Inspire! What great teachers do.

Inspire! What great teachers do. Recently, I was invited to attend a Forum on Leadership andManagement hosted by the American American,river, 30 mi (48 km) long, rising in N central Calif. in the Sierra Nevada and flowing SW into the Sacramento River at Sacramento. The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill (see Sutter, John Augustus) along the river in 1848 led to the California gold rush of Society of the Association Executivesand the Center for Association Leadership. The two-day workshop featuredfour sessions led by renowned speaker on "thought leaders" asthey were called. The ideas of the first speaker, Lance Secretan Lance H.K. Secretan was born (1939) in Amersham, United Kingdom. Secretan is perhaps best known for his pioneering work in leadership theory and how to inspire teams. , wereparticularly meaningful to me, especially as ideas were fermentinginside me for this first "Dear Reader" of the new teaching andMTNA MTNA Music Teachers National AssociationMTNA Middle Tennessee Nursery Association (McMinnville, Tennessee)membership year. Secretan, one of the world's foremost thinkers and teachers ofeffective leadership, spoke on "inspiration." We all yearn, hesaid, to be inspired. But more than that, the human spirit yearns toinspire. This duality--to inspire and to be inspired--is the cote ofleadership and of life itself. Inspiration, according to according toprep.1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.2. In keeping with: according to instructions.3. Secretan, isthe "oxygen of the soul." Without inspiration, our lives arepassionless and, ultimately, are unfulfilled. Certainly Secretan's ideas are relevant to MTNA. People joinassociations because the organization "inspires" them.Conversely con��verse?1?intr.v. con��versed, con��vers��ing, con��vers��es1. To engage in a spoken exchange of thoughts, ideas, or feelings; talk. See Synonyms at speak.2. , they stop being members because the association no longerprovides inspiration. As we begin this new membership year in MTNA, Ipromise you that MTNA will not just maintain its commitment to providinginspiration for you and your needs as a music teacher, we are alsocommitted to enhancing your experiences as a member. We want to define adeeper, more enriching kind of framework that will inspire you togreater successes as a music teacher. But, it doesn't does��n't?Contraction of does not. stop there.We also want to be inspired by you. In doing both, our profession willbe transformed, and your teaching will be more productive, fulfilling,and, yes, inspirational in��spi��ra��tion��al?adj.1. Of or relating to inspiration.2. Providing or intended to convey inspiration.3. Resulting from inspiration. . Of course, the most important "inspirational"relationship is the one between you and your students. As Secretanreminded us, the people we remember most are the ones who"inspired" us. So, I challenge you to start the new teachingyear by recommitting yourself to inspiring your students. Think of yourteaching as a "serving" relationship with your student thatinspires their growth as musicians and persons. In doing so, you willnot only enrich their souls, you will also be doing your part to makethe world a better place. Oh, one other thing: you'll be happy to know that many of theother association executives, who were there, upon discovering that Ilead a music teachers association, told me their greatest inspirationswere ... their music teachers. Yes, you are an incredible source ofinspiration already. May it always be! Gary L. Ingle in��gle?n.1. An open fire in a fireplace.2. A fireplace.[Perhaps Scottish Gaelic aingeal, fire, light. Executive Director