Student Teaching: A Metamorphosis

As the new semester commences, I find myself contemplative about what will transpire. I am about to undertake a profound and tenuous journey with 21 student teachers; 21 wonderful musicians/music educators who truly have no idea what they are about to experience! Student teaching is beautiful, stressful, exhausting, exhilarating, invigorating, hilarious, unpredictable, overwhelming and deeply transformative. It is the moment we cross the (imagined) chasm between student and teacher. It is a metamorphosis. And I wouldn't be surprised if many of the student teachers echo Gregor's sentiments from Kafka's telling story:

I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.

I normally dislike posts offering advice about teaching (how perplexing), but I saw this post recently and I find it to be incredibly on point. Therefore, I am passing it on to the lovely music educators I get to see through the student teaching journey - let's take loveteach's advice to heart. Embrace the student teaching experience, lean in, grab the opportunities before you and metabolize your new identity. We need you in the field. And we need you to be amazing for the precious students you get to journey with down this bumpy terrain.

7 Habits of Amazing Student Teachers