Hello flute friends! After a lengthy period of existential artistic and pedagogical angst, precipitated, of course, by the pandemic, I'm committing to resuming consistent habits as a performer, teacher, and writer. Which is a wordy way of saying sorry for not writing to you more.
Classes resume at UWYO in a little over a week, and I am full of the feels. School has changed since the pandemic. The nature of being a student, and therefore the nature of being a teacher, is adjusting in some new / wonderful / scary ways. Things I see that I am enjoying:
1. renewed appreciation for collaborative (in-person) projects
2. improved technology to fuel and disseminate creative projects
3. on the university's part, a stated sense of responsibility to deliver a meaningful curriculum to our students
4. on the students' part, strong personal convictions
But I have some concerns based on my observations the past couple of years (more on these in future posts):
1. resilience in the face of challenge seems to be at an all-time low
2. social skills (and group musical skills) have atrophied from prolonged isolation
3. by stressing immediate applicability and "job skills", we seems to be losing an appreciation for all of the "soft" skills a university experience can offer
So I'd like to humbly offer this list of resolutions, for whomever can use it, and promise that it will remain my personal list, as well:
1. start every day, every lesson, every studio class by pondering deep questions together
2. allow my students' needs and interests to lead curriculum development in the studio
3. assume everyone is trying their best and engage in ongoing dialogue about how we can support each other
4. take a moment every week to reflect on what's happened, what's coming up, and what's been most inspiring / exciting / serving as creative fuel
5. dream big dreams and then break them down into bite-sized actionable steps
6. make time for play (this is not the same as "fun" in the passive, streaming tv sense, but an opportunity to play my flute for fun, journal to sort out mental puzzles, read excellent literature, listen to new-to-me music, and anything else that can fuel my artistry and thought)
7. create a loose structure for my weeks that allows me to feel in control without becoming rigid
8. involve creative friends in my big projects
9. say yes to opportunities before I can talk myself out of them
10. reject perfectionism in favor of meaningful growth
What, dear readers, is getting you through these strange times? And what topics would you like to see covered here this school year?
PS: I'd love to collaborate in some thoughtful, interesting ways this year! Reach out if you've got an idea: nicole [dot] riner [at] gmail blah blah blah
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