I believe the study of music is a personal journey and so I teach accordingly: A music educator should be as much a personal coach as a technical instructor. A teacher’s understanding of a student's aesthetic taste, musical goals, and personal strengths and weaknesses can make or break a student’s musical studies. Thus my first requests of a new student is always a mixed CD of music they love and a statement of their musical ambitions. I develop an individual curriculum for each student featuring repertoire that inspires them, is appropriate to their level, and works step-by-step towards their long term objectives. I praise their progress and encourage them by setting weekly goals that they can achieve. I show them that with the discipline and perseverance of regular practice they too can create the very music they love. I help them stay organized with practice worksheets and assignment books. I drill in the fundamentals with constant repetition and oral quizzes. I ensure their favorite pieces progress to a level of technical proficiency that allows them to focus on emoting the song and to develop a healthy means of processing and expressing feelings through music. I view my role as music educator as akin to that of a personal coach using my own musical experience and technical expertise to help each student achieve his or her individual goals on their musical journey.
The personal musical journey involves not only the exploration of self, but the exploration of one’s role in the greater picture. My pupils also study reading, theory, and technical exercises so that they can better communicate and collaborate with other musicians. They attend student social events where they learn to communicate with one another and experience the magic of collaboration. They improvise, solo, and create together. They perform solo pieces for one another and follow one another’s musical development. They play group arrangements of songs they have studied on their own, increasing their musicianship and learning how to best contribute to the larger musical picture. Ultimately my students develop the lifetime skill of grace under pressure - and share the fruits of their labor- at our public performances. All of these are ways that I implement my own philosophy of personalized music education – guiding my students on their individual journeys and acting as the personal coach I believe every good music educator needs be.
The personal musical journey involves not only the exploration of self, but the exploration of one’s role in the greater picture. My pupils also study reading, theory, and technical exercises so that they can better communicate and collaborate with other musicians. They attend student social events where they learn to communicate with one another and experience the magic of collaboration. They improvise, solo, and create together. They perform solo pieces for one another and follow one another’s musical development. They play group arrangements of songs they have studied on their own, increasing their musicianship and learning how to best contribute to the larger musical picture. Ultimately my students develop the lifetime skill of grace under pressure - and share the fruits of their labor- at our public performances. All of these are ways that I implement my own philosophy of personalized music education – guiding my students on their individual journeys and acting as the personal coach I believe every good music educator needs be.
