On Teaching: "French Horns and Shy Students"

This morning, just before school, I listened to several movements of a Mozart wind quintet, and the perfectly beautiful French horn solos started me thinking about the art of teaching. Here was this fairly large, cumbersome instrument -- an instrument that is usually kept in the background of classical pieces -- playing lovely melodies by itself, and playing them in a rhapsodic and enchanting manner. As I listened, I thought of certain of my students, the ones who stay on the outskirts of discussions and seem to be only peripheral members of the class. I wondered whether these quiet students had beautiful music inside them that I was missing -- whether they could perhaps "solo" as beautifully as this French horn. I guess what this led me to was the realization, again, that all of my students have great splendor inside them, and it is my duty to draw it out. The quiet ones may not be able or willing to solo like the French horn, but at least I can let them know that I appreciate the singular beauty they are able to lend to the class. In order to do this, though, I have to be attentive to them -- to notice them, to see them, to listen for their beautiful words and ideas. Like the French horn in the Mozart piece, these timid, retiring students have lovely music to share.