Friday, December 24, 2004
The Leader as a Conductor.
The leader as a conductor
The artistry of a conductor is vital to the creation of a wonderful performance.
Teaching is a little like conducting an orchestra. The teacher must be aware of what is to be expected from her students and appreciate the individual talents of every class member to ensure all are involved to work in harmony.
Teachers must know what each student can contribute to the class culture. He or she must ensure also that each student knows what is expected of them and help them hone their individual strengths and stretch their imaginations
Both the conductor and the teacher need real skill and sensitivity (and authority) to develop a quality performance. As in the orchestra there will be individual stars in many classes but it is the quality of the overall performance that counts.
As the conductor receives accolades for the performance and in turn refers back to the talents of the orchestra so must the teacher – even more so. Teachers might not get the spotlight of the conductor but without their leadership students would not reach the heights they do.