6/6 "Making a Difference" Responding: Alone and Together

As a conclusion to the book, Chs. 18-20 are hard to quickly tie up, so here in a few quotes is my favorite bits of advice from the end.

“You may be right [that it won’t work out/is too radical], but you will never be able to think creatively if you let these barriers paralyze you at the outset.”

“Select a particular class, subject are, topic, student, group of students, or whatever real life situation you wish to use as the context for your creative thinking.” p. 175.

I need to think about all of the things in the book, but in practice I should not try to do more than one or two changes at a time. I need to have some people I can soundboard off of and get encouragement in reply. And I need to expect opposition, success and failure.

“Finally, remember that you are doing these things because they arise out of your deeply held convictions, not because they are a new technique.” p. 184.
(Also relating to the book, if I understand the summaries and preview right, the whole movie "Mr. Holland's Opus is about his changes...) Mr. Holland taught best when he taught out of his conviction about music. Here it wasn't "something I can teach you," it was a way of thinking and feeling that effected all the technique.

So finally, another touch of humor via video. Like the piano learners, our attempts at something new, at change, will be creative, even goofy and clunky, but with adjustments en route and with the help of others, who may even be able to help us laugh at ourselves, we will survive and even make a difference.