NAfME BLOG
The Summer “Pause”
Where New Beginnings Take Shape
By NAfME President Cecil Adderley
This “President’s Prose” column was first published in the June 2026 issue of Music Educators Journal.
Many people outside our classrooms assume that teachers who are paid for nine months simply step away when summer begins. But a closer look often brings a different reaction: surprise at just how much work continues once the school year ends, books have been closed, and educators are “off the clock.” This misunderstanding persists, obscuring the reality that summer is not a full-fledged pause or break from the profession for music and arts educators but rather a vital period of reflection, planning, and preparation for the students and classrooms we are eager to return to each fall.
For those outside the profession, summer often looks like a stretch of vacations, camps, and childcare logistics and then even a wish for schools to open back up or for year-round education. For dedicated music and arts educators, however, the final bell signals the start of essential work. Summer is when we reflect on what worked over the past year and what could be done differently and begin shaping the experiences we want our students to have in the year ahead. We revisit rehearsals, performances, assessments, classroom management issues, budgeting, equipment needs and repairs, and the technology we used or would like to incorporate in future classes. It is a season of intention, focused on strengthening instruction for the year to come so that more students can be successful.
Summer is a time when music and arts educators collaborate with their administrators and instructional teams to revise curriculum, adjust offerings and approaches to better support learners in their communities, and prepare for an even more successful new academic year. They also take inventory of program needs—what must be replaced, repaired, or removed and what capital will be required—and then purchase supplies for the upcoming year. These types of updates are easier to make while classes are not in session.
Photo: SolStock / E+ Collection via Getty Images
Many educators also engage in professional development during the summer months—enrolling in summer courses offered by colleges and universities or learning from recorded webinars in the NAfME Academy®, part of NAfME’s online Learning Center, which is available to members and subscribers. Additionally, the community partners that help host workshops, conferences, and other related programs play an important role in strengthening music teaching and learning and making it even more enjoyable for us all.
When educators explore new modes of instruction, they evaluate whether those models will serve their specific students and contexts. Sometimes, deeper study may be necessary prior to incorporating certain methodologies into their lesson plans, particularly when long-term sustainability—and potential costs—must be considered. Much of this professional growth happens on educators’ own time and often on their own dime, simply because they love what they do. When local funding is provided, educators value and appreciate the support immensely.
Strong music and arts programs do not go on hold during the summer months—they continue to develop. To support student growth, many educators send materials and guidance home with learners so they can continue to practice and improve. This continuity reflects a core value of music education: fostering lifelong learning. When students remain engaged over the summer and even acquire new skills, come fall, teachers can move forward rather than reteaching material from the previous term. This creates space for new challenges and expanded opportunities for students to deepen their learning, and it also helps to attract new music learners to the program.
Summer also creates space for strategic advocacy and connection. With greater flexibility in schedules, music educators can meet with administrators to discuss program goals and structure, share ideas, and advocate for resources their students and programs need. It is also a great time to work with local community supporters, prepare communications for parents and caregivers, and ensure that the program receives the attention it deserves in ways that are more difficult during the school year.
Having this time to think creatively about what we do often spurs opportunities for us to explore how we can renew our own creativity. The summer provides us with time to collaborate with other musicians, artists, and community members who support what we are doing. Scheduling extended time with others in this way provides us with artistic nourishment that we need and that is often hard to prioritize during the busier nine months of the year.
Ultimately, the summer “pause” is a time of mental and professional preparation for the next academic year. Dedicated music and arts educators look forward to welcoming both new and returning learners, all curious about what the year may offer them. Students and teachers alike get excited about new challenges and growth and achieving goals they may not yet have imagined. Summer is a time when ideas incubate and we prepare for the next challenges and opportunities ahead. Teaching, like learning, is an ongoing journey in which we continue to find ways to enhance what and how we teach, strengthen our practices, and renew our purpose. Summer is our time to refresh.
About the author:
Cecil Adderley, Ph.D., Chair of Berklee’s Music Education Department, has more than 38 years of teaching experience at the junior/senior high school (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools), and college levels. He has performed professionally in the Charlotte Community Band (NC) as a clarinetist, and the Asheville Symphony Orchestra (NC) as a violinist. He has served as a US Congressional Intern on Capitol Hill, Chair of the Northborough School Committee, member of the Northborough Cultural Council, New Jersey Music Educators Association as the Higher Education Representative, as an adjudicator for Drum Corps International (DCI), and Past-President to the Massachusetts Music Educators Association.
Dr. Adderley has written and published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, Choral Journal, Contributions to Music Education, Journal of Band Research, Southeastern Journal of Music Education, and Strategies for Teaching: Technology. He is also one of the contributing authors of Musical Experience in Our Lives: Expanding the Boundaries of Music Education, Chapter 13, Music in Motion: An Overture to the Student Experience in the Outdoor Music Ensemble. Dr. Adderley holds a B.S. from Western Carolina University, an M.M. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. In addition, he has served on the NAfME (National Association for Music Education) Equity Committee, NAfME Music Teacher Profession Advisory Committee, ISME (International Society for Music Education) Advocacy Committee, and currently as the President of NAfME (National Association for Music Education).
Did this blog spur new ideas for your music program? Share them on Connect! Interested in reprinting this article? Please review the reprint guidelines.
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) provides a number of forums for the sharing of information and opinion, including blogs and postings on our website, articles and columns in our magazines and journals, and postings to our Connect member portal. Unless specifically noted, the views expressed in these media do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Association, its officers, or its employees.
