Journal #2

October 25, 2014

It is an interesting process, becoming educated about education. The art and practice of
teaching is an exceptional one, and so far this semester I have learned many things which have
awoken my mind to the diversity of possibilities that lie in a classroom. There are more ways to
teach than I had ever imagined, and the process that enables efficient, engaging, and effective
teaching is a huge area of study. In the past few months, I have come to realize how important
personal connection and understanding are in the classroom environment. Through readings in
text by Campbell, Ayers, and Kohn, as well as classroom discussion and activities, my perception of
a successful teaching/learning environment and my understanding of what it takes to create one
have been greatly affected.
Teaching, at first glance, it a natural human behavior and one that I always thought of a
comparatively innate and simple. In this course, Principles of Music Education, I have begun to
realize the extent of planning and long term goal setting that creates the foundation for teaching.
There is an exceptional amount of planning and rehashing that goes into each lesson in order to
make it seem so natural. That being said, I think that the most effective teaching is the teaching
that does not stray too far from the realm of natural and spontaneous human interaction.
Teachable moments, as I have heard them called, are perhaps where some of the most valuable
learning takes place.
Another, and one of the most important, aspects of teaching that this semester has
highlighted for me is the creation of a student-teacher relationship. This relationship needs to be
solid on many levels in order to ensure a positive and cooperative teaching and learning
experience. In his text, Ayers talks about getting to see your students, and similarly Alfie Kohn
notes the importance of student-tailored teaching. Thinking back now, it has always been the
teachers who connected with me best personally who I learned the most from. As a future teacher,
I am realizing more and more how personable and how adaptable I will need to be in order to
connect with a diverse range of students. This is an exciting idea to me because it was my favorite
teachers who inspired me to teach, and thinking that I too could be such a positive part of a
students life is great motivation and inspiration.
As far as teaching music specifically is concerned, it seems that all the aspects of the
profession that I have talked about previously need to be doubly understood and executed. As an
elective, music programs are at risk in the public school systems. The past few months in this
course, it has been made very clear to me that as a future music educator I need to also become a
music advocate. Interaction with administration and other school faculty will be an essential part
of my job. I will need to demonstrate an understanding of the importance of non-music subjects
and foster an understanding and appreciation of music in my co-workers and community. It will
be up to me to come up with creative and new ideas to spread the benefits of my program
throughout the school and the community.
All these things tie into the development of my personal teaching philosophy, which is a
thing that I acknowledge will be ever-changing. Right now I am a sponge for new information,
viewpoints, and ideas, and it is fun and exciting to monitor my personal growth as I prepare to
enter the world of music education.