Welcome, December: A month of parties and pageants, decorations and delight, twine-wrapped packages and twinkling lights.

In the midst of all the end-of-year festivities, I like to steal a few quiet moments for reflection:

I make a list of all the books I read this year and what I want to read next year (look for the link to that in the show notes, if you're curious),

I make an end-of-year summary for my business and send a spring calendar to my studio families,

I write a year-in-review blog post, and

I reflect on what I've learned as a teacher.

As teachers, we spend so much of our time focusing on what our students are learning and discovering. Are they progressing? Are we challenging them enough? Too much? How have they grown in their musicianship this year? What should we focus on in the next few months?

Our students deserve this kind of reflection and planning to guide their learning and promote their continued skill development.

But what about us? Are we progressing? Are we challenged enough? Too much? How have we grown in our musicianship this year? What should we focus on in the next few months?

Taking time to reflect on our teaching practice is an important and necessary part of the teaching-and-learning equation. So today, I'm looking back on all the moments I documented on the podcast this year and sharing seven things I've learned as a music educator.

For show notes, click here.

Resources Mentioned

*Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

The 8 Best Books I Read in 2022

Ep. 044 - What Do You See? The Power of Observation in Music Lessons

Piano Safari Repertoire 1

Ep. 051 - The Pokémon Piano Lesson

Ep. 047 - An Inside Look at My Lesson-Planning Process

The Post-It app for iPad

Ep. 043 - Rediscovering the Joy of Scavenger Hunts

Ep. 045 - The Blues Composition Project

Ep. 041 - Focus On the Music

18 Books to Read This Year (2022 Book List)

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success(Carol Dweck)

Ep. 049 - What Every Music Teacher Should Know About Mindsets: Insights Into Carol Dweck's Book