Statement of Teaching Philosophy

My goal as an educator is to equip students with the abilities to have thoughtful and

intelligent conversations about a course’s subject matter. I seek not only to perpetuate this

knowledge, but to pique curiosity and critical thinking. I value discussion and input from

students. Sharing ideas and promoting discourse highlights students’ individual understandings

and deficits all the while providing the forum for really engaging with subject matter.

My expectations for students are that through the assignments provided they acquire a

mastery of the content and the additions to a skill set which will allow them to enter our highly

competitive global economy. The study of music teaches discipline, flexibility, time

management, self-awareness, as well as collaboration. These soft-skills are the valuable

attributes of any successful applicant that I encourage and value.

I recognize the unique qualities to a classroom on any given day and the importance of

flexibility. In lectures and discussion I use various modes of approaching materials by using

problem solving, critical thinking, and kinesthetics, when applicable, to show subjects in music

as vibrant and relatable. I celebrate the diversity that is brought to each class by the students,

their backgrounds, and interests. I find it to be a great opportunity to encourage the standards of

excellence and professionalism that I use as academic pillars.

Enriching students’ lives with musical knowledge is highly rewarding. Developing

aesthetic awareness and appreciation is a wonderful facet of being human and certainly worth the

attention of any student regardless of professional interest. It’s a joy for me as an educator to

show this and to play a role in creating a learning environment allowing for students to positively

engage with myself and others in a collegiate forum.

Statement of Teaching Philosophy