I offer a fresh perspective on the role of the music teacher. I'm certainly here to help my students learn the fundamentals, but I believe in a why-first approach to lessons. If I can't clearly articulate the reason why we're doing something and the impact it will have on a student's progress or understanding, then we don't do it. Nothing is arbitrary, and every moment is useful. I try to make sense of things by observing the patterns and relationships at play in the world around me, and I often employ this approach in my curriculum. Whether we're discussing scales, chords, saxophone technique, vocal technique or songwriting—everything can be...