, 18, 27, 73, 76, 89, 101
Madsen, C. K., 2, 137 Odiorne, G. S., 13, 138
Maltese, J., 23, 137 Oettingen, G., 133
Maltese, J. A., 23, 137 opportunities
Maslach, C., 133 available, 13, 28, 49, 51, 61–62, 110
McDaniel, M. A., 129 creating, 3, 35, 79, 81
McIlhagga, S., 2, 138 declining, 5, 40
McWhirter, J. L., xiii, xvi, 57, 93, 108, educational, 57, 84, 111
135, 138, 139 mentoring, 4, 76, 87, 128
measurable, 14, 16, 121 missed, 38
mentee, 2–6 orientation
innovative, 9–17 goal, 109
participating in the process, 32–35 personal, 21
proactive, 42–45, 63, 66–68, 80–86 to music education, 38
self-assessment, 19–28 outcomes, 14, 51, 100–101
mentor, 63–64
assigned, 1 Packer, J., xvi, 135
formal and informal, 1–8 Paise, M. P., 22, 138
preparing to become, 105–107 Parrott, L., 52, 133, 138
seeking a new, 102–104 partnership, xii, xiv–xv, 5–6, 30, 82, 86
mentoring process passion
closing of, 100 fostering, 41, 57
collaboration in, 74, 86 maintaining, 75
goals setting in, 37 for music teaching, 22, 25, 74, 88, 109
hopes and expectations of, 9, 11–12 with perseverance, 20, 33, 56, 72
introduction to, xii – xvii Pausch, R., 37, 39, 40, 41, 133, 138
positive approach to, 44 perception, xiv, 21, 25, 42, 44
views about, 19, 27– 28 performance
mentoring relationship, 19, 27, 48–49, as an individual, 5, 16, 23, 75, 93, 108
73, 99, 113 as a mentee 14, 66–67, 80, 90
Micheel-Mays, C., xii, 136 as a music teacher 41, 51, 56, 63, 68,
Micheel-Mays, L., xii, 136 73–74, 93, 96, 110, 115
micropolitical, xii, 69, 85, 136 perseverance, see also passion
Miksza, P., xiv, 21, 138 in advocating, 22–23
Miller, L., 129 necessity of, 20
Miller, P. C., 129 personality traits, 20, 22–23
Montague, M. G., 2, 138 philosophy, 3, 10, 21, 25, 32, 116, 118
motivation, 16, 45, 65–66, 111, 131 Pool, R., 133
Index [ 143 ]
41
practice Royse, D., 11, 137

development of proactive and positive Rusk, H. A., 41, 138
thinking, 20, 50, 56, 107–108 Russell, J. A., 55, 138
individualized, 16–17, 24, 75
of management skills, 13 Schmidt, M., 2, 139
as a music educator, xv, 4, 82, 86 Schoonmaker, F., 129
pre-service music educator, xii –xvii, 28, Seagroves, L., 93, 139
84, 111 self-analysis, 14, 37
constructive criticism, 90 self-evaluation, xii, xvi
problem solving, 11 Seligman, M. E. P., 133
principles, xiv, xvi, 21, 32, 72, 120 Semeniuk, A., 7, 139
priorities, 40, 48, 107, 110, 118, 119 Shaw, G. B., 23, 139
proactive Siebert, J., 108, 139
partners, xii –xvii, 8, 37–38 Sindberg, L., 12, 139
problem solving, 11, 15, 20 skills
responses, 58–59, 63, 91 communication, 25, 32, 52, 119
thinking, 22, 40–45, 103 critical thinking, 72
traits, 55 music teaching, 35, 38, 63, 107
professional development, 2, 13, 50, musicianship, xv, 15, 24, 44, 47,
84–86, 101–103, 106, 112 89, 110
purpose organizational, 39
action with intent, 4, 15, 65, 84 SMART, 13
cultivating a sense of, 41, 73, 103 Action Plan Worksheet, 127 – 128
fundamental paradigm of, 45, 75 definition and application, 14 – 16
SMART goals in practice, 31, 37
questioning, 33, 86 SMART Worksheet, 121 – 122
Smith, M. V., 2, 4, 9, 64, 65, 111, 139
Rawlings, J., 84, 85, 136 Smith, T. M., 1, 137
Real Life 101, xv, xvii, 8 Smithton, D. K., 83, 139
Emerging Music Educator No. 1, 18 Spielberger, C. D., 133
Emerging Music Educator No. 2, 29–30 Spradley, M., 108, 135
Emerging Music Educator No. 3, 36 Stanley, A. M., xvi, 136
Emerging Music Educator No. 4, 46 Steinberg, L., 129
Emerging Music Educator No. Stevanson, B. A., 2, 139
5, 53–54 strategies, 2, 7, 13, 15–16, 27, 33–35, 85
Emerging Music Educator No. 6, 61–62 student teaching residency
Emerging Music Educator No. 7, 70 personal commitment 21, 52
Emerging Music Educator No. 8, 76–77 self-concerns, xiv, 11, 29, 32, 79, 97
Emerging Music Educator No. transition from, 22, 24, 63, 76, 84
9, 87–88 Summitt, P., 102
Emerging Music Educator No.
10, 97–98 take action, 59
reflection, 2, 6, 19, 37, 86, 107, 117–119 teacher development, 7, 21
Renninger, A. K., 131 Thiessen, D., 82, 139
Robinson, M., 2, 136 Thompson, L. K., 21, 22, 50, 135, 136
Roediger, H. L. III, 129 timely, 35, 51, 121
Roth, C., 19, 138 time management, 39–40, 47–49,
Roulston, K., xvi, 138 124–125
[ 144 ] Index
1
45
Tough, P., 130 Warren, R., 133

