The Growing Band Director 176 Making Joy Your Tonal Center with Matthew Arau
Jan 10, 2026
Matthew Arau, author and leadership educator who champions joyful, mindful music-making. He outlines six keys to center joy in classrooms. Short segments cover gratitude, contribution, purpose, care, communication, and community. Practical tactics and quick teacher self-care tips pepper the conversation.
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Show Value Through Gratitude
- Use gratitude to show students they are genuinely valued and avoid assuming they already know it.
- Tell students you value them, use names, and listen with full attention to reinforce their worth.
High-Five Yourself Challenge
- Matthew shares Mel Robbins' "high five yourself" story to illustrate self-encouragement practices.
- Teachers reported emotional shifts after adopting the habit of celebrating themselves each morning.
Make Contribution A Daily Habit
- Give students meaningful chances to contribute daily, like greeting them by name or inviting peer feedback at the front of class.
- Use these contributions to affirm each student's role and strengthen ensemble ownership.
