Think about this for a moment. If there are 10 groups at a competition and 3 of them place in the top three, that means that 70% of the groups are not in the top tier. This seems logical, right? What about the 70% who have not made it to the top? Generally these groups stay in the 70% for a long time and sometimes never break through. Is there a deficiency in the educational thought process?

There are many ways of teaching the fundamentals of playing, but only a small percentage have made it to the top of the top of the professional world. So, in order for us as educators to help our students and organizations make it to the top 30%, we have to teach and implement what the next level professionals are doing. So many times the educators that are part of the 70% love to give advice but generally never want it from those that are in the 30%. Ask the top tier people what they did to break through! All of them will tell you they got advice from the ones who are doing it at the highest level.

We as teachers can many times feel like we have the newest, greatest way of teaching something and we have the most perfect way of getting our students to do something, however, if we stop and think for a moment, are we really delivering information that is going to take this student or group of students to the top.

I think we would all agree the the majority of everything is mediocre or average at best, so shouldn’t we be thinking more minority?

There is good information and teachers mean well, but good is completely different than exceptional. These are a few thoughts to begin to teach next level.

1. When seeking advice, ask people who are doing it better than you. So many times we ask advice from people who are in our same boat. It is like asking diet advice from someone who is overweight or asking financial advice from a broke person. Seek the advice from someone who is doing things on a higher level.
2. Don’t be afraid to change. Just because we were taught something in music school doesn’t mean that it is the exact right way of thinking. Listen closely and implement new thoughts for your students.
3. Always strive for a higher level. When we constantly strive for better it makes us seek for new and better ways of doing things. Look for the ways professionals got to be professionals and do what they did. If you are looking to be in the top 4, do not be content with 8th. It is possible the information that you deem to be strange and unfamiliar is the very information that can move you to the top. Again, minority thinking.
4. Swallow the pride. Be a constant learner from people who are doing it at a higher level. If you want your students to be better players, talk to professional players on that particular instrument. If you are wanting your students to be better performers, talk to the highest level performers and find out what they are thinking and doing. Dig deeper for the information!

Seek to be part of the 30%.

Is your information relevant and meaningful or recycled and meaningless. Lets get into the minority of success and teach next level material. Lets dig deeper!