A Valuable Learning Experience

In 2005, about 6 years into my teaching career, I met a man that transformed the way I educate and inspire young musicians.

You see, I have always been a teacher who has been willing to surround myself with others more experienced or more talented. There are two reasons for this in my mind. Number one, it exposes my students to a much broader spectrum of learning possibilities. And, number two, it allows me to learn and improve my teaching skills. So when my drumline instructor Mike told me about his college friend Keith who had 12 years experience teaching band in public schools, had just finished Grad school and hadn't yet found a job, I quickly agreed to bring him in as additional help for our band camp.

This was one of the best decisions I have made for the band program at Greenbrier East High School.

Usually, when we have clinicians or instructors come in, they are great when it comes to the hands on experience with the kids. While Keith excelled in this area, he was much more than this for me. He was a true mentor, more so than anyone to that point in my professional career. Through observing each other, we were able to open up a dialogue with one another which helped me discover simple (yet not always easy) ways that I could improve. In addition, Keith always found a way to point out the things I was doing well, in some cases better than he was as someone with more than twice my experience.

Having the opportunity to have Keith come and work with the band has had long lasting effects. It's been a couple of years now since Keith has been able to come and help out our band program. Life moves forward and he now has responsibilities as a husband, father, and business manager in coastal Virginia. But his impact on the students has been passed down from veterans of the band program to the rookies each year. And my teaching methods are forever changed for the better because of his influence.

To gain some more insight into Keith's teaching philosophy and how it has effected the band program at Greenbrier East check out his List of Cliches and Commentary on my GEHS Band Blog.