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Running Head: STATEMENT OF TEACHING PHILOSOPHY – HOLLY GRABOWSKI

When growing up, I was fortunate enough to live in a school district with an incredible
and diverse music program that has affected me greatly as both a student and teacher. To provide
a similar extraordinary and fulfilling experience to all of my future students, I will make sure to
understand my students’ abilities and learning styles so that I can modify my teaching based on
their needs, for all students deserve access to an appropriate, flourishing, and accommodating
music education. I believe all students should be exposed to influential and moving musical
experiences, no matter their race, gender, religion or orientation. Music education classrooms
need to be a welcoming and friendly environment where students can move, pluck, tap, snap, and
hit on objects in particular ways to create contrasting sounds and interesting timbres. Creating
unique sounds allows students to explore and express themselves individually. Especially at a
young age, individual expression and creativity are crucial in establishing and expanding a
child’s emotional, physical, and social development. Through improvisation, performance, and
ensemble participation, students are able to build on imagination, confidence, and teamwork
skills.
Multiple strategies, techniques, adaptions and modifications can and should be
implemented to meet the needs of all students – leading each student to succeed to their highest
potential. A music educator should be able to use multiple methods and approaches that resonate
to each student, incorporating a combination of methods. Utilizing principles from Kodaly, Orff,
and Dalcroze, I can connect to a larger range of students’ best learning styles that can further
enhance their understanding and comprehension of musical concepts in both lesson and rehearsal
settings. Through Kodaly’s application of ear-training and dictation specialties, Orff’s physical
and emotional connections through movement and speech, and Dalcroze’s contributions to
internalizing musical concepts through the use of the whole body will all help shape students into
reflective, knowledgeable, and creative musical thinkers and learners.
Music education is special in developing student creativity and expressivity. It is of great
importance to allow the students to have leadership roles so that they may guide one another
through creative aspects of learning. When presented with a situation in which they must work
on projects together, students are using their own personal problem-solving techniques combined
with others to help make a solution. As a music educator, I will strive to create an environment
where students will not be afraid to ask questions or try something new. By shaping a thoughtful
learning environment based on creativity, professionalism, and reflection, I hope I can inspire my
students the way my teachers have inspired me to be mature, responsible, and caring. All
students with an eagerness to learn deserve to be taught the best education they can get receiving
accommodations and modifications when needed. Once students understand that this welcoming
environment filled with expression and individualism can greatly benefit them, they will have the
ability to grow into beautiful people touched by an incomparable magic we call music.