I am really happy to have started this discussion that is focusing on looking beyond the familiar. I have so many memories and so much carry over from the World Congress this past summer that I am still am getting "warmth and inspiration" from that week even as we head into a cold fall here in New England in the US.
I have several thoughts about Jenny Branson's response. First that as an educator I am always aware of how "subjective" my teaching and grading are. It is interesting that as I teach I try to figure out where each student is and what he or she needs to do to take the necessary steps forward or as Jenny put it, in what area does a student need to stretch or grow. What makes that challenging is that each student needs to take different steps in order to move forward. One may need to take more risks and share more authentically both in music and in words, while another may need to learn to listen and let others take the lead. One may need to be challenged academically to think critically while another may need to learn to be more responsive in music making. Thus my teaching has to be flexible and I always have to be aware of my own biases and blocks that interfere with my ability to be present with my students.
This need for a self-reflexive stance takes me back to my original column as it is only by continually challenging myself to experience new ideas, although sometimes uncomfortable, that I continue to grow and develop! If I ever dare stop this I am sure to become as rusty and stuck as the Tin Man in the US movie The Wizard of Oz.
So rest assured that many other music therapists are continuing to examine their own comfort zones and challenging themselves to continue to grow, stretch, reach, and learn!
As a postscript, let me also say that one of my graduate students is writing a thesis on performance anxiety as experienced by music therapy students in sessions. I think it is a very important topic for our field.
I am really happy to have started this discussion that is focusing on looking beyond the familiar. I have so many memories and so much carry over from the World Congress this past summer that I am still am getting "warmth and inspiration" from that week even as we head into a cold fall here in New England in the US.
I have several thoughts about Jenny Branson's response. First that as an educator I am always aware of how "subjective" my teaching and grading are. It is interesting that as I teach I try to figure out where each student is and what he or she needs to do to take the necessary steps forward or as Jenny put it, in what area does a student need to stretch or grow. What makes that challenging is that each student needs to take different steps in order to move forward. One may need to take more risks and share more authentically both in music and in words, while another may need to learn to listen and let others take the lead. One may need to be challenged academically to think critically while another may need to learn to be more responsive in music making. Thus my teaching has to be flexible and I always have to be aware of my own biases and blocks that interfere with my ability to be present with my students.
This need for a self-reflexive stance takes me back to my original column as it is only by continually challenging myself to experience new ideas, although sometimes uncomfortable, that I continue to grow and develop! If I ever dare stop this I am sure to become as rusty and stuck as the Tin Man in the US movie The Wizard of Oz.
So rest assured that many other music therapists are continuing to examine their own comfort zones and challenging themselves to continue to grow, stretch, reach, and learn!
As a postscript, let me also say that one of my graduate students is writing a thesis on performance anxiety as experienced by music therapy students in sessions. I think it is a very important topic for our field.