The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” attempts to describe the way art expresses a vast breadth of otherwise inexpressible emotion. Viewers of the artwork will only take away a slice of emotion each time they gaze at the piece; however, the more times they cast their eyes upon it, the more slices are taken to create the bigger picture. When you learn and create your own art, you then look at other’s art through a different, more experienced lens. Music is the dynamic, audible counterpart to visual art with the same concept - only there is the added layer of the performer, not just who composed the music.

Learning is the process of discovery and problem solving, occurring continuously throughout one's life. As a music educator, it is my role to act as a guide, as an explorer, and as a mentor, with the goal of inspiring every student to be a lifelong learner, within and outside the discipline of music. Students may score successfully on a standardized test, but that alone does not prove that they are true learners. Learning should continue beyond the test, past lower levels of learning such as remembering and understanding, towards evaluating and creating. Blooms Taxonomy suggests we should strive as educators to prepare students to not just understand the material, but to evaluate and create. To be a lifelong learner is to be someone that considers the pursuit of knowledge an integral part of one’s life. With endless information one search away, it is now more important than ever for our students to not just find and understand facts, but to analyze those facts – examining them to determine their validity and quality, develop a conclusion, and then create. You cannot successfully create unless you have achieved every other level of learning, and the music classroom provides a unique opportunity to create in different ways. Creating is the first of four artistic processes indicated in the 2014 standards produced by the National Association for Music Educators. The last artistic process is connecting. By encouraging our students to create music, and then connect what they made to elements of the outside world, we can effectively prepare them for the workforce, where they will need to problem solve and innovate while developing healthy connections and relationships with their coworkers.

Collaboration is an important part of the learning process, especially in music. A musician can explore unaccompanied and solo repertoire for a lifetime, but if they are able to collaborate and communicate effectively with fellow musicians, numerous doors will open for them. Creating music with others leads to an understanding which an individual by themselves is unable to reach. That understanding allows a group of people, of any age, to truly share an all-encompassing moment where the otherwise inexpressible is shared and departed in the hearts of all involved. Providing students with opportunities to work with numerous different groups and perform in front of audiences will boost the student's self-confidence and comfort standing in front of many people, while giving them more chances to make their mark on those listening. Whether it is a community orchestra, church choir, chamber group, or a marching band, working with a variety of musicians will only benefit the student.

Teaching music is a tale that features each student as the main character of their own narrative, with all their teachers, mentors, and peers as the supporting roles. The journey is tailored to one’s own needs, with doors opening and closing as they go, allowing their interests to flourish and for their art to blossom into something truly thousands upon thousands of words.