Brinkman, D. J. (2010). Teaching creatively and teaching for creativity.

Arts
Education Policy Review, 111(2), 48-50. doi:10.1080/10632910903455785
David J. Brinkman focuses on two very important characteristic of music
education: teaching creatively, and teaching students to be more creative. He
mentions that a good teacher should combine the art in music as well as the art
in teaching itself and creativity is what holds these two together. A teacher can
have a strong impact on a students life, either positively or negatively. It depends
on the teaching method, if the teacher actually cares for the student, and the
relationship between the teacher and student.
A creative teacher is what keeps the student engaged and focused. Brinkman
mentions Amabiles three-part model and connects it to music education:
expertise, motivation and creative thinking skills. First there must be a set of
skills in order for a teacher to grow healthily (musicality, classroom management,
people skills, etc.). Second, a teacher should always be motivated to help the
student be creative. And the third is to generate a lot of ideas to come up with
teaching in new ways to the student. This model is very helpful for those who
want to pursue pedagogy in music because music is a form of art. It calls for
creative thinking and teaching. Music also calls for individuality because students
need to connect and experience music for themselves. In order to express that in
their own way, creativity is key.
Reading this article, I can tell that Brinkman is a creative and unique teacher. He
brings out what many teachers have forgot to do: being creative. I can connect
this article with Chapter 2 of Eisners book The Kinds of Schools We Need. Eisner
mentions that teachers have the privilege to shape the minds of students. I find
that creativity in teaching, can really build brilliant minds because it can help
students with expressing their experiences in music; it can also help with
individuality in students and these qualities are important for the future teachers.
Brinkman made reference to John Kratus article about music education at a
tipping point. Society is always changing and I believe that if teachers are always
stuck in the old fashioned methods, students will not be as engaged. If teachers
today encourage and push students to be creative, there will be great future
teachers who will pass along the baton of creativity to their students and it will go
on. This is what brings beauty in pedagogy. As a music education student, this
article is very uplifting. I would like to, one day, make a positive mark on my
students and help them be as creative they can be.