Name 
Steven Emory
School & School System Where You Work
Chicod School, Pitt County Schools
Number of Years Teaching
215
Teaching Area(s)
Band, Orchestra, Elementary, Guitar
Grade Level
Elementary & Middle School
What do you love most about teaching music?
Seeing children make intuitive leaps in their learning – where all the separate parts of all they’ve learned become one whole.
Who inspired you to be a music educator and how did they inspire you?
My dad. He was a great musician, teacher, and leader.
What did you need the most when you started teaching?
Experience! I learned so much every day my first few years teaching.
Describe the biggest challenge to teaching music education and how you have worked to overcome this challenge?
Motivating students to spend quality time honing their music in a society where instant gratification is the norm.
I work really hard to let students see how uniquely rewarding participating in music at a more refined skill level can be.
How do you advocate for your program?
Smile a lot and be positive. I’m serious!
Participating in music is a joy!
The more I let my administrators and leaders see my authentic excitement about teaching music, the more receptive they seem to be when I ask for help.
(The more I let my students see my authentic excitement about teaching music, the more excited they seem to be learning it.)
What is one piece of advice you would give to beginning teachers?
Smile until YOU believe it.
How do you build relationships with students and parents?
While email and online classroom platforms and messengers are convenient ways to communicate, having small, “hallway conversations” with parents and students about them individually is the best was I build relationships.