Philosophy
If I have found one thing to be true in my teaching experience, it is that every student learns differently. Every student has been shaped and molded by the countless experiences they’ve had prior to entering a classroom. I firmly believe that catering to the individuality of each student is the key to successful teaching. I approach each teaching moment with patience and an open mind, morphing and adapting material to promote student success in unique and practical ways. In doing this, I hope to achieve the ultimate goal of providing every single student with success in my classroom. It is my belief that when given the proper guidance, every student has the potential to be an outstanding student. Upon fostering a classroom thriving with individual, group, and community successes, achievement will follow.
I aim to be a mentor for my students. I want to be a source of support, guidance, and knowledge that encourages self improvement, provides guided development, and fosters deep understanding. Through mentorship, outside burdens can be temporarily suspended to allow for growth in struggling students. I hope to make an impact on every student that enters my classroom. I hope my students will be able to look back on my time with them as an impactful part of their life, the same way I look back on my educators.
Positive student-teacher relationships are predicated on empathy and understanding. Placing myself in my student’s shoes is the best way to develop positive relationships with students. Humor and outwardly friendly characteristics, while important, are secondary to a pervasive empathy that must be present in all interactions. I don’t want to be the “cool” teacher, I want to be a kind and approachable authority figure.
I plan to positively impact my school and community by bringing the overall level of the program up, partner with professional musicians to provide performance opportunities, and expand curriculum to offer music to a larger portion of the student body. In tandem with this, there will also be a focus on community events, public performances (i.e. parades, holiday shows, outside venue performances, etc.), and special events. These experiences are enriching to the students as well as to the overall program and they support the surrounding community.
Access & Equity Statement
It is critical that every student that enters my classroom is able to be safe, supported, and able to participate and learn. In order for this to occur, It is absolutely essential that I be a co-conspirator and do everything that I can to uproot inequity, promote diversity, and blaze a trail with which to move forward in the music education space.
Me and my colleagues are the beginning of a movement that will reshape and redefine music education without the traditional barriers that are keeping music education in the dark. Change will only occur when educators start taking measurable, tangible actions that move us towards a more equitable profession.
I want to create a safe classroom that allows for students of all backgrounds to feel included and free from judgement. I hope to remove barriers to success and begin the difficult work of undoing the systems of inequity and injustice that my students face. It is not without strife that this will be achieved, and I welcome the challenge with open arms.