Mickey Smith, Jr. & Relationship-Based Teaching

Yesterday I had the opportunity to interview Mickey Smith, Jr., winner of the 2020 Grammy Music Educator Award. With all of my interviews, I walk away gaining nuggets of information. This interview is packed with nuggets.

Through the interview, I discovered exactly why Mickey has been so successful. His approach is deliberate in developing meaningful relationships with his students. Walking away from this interview, I was reminded of how important it is as an educator to develop and maintain relationships with the students. Most of our students will pursue careers in a variety of fields: nurses, lawyers, mechanics, technicians. The music classroom is a vehicle not only to prepare young musicians for success on stage but to develop the skills to be successful as adults.

We also discussed the path that lead him to win the 2020 Grammy Music Educator Award. Of course I had to ask him the most important question on everyone's mind...

"What was it like being up close to Alicia Keys?"

You'll love the story he tells!