Current Philosophy

In a well-developed music program, all students should feel welcomed. Students are constantly striving to find where and who they fit in with, and as an educator it is my job to help guide them. Students in my class will express themselves through community, and music performance. Personal student responsibility and the value of healthy communication are also important to me. Together, these values are essential in building trust and a solid community, which is important to student development.

Students in my classroom will be provided with an uplifting learning environment. Students will form connections based on their shared love for making music and will learn to support one another. When students enter  our classroom each day, they will feel that they are valued and that they have found a place in their school community. 

In my classroom, students will also develop a sense of personal responsibility and accountability. Music is an art where the actions of one individual impacts not only their performance and results, but also the results of the ensemble and group as a whole. Students will learn to take ownership of their strengths and areas of improvement. 

Leadership among peers is also an important part of my strategy. Students will learn to be a positive role model for their fellow students and be an involved member of their school community. These leadership roles and experiences will transfer to their larger community and help them to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be a well-informed and active citizen.

Healthy dialogue with students encourages them to voice their opinions and concerns openly. By offering this open door policy to my students, they are able to learn how to communicate in an effective manner with others, identify problems and issues, and build healthy relationships. My open-door policy assists students in communicating more directly. These communication skills will serve them in other facets in their life both within the school community and in the professional world.