As we get into the dredges of the year, I thought this would be a good time to talk about some of the things that successful music teachers do. It’s easy to get bogged down with to do lists, events, performances, and feel disenchanted as student behavior slides towards summer. You CAN do it and here’s a little oomph if you need it. These are the 9 Habits of Successful Music Teachers.

1. Clear on their job description

And follows it without taking on too much. This is SO hard. We love musical experiences from our school days so much that we became music teachers so we could create them. Teachers care. We wouldn’t do it otherwise. But sometimes that means we need to remind ourselves to not say yes to EVERY opportunity that comes along. If a performance is going to severely put us out for a 5-10 minute event, is it really worth it? This time of year small performances like this crop up and we still need to make sure our students are experiencing educational moments not just performances.

It’s also important for us to remember as educators. Does our job description say we have to have handmade stage decorations that the music teacher painstakingly created by themselves? Or change the bulletin board every week, two weeks, month? Find places that you can shave time from what you do at school. Leave a board up as a board all year. Change it quarterly instead. Ask for parent volunteers to come change a board, make copies, or help with the stage decorations. Unless your job description says you have to make them yourself.

2. Long range planning

Have a map and know where you are going. When you are a new teacher it is very easy to get into what is the latest and greatest that will keep students’ attention for more than 3 minutes. I’ve absolutely come back from conferences and taught the same folk dance to 3 different grade levels that week because it was something they could do and I didn’t need to do any more planning.

But experienced me has a curriculum map. I plan out how I teach each rhythm and solfege concept. I plan concerts backwards. What I get at conferences gets added to my concept maps and lists to that I can put it in the right place in my curriculum. Long range planning is essential not only for more effective teaching but also to allow you to know feel tethered to hunting down the latest and greatest new activity for next week.

3. Focus on relationships

Music is about relationships. It’s not just notes on a page. Unless you are an unaccompanied solo performer, you need people. Focus on how your students feel when they leave your class. Focus on the relationships you have with other teachers, parents, and the community. Do your students relationships within their classes become better when they are in your room? It’s easy to look at educational content and forget about relationships but those are the glue of music class.

Not only that, but building relationships in the school and community. Building relationships with other staff and the community at large helps your program. Build relationships with parents so when your program may be facing cuts they fight for you. They’ll assist you with extra tasks and want to volunteer in your room. When you start sending letters home for concerts, they already know who you are and will respond to you. Don’t let the first interactions you have with them be asking for things. Let them know who you are and why music is important.

4. Add positivity to school culture

Successful teachers make the place around them better. Change culture so that singing isn’t looked down on. Change culture so that the faculty lounge is more welcoming. Change culture so that new teachers feel like they have someone to reach out to. Change cultures so that students feel seen. Change culture so that students are supportive of each other. Change culture so people are willing to try new things.

5. Cultivate growth mindset

This is such an important one, particularly in music. Students NEED to know that music isn’t perfect. There is always room for growth. Even professionals can grow. Helping students develop a mindset that the goal is growth and not perfection is essential for them as musicians.

6. Sharpen their own skills – musical and instructional

In the same vein, we can always improve. Video a lesson once in a while and watch yourself. Observe another teacher. Spend some time working on your rhythm skills or your solfege skills. Sing in a community choir once every few semesters. Perform for your students. Show your students that you are working too.

7. Hold standards

Hold your students to your standards. Hold behavior standards in your classroom. Hold expectations for performances. Hold expectations for yourself and how your performances look, how your classes are run, and how you prepare your lessons. Keep yourself and your students accountable.

8. Embrace change

Curriculum changes. Educational language changes. Behavior management changes. If we don’t change we become obsolete.

9. Disengages from school

Check out. Leave it at home. Engage in self care. Engage in your personal life. There is more to life than your classroom and you are more than a music teacher! I always think we have the hardest time separating ourselves from our careers because we picked to teach what we love. People don’t join math groups on the weekend. They don’t gig on the side teaching social studies private lessons. Music teachers are passionate about music and many of us have musical careers outside of our classrooms. It is hard to disengage but it’s important that we engage in things outside of music!

Go be your best self!