(Portrait of June Christy, circa 1947, Library of Congress photo)
This weekend I attended a Jazz Festival where my teenage stepdaughter was performing. I was most fascinated with the vocal clinic one of the local performers taught. Each student who signed up gave a solo while their peers watched. Then the coach would give advice based on the performance.
She was an amazing teacher. She engaged each student and worked with them on areas she recognized in the few minute sample of their work. She addressed her comments to the audience as well as the individual on the spot. I was inspired by her to go home and try some improv. Her enthusiasm for her subject was contageous.
Contrast that with a woman I know who wants to become a teacher and spent five hours taking a standardized test designed to screen out undesirable candidates. I doubt the test could have measured the passion of the first woman.
What is good teaching? How do we make sure that our students are in the hands of people who will inspire them?
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