In 2014 President Obama named Joseph Lento a National Teacher of Arts and Humanities, and today Joseph is my guest on Teaching in the Arts. I still haven’t met Joseph, I interviewed him via Skype, but we hit it off immediately.
We have a wide-ranging conversation about his upbringing in the Bronx, and his goal of being a musician, to his work as a teacher. Joseph has devoted his teaching career to working with students with special needs and disadvantaged students. As we were talking I kept thinking about Welcome Back Kotter – Joseph taught at his former school for a time. I also couldn’t get Jimmy Stewart and It’s a Wonderful Life out of my head. I expect Joseph has had as much impact on his students lives as George Bailey did on the townsfolk of Bedford Falls.
My takeaway quote from the conversation is, “The kids are teaching me so much.” Joseph also explains why he continues to call his students “kids.”
This episode would not have happened had it not been for Kathy Biehl. I mentioned Kathy and her podcast, Astroinsight’s. I emailed Kathy, who I have also never met, and she said that her future brother-in-law would make a great guest on Teaching in the Arts. So, two weeks later, here’s Joseph Lento. Thank you, Kathy!
From Joseph’s bio:
Joseph is a conservatory trained musician; New York State licensed teacher of orchestral music and school district administration; professional trumpeter; brass and woodwind instructional specialist; professional bandleader; public school music director and a licensed school district administrator whose career began in 1984.
Joseph appears regularly on Manhattan Cable Television (The Hart of New York), LMCTV and various radio programs in the Hudson Valley as an expert on pedagogy and special needs students.
Joseph has published many articles and appeared on numerous TV programs. I have included some links here.
Music Never Met a Brain It Couldn’t Help
Neurodiverse Empowerment Through Music
And right here on Teaching in the Arts.
Teacher Man
