Summary

A young music teacher's experience with student teaching, where a student inadvertently sets her up on a date with his musically inclined cousin.

Abstract

During her junior year in college, the author, a music education major, was assigned to student teach at a middle school near her hometown. Despite not knowing how to drive, she quickly learned and began teaching private music lessons, conducting the school band, and managing a variety of students, including those who were disruptive or exceptionally talented. One of her students, Danny, eager to connect his cousin Cody with his admired teacher, invited her to his home. There, she met Cody, a violist completing his master's degree, leading to an unexpected romantic encounter. This experience highlighted the intuitive matchmaking abilities of young people and the serendipitous connections that can arise in the world of music education.

Opinions

The author initially believed it inappropriate to visit a student's home but was reassured by the student's mother's approval.
The student, Danny, was very enthusiastic about introducing his teacher to his cousin, showing his appreciation for her influence.
The author reflects on the incident with fondness, suggesting that young people can have insightful perceptions about relationships.
The author seems to value the connections made through music, as evidenced by the memorable dinner date near Lincoln Center and the mention of a romantic walk through Juilliard.
Despite the relationship with Cody not lasting, the author cherishes the memory of their brief time together.

Teenage Intuition

He knew how to strike a match!

When I was in college, I majored in music education. During my junior year, I left campus for a semester to fulfill my student teaching requirement. To the extent possible, the college arranged for students to teach close to home.

I was assigned to a small middle school ten miles away from where I grew up. Unlike my peers, I had not learned how to drive in high school, so in the brief time before student teaching, I took driving lessons. I passed the road test, received my license, and drove to school each morning.

I taught private music lessons to several students throughout the day, preparing some for auditions. In the middle of the day, I conducted the middle school band.

There were several gregarious students. I would have to remind them that it was class, not the cafeteria. Some were so bright they became bored with the music we were playing. There was Adam, a trombone player who picked up the melodies of the woodwind players and played them instead of his own part. Craig, one of the sax players, picked up on this as well and I told him to stop. When he didn’t, I sent him to sit in my office until rehearsal was over. When I went to tell Craig class was over, I saw he was crying. He thought I would send him to the principal’s office, and of course I told him I wouldn’t. He wound up becoming one of my best students.

There were two students I remember in particular: Eddie, a clarinetist, and Danny, a violinist. Danny was not in band with the rest of the students, but he and Eddie were best friends, and they would come to band rehearsal together. I let Danny sit quietly and observe our class.

One day Danny said he needed to speak to me after class. “Ms. Laran,” he said, “I told my cousin about you, and I want you to meet him. He’s really great, you’ll like him a lot!”

“You did WHAT?!”

“I told my cousin I have a really great music teacher at school, and now he wants to meet you because he’s musical too. He plays the viola. So will you come to my house tomorrow?”

“Danny,” I said, “You must know it’s not appropriate for a teacher to go over to a student’s house!”

“It’s okay Ms. Laran, my mom knows, I told her, too. Will you come over tomorrow?”

I said okay and went to Danny’s house the next day. I already met Danny’s mother a few times at the school, and she laughed when she opened the front door. “My son! He would not stop talking about you last night, coming to meet Cody. Come in!”

I remember walking through the kitchen and she said, “Go on downstairs, Cody’s practicing.”

I walked down a flight of stairs to a finished basement. Cody was playing a baroque piece and stopped when he saw me. We spoke for a while and he told me he was a finishing his master’s degree at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. Then he asked me to meet for dinner the following week. I agreed and left Danny’s house, although his mother invited me to stay for refreshments.

When I went to school the following day, Danny was excited.

“Ms. Laran! Did you like Cody? I know he likes you a lot! He can’t wait for dinner!”

I laughed.

I met Cody the following week in Manhattan, for dinner on Columbus Avenue. We were close to Lincoln Center, and took a romantic walk through Juilliard. He let me know he was finishing his semester, then leaving for a position with an orchestra on the west coast.

Sometimes young people know us better than we know ourselves, and have an uncanny ability to become matchmakers.

Although Cody and I didn’t wind up together, I still remember our kiss before returning to the hustle and bustle of Broadway. We headed our separate ways.