Jenny Hoye

5/5/17

MUED 273

Semester Reflection

This semester has continued to affirm that I am on the right path as I continue my journey

in the field of music education. I dont know if I will end up being a music teacher in the

traditional sense meaning in a classroom in a school but Ive enjoyed learning more about the

field and would like to be involved in teaching music in some way. Coming from a nonprofit

background, I still see myself in that sector, just hopefully in a position that is more focused on

education and hands-on music-making than behind the scenes administrative work. This

semester has opened my eyes further to the possibilities of expanding our traditional idea of a

music classroom. I see potential to move away from a focus on ensembles and performance and

include more general music practices that engage all kinds of music learning creating,

performing, responding, and connecting. This would encourage participation from more students.

This semester has made me more aware of the issue of traditionalists vs. forward-thinking

educators in our field, and the balance between providing a music education experience that is

rooted in tradition and history, but still offers new experiences that will be relevant to students

today. I think weve learned a lot about how to start to bridge that gap, and I would like to be an

educator that isnt afraid to try new things and move beyond the way things have always been

done. I like the idea of working in the nonprofit world because I think it offers the opportunity

to connect with music learners of all shapes and sizes in the community. It would depend on
what kind of organization I got involved in, but I like the idea of working for an organization that

would situate me within the place that I live and offer opportunities to engage with various

groups of people that are interested in having music be a part of their lives. Ive had experience

working with some great musical nonprofits, notably the Charlottesville Symphony, The

Paramount Theater of Charlottesville, and Heifetz International Music Institute, that are doing

great things in their education departments, and I would love to have a place in an organization

like that working in that capacity. What I need to keep doing is continue trying to get involved

with organizations in the community and learning about different kinds of music education, both

inside and outside of the classroom. This gets difficult when youre so pressed for time with

classes and other commitments, but I need to continue to seek out opportunities that are

meaningful to me that I can learn from.

I think having Dr. Allsup visit campus at the beginning of the semester really challenged

a lot of people in our class. I enjoyed his way of thinking and his book and the conversations we

were able to have with him in class really emphasized the importance of remixing the

classroom and finding ways to bring new kinds of music learning into your classroom. Some

struggled with understanding that this doesnt need to be an all or nothing thing, and the shift

doesnt happen overnight. I liked his philosophy of introducing things slowly and just

encouraging a culture shift in your classroom to make it more forward-thinking and relevant to

the average music student of today. While Western classical music traditions are relevant in that

they teach the history of music, most of the ways people engage with music today and the music

itself is different than these traditions generally taught in music class. Dr. Allsup motivated me to

keep trying to find ways to keep music learning relevant and forward-thinking as I move forward

in classes and in future jobs I may hold.

 The entire JMUke experience was also very encouraging and motivating. I loved that we

got the opportunity to go out into the community and make music with all kinds of different

people. It was very different than your average practicum experience, and I appreciated the kinds

of real life situations it put us in. We werent in a music classroom bubble, we were in real

venues in our community where we had to adjust our teaching and thinking to fit the space, the

learners, and any other unforeseen circumstances. It was so valuable to have those kinds of

experiences where every time is different and you have to think on your feet and do your best to

make the experience meaningful for everyone involved. There were great things about each of

these experiences for me, and then there were also things to learn and grow from. I was grateful

for these opportunities because they were meaningful to me and I think for others, too, and they

taught me a lot about my own strengths and weaknesses and the possibilities of music education

outside of the classroom.

Some of the Understanding by Design work we did later in the semester definitely

challenged me. I really like the concept of backwards design, but lesson planning is hard work

and requires a level of thinking that goes beyond your average assignment. You have to think

about every potential student and really identify your end goals and what you want your students

to get out of the experience and why it matters. Engaging in that kind of thinking and being

thorough, yet concise in designing experiences and writing them out is a definite challenge. Our

collective Google doc as a class for our ukulele curriculum got to be overwhelming to look at

and work on, and I struggled to make sense of it by the end. However, I was glad for the

opportunity to learn about this kind of project-based learning and engage in a kind of critical

thinking that is new to me. It was great practice for future lesson planning and Im glad I had

these experiences to challenge me.

My Pedagogical Principles

- Inclusion and validation of all types of music learners Regardless of background, genre

preference, skill level, or preferred method of interacting with music, all learners should be given

equal opportunities to learn and grow in their music learning experiences. All learners should

feel that their musical interests and passions are valid and important.

- Collaboration between learners and teacher An effective music classroom is one where

there is an open dialogue between learners and teacher. Learners should have the ability to work

alongside the teacher to make their music education experience as effective and meaningful as it

can be.

- Collaboration among learners The field of music education has the potential to encourage a

great deal of collaboration between learners as they explore music together. This gives them the

opportunity to develop the important life skill of working with others and learning from and with

their peers.

- Student autonomy in music learning Allowing learners the freedom to discover what

theyre passionate about in the world of music education and then doing your best as their

teacher to provide them with opportunities to explore that passion will make music more

meaningful to them than following a prescribed plan thats identical for each learner.

- Safe environment Creating a music classroom where learners feel comfortable and safe is so

important. They should feel safe with each other, with the teacher, and with their surroundings.
They should feel comfortable to be themselves and use music as a means of self-discovery and

self-expression in an environment free of judgment.

- Importance of taking music learning outside the classroom Even in a traditional school

setting, it is important for learners to be engaged with the outside community beyond the music

classroom and take their talents outside the classroom. Creating meaningful musical experience

for others and connecting people through music in service of the community around you is an

important part of music learning that every learner should have the opportunity to explore.

- Teacher as lifelong learner While it is reasonable to expect a good deal of content

knowledge and expertise from a teacher, a good teacher should also acknowledge that in a

changing and growing field such as music, there is always more to learn. A thirst for knowledge

and willingness to learn and try new things is a key aspect of being a good teacher.

- School rapport Aside from learners themselves, there is a whole network of people involved

in the education of a person that must be considered. Maintaining good relationships with

parents/guardians, other teachers and faculty members, administrators, and any other

professional you may come into contact with and truly valuing the importance of those

relationships will aid in the success of the learners educational experience.

- Teacher ethics Being an ethical teacher is of vital importance in the world of education.

Maintaining a professional demeanor and treating all learners fairly and ethically is key in

providing an appropriate musical education to all. A teacher must have a strong sense of their
own moral code as they handle any situation that may arise in their profession in order to ensure

the best possible outcome for their learners.

- Self-reflection Music learning has the ability to be incredibly personal and meaningful, so

providing ample opportunities for self-reflection for learners either through musical experiences

or as a result of them is important. Allowing them to look inward and connect music to personal

experience, values, interests, and things that are meaningful to them will make the act of music

learning more relevant to their own lives.