Sarah Bennett

Department of Music, Susquehanna University

MUED 405-01 Student Teaching Seminar

Adrienne Rodriguez

October 3rd, 2021

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 Students are our future. Whether it is the young 1st grader learning how to read, or the 17-

year-old student studying chemistry for the first time, these students grow up to shape our

society. The most important idea that a student can learn from the classroom is that they are

important. Their existence matters. While there is high importance that the students comprehend

the subject following a set curriculum, the students should also be gaining the skills of becoming

a functioning, emotionally receptive person. Social-emotional learning is a process of learning

social and emotional skills within the classroom. It focuses on responsibility, empathy, and

relationships. “Research shows that multiyear SEL interventions produce significant student

gains in attitudes, positive social behaviors, and decreases in emotional and behavioral

challenges, improved teacher satisfaction, and an 11% increase in academic performance (Arts

Ed NJ, 2020

https://selarts.org/wp-content/uploads/SEL_Arts_Ed_NJ_SmartFocus_Oct2020_Final.pdf ) SEL

is an essential part of the classroom as it improves both academic success and better behavior. I

utilize SEL through mindful activities and individualized planning. Every student has different

needs that must be met so I try to provide a variety of options in my lessons to meet as many

students as I can. For example, I try to offer choice where it is possible, but I may put students

into groups that I feel fit all of the students’ needs. Following SEL, students need to feel loved

and accepted in a classroom environment.

The climate of a classroom can help or hurt the student’s ability to take risks and express

themselves. No students should have to feel that their opinions are not valued. If they feel that

their ideas do not matter, they will be diminished and convinced that they do not matter

themselves. Timothy Clapper writes “Whether we are adult learners or only beginning our

journey through academia, we look for learning environments that are safe and positive. If we

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are going to optimize interaction among our learners, which can have tremendous effects on

learning, all learners must feel that they can safely take those risks that are a part of exploration,

and constructivism.” (Clapper, para. 1

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Timothy-Clapper/publication/257835881_Creating_the_saf

e_learning_environment/links/59e0e051aca2724cbfd6b8d1/Creating-the-safe-learning-

environment.pdf) Clapper mentions later how critical it is for students to feel physically safe but

emphasizes the importance of trust within a specific environment. After my students feel that

they matter and they are safe, I can then guide them forward and push their skills towards

musicianship.

Everyone has the capacity to be a musician. In my classroom, every student will have an

opportunity to try different ways of creating music. Even if they are only playing or singing one

single note, they are creating music to some capacity and performing as a musician. The amount

of people who love music but do not consider themselves musicians is astronomical. It is my

goal to have every student consider themselves a musician after they have experienced music in

my classroom. Music can be frightening to those who are not familiar with performing. This can

be eased by providing a secure setting. As mentioned previously, it is my job to teach these

children how to be kind people. It is also my duty to teach multiculturism and diversity.

Music embodies other subjects. I cannot teach music without history, language, math,

science, etc. The arts create an exciting opportunity to connect to these other fields. I also

embrace the opportunity to expose children to a variety of topics and cultures. I am a bridge for

students; I help connect them to multiple perspectives and new information. I plan on educating

students on diverse repertoire and cultural traditions. With this, I will also discuss the importance

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of social justice and diversity within our society. “Educators can no longer assume that children

will learn tolerance, empathy, and responsibility in the home. Some Educators might argue that

they are being asked to fix a problem that is beyond the scope of what they teach in school.

Although schools are a microcosm of the larger society and teachers alone cannot eliminate

intolerance, educators certainly can make significant contributions to decreasing racism, gender

inequalities, and homophobia. (Siccone & Lopez, 2000). Within the classroom, a teacher’s

attitude towards diversity is the most significant factor in a student’s development of sensitivity

towards cultural and ethnic concerns (Banks, 1997)” (Hollingsworth, L. Didelot, M. Smith, J.

2011, pg. 140). In my classroom, I plan on exposing students to new concepts that uplift other

cultures. There are no excuses why young musicians shouldn’t be exposed to world music and

how we can all connect through cultural differences and similarities.

All teachers have the possibility of influencing a student’s ethics and their perspective on

life. It is a significant job that many people underestimate. I can happily say that I have the

opportunity to help guide young musicians to build their musical, academic, and emotional skills

one child at a time.

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 Citations

Hollingsworth, L. Didelot, M. & Smith, J. (2011) Reach Beyond Tolerance: A Framework for

Teaching Children Empathy and Responsibility, The Journal of Humanistic Counseling,

Education and Development (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/j.2164-

490X.2003.tb00002.x?

casa_token=agQ5LZfsdEMAAAAA:Uu2TM9ltakQYCl57AQQB3i3vFWG8UOS2iU6EH6

bOYefVmq944TOG5ocZ70LLgHaJdkTyKQES15-nTTM)

Clapper, T. C. (2010). Creating the safe learning environment, PAILAL

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Timothy-Clapper/publication/

257835881_Creating_the_safe_learning_environment/links/

59e0e051aca2724cbfd6b8d1/Creating-the-safe-learning-environment.pdf

The Synergy of Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning, (2020) Smart Focus on

Education,

https://selarts.org/wp-content/uploads/SEL_Arts_Ed_NJ_SmartFocus_Oct2020_Final.pdf