Philosophy of Music Education
My philosophy of music education is a fairly simple one. I believe that every student deserves access to a quality music education and every benefit that comes with that education. The primary benefits - learning how to create music and developing a lifelong appreciation of the art - and the secondary benefits - students growing confident and comfortable with who they are, making friends, and developing a skill that will give them a sense of pride - are equally important to me. My tagline above truly sums up the duality of my educational approach: I am invested in building strong musicians, but I am also invested in developing the character of my students.
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In order to foster the artistic and personal growth of each of my students, I take positive steps to create a safe learning environment, in which all are included, accepted, and welcome. Once students know that they can make mistakes without any fear of judgment, they free themselves to take risks and frequently give more musical presentations. One of my favorite sayings to share with my students is that the first step to being great at something is having no idea how to do it but setting your mind to learning how. It is more important now than ever, in our high-pressure, high-stakes world, that students know that a failed attempt is just another step toward a very successful future.
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By developing positive working relationships with students, I have been able to recruit and retain band members and encourage those in my ensembles to achieve more than they previously thought possible. Then, by encouraging and facilitating strong group dynamics and teamwork, the ensembles are able to thrive.
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Every child is musical. Every child deserves an opportunity to develop that passion and master the art that is so fundamental to our humanity. Every child has a place in my classroom.
