Music of Andrew F. Poor

The Law of the Harvest "The underlying principle is that what you do today will lead to outcomes in the future. Much like a farmer, who must prepare the soil and plant the seeds in the spring, fertilize and water the crops all summer, to ensure a harvest in the fall. A farmer doesn’t sit around all year and then expect to have a harvest come September. "~ Stephen Covey http://www.dougblackie.com/2012/10/the-law-of-the-harvest/  In many fields of endeavor, there are different seasons. There is a time to plant the seeds and a time to toil in the fields. Eventually, there comes a time to harvest. In a society filled with quick-fixes, short-cuts, get-rich-quick, and a never-ending pursuit of getting more from less, we can all fall victim to this mindset. Unfortunately, anything worthwhile and meaningful requires a relentless work ethic combined with a strong base of knowledge and skills.  For music educators, one of the most important tasks we must enga...

I am not sure where I first heard the old English proverb, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." However, I have heard this phrase used by many people in a variety of settings.True, you cannot make someone do something they do not want to do, and, if you have been around a stubborn horse, you know this phrase to be extremely accurate. As an educator, this phrase, however, has always bothered me, most likely, because of the negative connotation of the proverb or the sense of rationalization inherent in the phrase. "Well, I gave the students the information and it is on them to learn the materials. You can lead a horse to water..." Quite possibly, I may have misunderstood the phrase. I think the proverb has an implied extension, "...you can't make it drink. So, what are you going to do to make it thirsty?" Where does the role of the teacher end, and the role of the student begin, when it comes to creating a thirst f...