6 Marks of The Ideal YACM Teaching Artist (music teacher)
Learning music is hard. Becoming a musician is even harder. Choosing an instructor with the proper education, experience, and temperament will unlock hidden potential and empower joyful musicianship.
A YACM Teaching Artist is distinguished by their arts education, skills, outcomes, and commitment to a collaborative and comprehensive music education environment. YACM Teaching Artists are performing artists who read and understand written music notation, overcome the challenges associated with daily practice, embrace learning standards while remaining flexible to address the individual needs of students, and can teach difficult concepts creatively. YACM Teaching Artists help students perform through strong learning rather than learning to perform. YACM Teaching Artists enthusiastically participate in a collaborative learning and performing environment seeking to provide student members with the richest possible learning experiences.
1. Classically Trained - Formally Educated
We know that although music and the performing arts is expressed through many beautiful genres, styles, and applications, the curation of traditional skills in the study of technically and artistically challenging repertoire provides for the most confident and proficient mastery of all music. We believe that the study of historical context, compositional structure, and exposure to other instruments and artists provide the greatest opportunity for meaningful creative expression.
2. Confident Performing Artist
We know that significant personal performances provide experiences that inform a first-hand understanding of the challenges and successes associated with sharing the beauty of one’s music with grace and poise.
3. Experienced Instructor with Demonstrated Student Outcomes
Teaching Artists are different from Teaching Interns in-part because they have years of experience as music instructors and can point to excellent learning outcomes in their students. Teaching Artists have shown to bring students from beginning levels to advanced musicianship.
4. Collaborative Partner
At YACM, we invite educators to join our team who embrace and highly value the opportunities collaboration brings themselves and their students. Teaching Artists remain open to ongoing professional development. YACM Teaching Artists share their skills, resources, and create learning / performing opportunities through YACM. Our Teaching Artists encourage and support YACM students to participate in enrichment activities, master classes, goal setting, assessments and performances. YACM Teaching Artists actively engage parents in support of their children’s musical development.
5. Engaging, Personable, and Effective Communicator
YACM Teaching Artists are excellent teachers who engage students with inspiration, problem solving skills, and keep learning fun and positive. Every student is different and a Teaching Artists knows how to reach them personally to advance their potential. Music is hard and requires effective communication to overcome challenges. Teaching Artists have learned how to be creative in their communication to be most effective for most students.
6. Organized, Reliable, and Generous
YACM Teaching Artists manage their time and resources well. They know that because YACM is a collaborative NPO, personal organization and reliability is fundamental to reaching the most students and making the greatest impact. Teaching Artists know how to make the most of their time and lessons always represent time well-spent. At YACM, we also value generosity of spirit. The willingness to give the benefit of the doubt, assume everyone is doing the best they can, and to always consider the investment of another as well as your own keeps YACM a safe and growing environment for everyone.
