Gift Ideas for Music Teachers

Regardless if you're musically inclined or not, odds are that you know someone who is. Every community, big or small, has music instruction on some level either private or public. Being a music teacher, regardless of what level, is somewhat of a thankless job with long hours and inconsistent wages. Furthermore, getting students motivated is always a challenge in and teaching discipline, but is especially the case in music. A music teacher can be one of the best outside mentors in a child's life. Here are a number of gift ideas for the music teacher in your family or community

1. More students! :) This is kind of tongue-and-cheek, but at the same time, students are the lifeblood of a music studio. Tell your friends, or better yet, maybe this Christmas season its time to take up that instrument that you've always wanted to take.

2. Blank music paper - music teachers go through music paper like water, and it's cheap these days. It's available in all sizes and styles, from books to reams.

3. Music software - music software has greatly increased the viability and dissemination of music. No longer do you have to write out parts by hand with a calligraphy pen and ruler. Now you can type in notes like a word processor, and musical elements, and print out sheet music that is professionally-looking. Finale, Sibelius, Notewriter, and other packages all exist.

4. Organizers or bags - It seems like music teachers are always functioning with piles and folders of music flying all over everywhere. A new briefcase or organizer will be greatly appreciated. Odds are that music teachers are usually running around town from lessons to rehearsals to meetings, so anything that helps them manage their time and resources better is always good.

5. Books: there are a host of good books out there for music teachers. Each sub-discipline or instrument has many pedagogy books out there. Here are a few good general ones.

a. Teaching Music with Passion by Peter Boonshaft. This book is geared more towards band directors but still has a number of really unique insights about teaching music. (I see that Boonshaft has recently written a sequel of sorts Teaching Music with Purpose.
b. Intelligent Music Teaching: Essays on the Core Principles of Effective Instruction by Robert A. Duke (Paperback - Mar 2005)
c. The Popular Music Teaching Handbook: An Educator's Guide to Music-Related Print Resources by B. Lee Cooper and Rebecca A. Condon.

6. Whiteboard or Dry Erase Chalkboard - I can't begin to count the times that I wish I had one of these in my studio! Sometimes a music teacher needs to illustrate a point, and the only good way to do it is write it out.

7. Staff liner - if you need #6 above odds are you need one of these to draw a staff on said board. They typically hold chalk or pencils in such a configuration as to facilitate the drawing of a musical staff.

8. Musical clothing or accessories - ties, shirts, coffee mugs, and other accessories are always great gift ideas. These days you can get the customized also.

9. Posters - big posters of composers and instruments are always good additions to the teaching studio. Guitar chords, Beethoven, Ellington, etc.

10. Pencils and erasers - this might seem something of a no-brainer but let me explain. Writing out music by hand for teaching and study needs to be done by pencil not pen. (Hint: you can ERASE pencil!). Pencils are typically cheap. My personal preference is a mechanical pencil with 0.7 lead and a pencil-type refillable eraser.

Honorable mention:

• CDs. To be a good music teacher, you have to know music. Find out what your teachers likes and dislikes are. Not everyone has heard every piece or style of music out there.

• Movies, videos, or DVDs. These are really nice gifts for the musician and the music teacher in general. Some titles:
o Mr Holland's Opus
o Grace of My Heart
o That Thing You Do!
o The Music Man
o The Sound of Music
o Music of the Heart
o Tom Dowd: The Language of Music
o Standing in the Shadows of Motown
o The Songwriters (Time Life)
o School of Rock
o Immortal Beloved
o Amadeus
o Martin Scorsese's The Blues
o The Legend of 1900
o biographies, musicals, much more

Music teachers always want to improve their teaching, to better reach and mentor their students. The potential impact on your student's lives and by extension the community is immeasurable. This holiday season, let your local music teacher know you care!