There is an old saying: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” 

A teacher can’t make you a better trumpet player. They can only help you make yourself a better trumpet player.

The teacher’s role is to help the student reach their maximum potential as a musician… to provide ideas and methods that allow the student to develop as a trumpet Athlete, Scientist, and Artist. However, it is up to the student to practice the material, evaluate their own playing, and exercise creativity in solving the many physical and artistic challenges they will face along the way. A good teacher will assign progressively more challenging sets of exercises, etudes and solos, and will suggest problem solving methods and tricks that, if practiced diligently, will help the student overcome those challenges. The teacher must be sensitive to the abilities and limitations of the student, and constantly evaluating what material to prescribe to help them achieve their goals. But it is up to the student to apply themselves… to practice the material as prescribed. In other words, to be a good student.

That being said, a good teacher is also a good student. We can never be perfect — as we achieve one level, there is always another one just out of reach — so we need to be constantly looking for ways to improve.