trust, 9, 31–32, 63–64, 79, 111 Wayman, J. B., xiv, 63, 137
Weymuth, R., 116, 139
understanding, 5, 12, 17, 21, 32, 50–56, Whyte, W. H., 63, 139
63–68, 82, 106 Willingham, D. T., 130
Wilson, J., xvi, 138
value Wing, L. B., 38, 135
of informal professional Womak, S. T., xvi, 138
relationships, 7 Wong, H. K., 130
of mentoring, xiii, 10, 27 Wong, R., T., 130
music teacher perceptions, 12, 84 Worrall, A. M., 7, 139
personal, 40, 42, 56–57, 109–110
of observations, 101 Yourn, L. R., 21, 139
of time spent in mentoring sessions,
12, 59, 66–67 Zerman, T., xii, 136
Index [ 145 ]
46
1
471
4
8
1

D A Creative Duet Mentoring Success For Emerging Music Educators

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D A Creative Duet Mentoring Success For Emerging Music Educators

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Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press

© Oxford University Press 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

You must not circulate this work in any other form

Library of Congress Cataloging-​in-​Publication Data

1. Foundations for a Creative Duet: Choosing an Inspiring

Voicing Your Hopes and Expectations 33

10. A Creative Musical Collaboration: Co-​Creating Opportunities 79

Appendix A: Personal Mission Statement and Mentoring

Heartfelt appreciation is expressed to all my mentors, both informal and

I would like to express heartfelt appreciation to my loving husband Mark

As musicians we are taught to make music with others. As music educators

My own interest in mentoring research began as I encountered numer-

successful mentoring partnerships: not what we as music teacher educa-

FOR EMERGING MUSIC EDUCATORS: PRE-​S ERVICE

This text is written to aid your understanding of how to approach men-

COLLEGIATE LEVEL USES FOR MUSIC TEACHER EDUCATORS

As stated previously, this book is intended for emerging music educators,

also find yourself inspired to create unique innovations in mentoring

reading content in a different manner than myself and students I taught

Foundations for a Creative Duet

FORMAL AND INFORMAL MENTORS

Teaching music is an exhilarating and inspiring profession. It can also

is a considerable issue for many early career music teachers (DeLorenzo,

presented in numerous locations. It may be surprising how much direction

IRON SHARPENS IRON: QUALITIES OF INSPIRED MUSIC

area, former students, and parents of former students. They contacted

OPEN AND AFFIRMING LEARNING CLIMATE

This chapter focuses on desirable traits and characteristics to seek in a pos-

SUPPORT AND CHALLENGE

An excellent mentor must be willing to encourage as well as candidly offer

ROLES OF INFORMAL AND FORMAL MENTORS

Semeniuk and Worrall (2000) suggest that “mentoring’s meaning is now

means that the creative duet of contributing experiences, sharing musi-

• How can this type of collegial mentoring be accomplished?

The following chapters explore how emerging music educators can

Preparing for a Creative Duet

“Institutional and personal professional goals are important, interwoven,

Music education student teaching candidates are often anxious and

teacher would need creative, collaborative approaches in the area of advo-

REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS AND BEING SMART

Setting realistic expectations with your mentor is essential to your per-

outcomes anticipated, and as a measurement of the involvement of each

mentee: I am so frustrated with my third period choir. All of the stu-

When developing SMART objectives, think extensively but be realistic.

Real Life 101: Emerging Music Educator No. 1

My students often hear me utter the phrase “know thyself.” This is an

In ­chapter 2 you began to examine specific goals, examined their plausibil-

philosophy and the manner in which this philosophy will be demonstrated

Paise (2010) conducted a dissertation study that examined the transi-

In the area of personal commitment, your attitude may be more obvious

• Do I commit to projects, but do not follow through on these endeavors?

The most important factor is to be honest. Perhaps you do commit to proj-

• What sound do you wish your students to produce? Be honest as you

• How will your students remember you?

HONESTY: AREAS OF STRENGTH AND IMPROVEMENT

Now that we have examined the areas of “knowing thyself” as a person,

The first step to changing this type of outlook is acknowledgment. In

• I enjoy the mentoring process.

Acknowledging and examining how teachable we are as individuals will

Real Life 101: Emerging Music Educator No. 2

THE INITIAL MEETING

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

10. A Creative Musical Collaboration: Co-Creating Opportunities 79

FOR EMERGING MUSIC EDUCATORS: PRE-S ERVICE

In chapter 2 you began to examine specific goals, examined their plausibil-

If we do not have well-defined concepts of what is essential, we are simply

mentor-mentee relationship was mutual, trustworthy, and informal. Though

A free-flowing line of communication with your mentor is necessary to