Inspire! What great teachers do.

Recently, I was invited to attend a Forum on Leadership and Management hosted by the American Society of the Association Executives and the Center for Association Leadership. The two-day workshop featured four sessions led by renowned speaker on "thought leaders" as they were called. The ideas of the first speaker, Lance Secretan, were particularly meaningful to me, especially as ideas were fermenting inside me for this first "Dear Reader" of the new teaching and MTNA membership year.

Secretan, one of the world's foremost thinkers and teachers of effective leadership, spoke on "inspiration." We all yearn, he said, to be inspired. But more than that, the human spirit yearns to inspire. This duality--to inspire and to be inspired--is the cote of leadership and of life itself. Inspiration, according to Secretan, is the "oxygen of the soul." Without inspiration, our lives are passionless and, ultimately, are unfulfilled.

Certainly Secretan's ideas are relevant to MTNA. People join associations because the organization "inspires" them. Conversely, they stop being members because the association no longer provides inspiration. As we begin this new membership year in MTNA, I promise you that MTNA will not just maintain its commitment to providing inspiration for you and your needs as a music teacher, we are also committed to enhancing your experiences as a member. We want to define a deeper, more enriching kind of framework that will inspire you to greater successes as a music teacher. But, it doesn't stop there. We also want to be inspired by you. In doing both, our profession will be transformed, and your teaching will be more productive, fulfilling, and, yes, inspirational.

Of course, the most important "inspirational" relationship is the one between you and your students. As Secretan reminded us, the people we remember most are the ones who "inspired" us. So, I challenge you to start the new teaching year by recommitting yourself to inspiring your students. Think of your teaching as a "serving" relationship with your student that inspires their growth as musicians and persons. In doing so, you will not only enrich their souls, you will also be doing your part to make the world a better place.

Oh, one other thing: you'll be happy to know that many of the other association executives, who were there, upon discovering that I lead a music teachers association, told me their greatest inspirations were ... their music teachers. Yes, you are an incredible source of inspiration already. May it always be!

Gary L. Ingle 

Executive Director