Teaching Philosophy

As a string pedagogue, I have been influenced by my mentors, Mimi Zweig, Dr. Brenda Brenner, and Dr. Metro Kozak. In my teaching practice, I instill the importance of establishing a strong technical/musical foundation with all students within a nonjudgmental teaching environment. This nonjudgmental environment allows students to feel comfortable to experiment, be creative, and view “mistakes” as simply information in their learning journey. I encourage students to acquire metacognitive awareness through deliberate practice techniques as they become their own teachers in the practice studio, solve challenges, and take ownership of their learning. This perspective fuels my teaching at all levels, whether students are studying at the university level, a beginner within a community program, or a student in a K-12 classroom. I value and honor this responsibility as an instructor and create an atmosphere that fosters personal wellbeing, inclusivity, and safety. I consider applied lessons with students as an opportunity to communicate effectively, reward efforts through encouragement, and challenge potential.

In applied lessons with beginner students, I implement holistic “action studies” from the Paul Rolland video series, The Teaching of Action in String Playing. I encourage natural movements that are free from tension and emphasize the importance of posture from the first lessons. I follow the stringpedagogy.com curriculum of Zweig and utilize both the sequential Suzuki and Royal Conservatory of Music repertoire. For university level students, I offer a variety of pedagogical lenses to encourage collegial dialogue about string playing and teaching. Opportunities for performances through informal masterclasses and formal recitals allow students to share their progress with their peers and internalize constructive feedback in a nonjudgemental studio/group environment.

As a pedagogue, I am passionate about teacher education and the future of music education. I value the mentor-mentee relationships that I have with my university students to develop well-rounded, confident, and competent music educators. I strive to equip my students with the tools necessary to be successful in any teaching capacity through extensive observation and hands-on teaching experiences. As student teachers engage in experiential learning in both K-12 string classrooms and community music programs, they acquire valuable pedagogical strategies, critical thinking skills, and receive immediate feedback through summative and formative assessments. Within a nonjudgmental space, student teachers embrace their unique ways of learning, feel respected as musicians, and process performance and pedagogical feedback in an objective manner. This type of learning is made possible when there are strong connections between universities and local school boards, along with community partnerships. These vital connections bridge gaps through accessibility, inclusion, and high-quality education.

Valuable teacher training opportunities for music education student teachers are made possible through vibrant school and precollege string programs. Group instruction (whether in a classroom orchestral setting or community program) fosters social emotional learning as students interact with their peers and collaborate. Students become a part of a community of musical practice, where they can enjoy music making with peers, develop technique and musicianship in a collaborative environment, develop self-efficacy, and create social cohesion. I strive to establish collective goal setting in an inclusive space, where students have a voice, and diverse cultures and populations are integrated in meaningful ways. In K-12 classrooms and community programs, I believe that students thrive when they develop their technical/musical foundation through sequential and spiral learning along with their personal creativity. I strive to choose appropriate, diverse repertoire choices to encourage technical proficiency and musicality that is free from tension, which increases overall performance success, self-efficacy, motivation, and retention. I incorporate drama games and composition/improvisation activities to allow students to nurture their self and social awareness, while expressing themselves in unique ways.

I strive for a transformative pedagogical approach by infusing various perspectives, frames of references, and diverse styles of music into my classroom and studio curricula. I intentionally choose materials that foster meaningful questions and discussions through cultural competence and culturally responsive pedagogy. Individuals’ stories and experiences shape ways of knowing and encourage students to build connections with their peers. Students feel invited, valued, respected, and connected, as inclusivity is an intention. As a pedagogue, I am willing to receive feedback and understand that there will always be opportunities for growth and learning as I interact with my students.