As a child there's no doubt that I had a crush on my music teacher. In a school of teachers in grey suits and grey beards, he stood out as a creative genius. Not only was he handsome (even though in retrospect this was probably only due to him being about 20 years younger than the rest of the teachers) he was bright, charming and fun.
That image inspired me to love music and ultimately become a music teacher myself. When I showed early signs of having a musical ear I soon progressed from recorder to guitar then onto piano and violin.
As a music teacher I now have the opportunity to inspire students in the same way my old teacher did. Although I don't have the charm and wit that I remember him having in spades, my goal is to make sure I don't become one of the grey teachers who put me off my other subjects.
The key, I believe, is to keep music relevant. Although I reach a range of age groups I like to include different kinds of contemporary music into my lessons. Rap, pop, reggae - they all have a place in the music classroom. Although classical music has an important place in musical history, I also like to include up to the minute developments in the music industry. This musst include new technology - there are so many fascinating music programs available that it would be unfair to exclude that element from the lessons.
Ultimately I want to be more than just a music teacher. I want to have a positive impact on the children (and adults) that I teach. I don't expect everyone to become a maestro, or even feel that they have to learn to play an instrument. Instead I want them to enjoy music - in any form.
Music isn't an elitist passtime. Good music teachers expose their students to all kinds of music, showing them that there's something for everyone to enjoy.