Educational Philosophy
I am a music teacher. In my mind, this is somewhat different than being a classroom teacher, although in certain ways, the same. Music teachers are required to have learned the craft of playing an instrument or training the voice, which in and of itself can be a life’s work. Music teachers are also expected to know how to pass their knowledge to others through teaching, also a life’s work.
Both my parents were teachers for over forty years. They happened to be my teachers from birth to age 12. Because I spent so much time in a school environment, I believe I knew how to be a teacher from a very young age, simply by imitation. However, I did not initially see myself being a teacher. As it turned out, a professor in grad school helped me solve this problem. She told me she thought I would be interested in something called Orff-Schulwerk. I went to a workshop in Chicago, participated, and within an hour, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be an Orff-Schulwerk teacher. I was 26 years old.
Fifteen years later, I am still pursuing this dream. It impacts every lesson I teach, and how I approach my students. I want my students to use movement, body percussion, speech, singing, and very often, instruments, in every lesson. I structure most lessons to include something new, something reviewed, and a “job” for the students involving movement or speech or instruments, often working in small groups. I avoid direct instruction when possible, preferring students to take information and work with it on their own. I do not know exactly how each lesson will turn out, as different classes have ideas that lead us to different results. My students are always busy, and the time flies!
As a teacher, I create an engaging environment in a number of ways. First and foremost, I spend a great deal of time planning. This preparation means we waste as little time as possible in the classroom, and I am clear in my objectives. My other responsibility to my students is my own professional development. I have done all three Orff-Schulwerk Levels, I, II, as well as a Master class in Curriculum design, and have attended monthly workshops for over a decade in pursuit of becoming the best music teacher I can be. After planning and continuing to learn, the final step is for me to be kind to the students, love them, and enjoy the gifts they bring with their ideas and smiling faces. I try to remember that being too serious is not childlike or playful. The children just want to have fun!
My expectations of my students have changed since I began teaching. I used to be more concerned with what they were learning, and whether they were learning at all. Now, I know they are learning, and I focus on whether they are participating to the best of their ability, understanding that this may look different for different students. I care more about how they feel as individuals, and less about my musical objectives.
After working with me, my students should know the joy of creating beautiful sounds through song, speech, and poetry, as well as the joy of creative movement and more structured dance forms. My students should be comfortable working in groups of different people, taking risks, and being supportive of one another, even when opinions diverge.
Over time, I have come to feel that the role of a teacher is to model happiness, fulfillment, and humanity to the students, regardless of the discipline. Many of my students will leave general music never to play or sing again. Others will continue for a lifetime, and a small handful will choose music as their career path. Regardless, if my class touched them, and made them a better human being, I believe I have done my job. Just as we expect our students to keep learning, I keep learning and growing as a teacher and person, trying to keep an open mind and heart as I guide my students through music.