Philosophy
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What does it mean to be a part of music education? As teachers, we must effectively know our own beliefs to teach our students. The community and parents will want to know who you are and what you will be teaching their kids.
As an educator, the most valuable aspect I want to give my students is a comfortable and safe environment to learn and grow when they are in my class. I believe that students find it meaningful and valuable when they feel safe in a friendly environment, and in turn will be willing to learn more from you. My classroom will be a place that will have a positive effect on my students, whether it be musically and/or socially. In addition, these musical ensembles can be more than just a place for students to feel safe in. I believe these ensembles give students a chance to be creative, or to express themselves in other ways they might not have before. It is a chance for students to come together and build something beautiful by expressing their creativity and musicality. In order to express these musical thoughts, the students need a platform to share their music. I believe that instrumental music ensembles are meaningful and valuable in how they can share their gifts with the community. The students are growing together, making friendships, memories, and music, and one aspect of the program is sharing that gift with the community. Sharing concerts and performances adds meaning to the hard work you achieved when parents, friends, or strangers can connect in an indescribable way.
As students journey through their time in the music program, I want them to feel as if they have achieved something by the time they depart the organization. In addition to making life-long friendships and memories, I want students to be educated in the values of music. As a colleague of mine said, we want to give the students a “lifelong appreciation for music.” It is my sincere hope that my students will leave the program not necessarily continuing music as a career, but continuing music with a lifelong appreciation. I want them to appreciate music so they go to live concerts and enjoy what those musicians are doing. It is my goal that they leave knowing the values of music and how it can positively effect you as a person. In addition to music appreciation, I want my students to continue life more educated about music than when they came into the program. Everyone learns on a different level, but I want my students to improve on music history and music theory, gain a better understanding of the music selections, and become a better musician. I want students to leave more confident, creative, and musical. They will be able to share their experiences with others and build a stronger community of music.
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Each student will have different experiences and different takeaways during their time in an ensemble. It is my goal for students to become a better group member and team player. In order to make the music more elegant, one will need to work as a group in order to sound better. In addition, I want to help encourage and create soloists. Not everyone is cut out for soloing, but I want my students to always have opportunities to learn and grow during their time in the program. In addition, not everyone will become an effective leader, but how can students find out if they aren't given opportunities to grow as one? I want to foster an environment that will help guide my students to becoming leaders in the world.
In order to achieve all of these aspects, I need to know how I am going to effectively teach the students these skills. As a director, I believe the basis for a superior program lies with the fundamentals. Students will be able to identify and implement proper practice with rhythm, tone, intonation, music theory, scales, and sight reading. There will be daily practice to incorporate these skills effectively. When the fundamentals are in place, there will be less time spent on learning notes and rhythms and more time to clean the music, develop world-class sounds, and prepare for contest or assessment. This will lead to performing more difficult music at a higher level, without losing sound quality or rhythmic accuracy.
Lastly, I believe that teachers need to run a program in the interest of the students and not for personal gain. Teachers are there to support students rather than use them for personal or political gain. Whether or not that means changing your philosophy, the students come first.
In conclusion, as a music teacher I want to give back to the community that has given so much to me. I want to share my musical experiences and help give people the opportunity to have the incredible experiences I was able to have. I want to make a positive difference in someone’s life, and that is why I became a teacher.