The purpose of music education should be to spread musical knowledge to as many people as possible, while keeping the material impactful and of high quality, to the best of your abilities. That may mean that you only ever teach two students in your life; but if you taught them well, supported them in their endeavors, and gave them the tools that they needed to be the best musician that they could be- then you succeeded as a music educator. Sharing the beauty and possibility of music as purely as you can is what music education is all about.

Students should be open and ready to learn. If you submit yourself to your craft wholly, it will submit to you. Music is difficult, and it is intense, and it can be unforgiving. But if a student is diligent and persistent then they will be a true musician. Because anyone can make music; if you play a set of chords in the middle of a Guitar Center then you have made music. But to really be a musician, you must dedicate yourself to the art of it. Even individuals with no training can tell the difference between a musician and someone who plays an instrument or sings. The musicality, understanding, and passion that real musicians have is apparent to anyone lucky enough to see them perform. You don’t have to be the best, you don’t even have to be amazing, but if you work hard and submit yourself to music, you will become a musician. That is what a music student should do.

Teachers are meant to lay foundations. Be that through establishing good technique, work ethic, or repertoire, they are there to set students up for success. It is not their place to tell students how to make music or decide their path for them. They should show you all the possibilities of music and let you choose what you want to do with them. A teacher can push and push but if a student is unwilling to learn, they cannot be a musician for them. A teacher cannot play a student’s oboe or sing their aria- or, even, give them the drive to pursue an art as challenging as music. But they can inspire them to do those things and teach them how. As an educator, you are a mentor in lifestyle and profession when you instruct students. You should be someone that they look up to, and someone that inspires and challenges them to work hard and hone their skill. You should protect them and fight for their rights. You can do that by being an advocate for music education curriculum and funding or, on a more personal level, protect them from unjust critique that might stunt their growth. They are like a seed that you water and put out in the sunshine and sing to, without ever knowing how tall the plant might grow. You just have to do your best to give that seed the best possible circumstances and the utmost care so that it can live up to whatever potential it has inside.

Music teachers have an obligation to help their community, not just their own students. In a way, by nourishing the spirits of their students, they are bettering them and, by extension, the community. But they should look beyond that, for ways to bring music into their area. If the goal of music education is to reach as many people as possible with music, why not try to get more people involved? Showcases, classes, or workshops are examples of ways to involve your community with music. Additionally, publicly advocating for funding, regulations, and students’ rights can involve a teacher’s district in the music world and raise awareness about music programs and opportunities going on in the area. This benefits both the teacher- by giving them some notoriety- and the community, by getting them involved and interested in music.