Teaching Philosophy

I have taught in post-secondary institutions since 2015, working with a variety of learners from various backgrounds. The overarching goal of my teaching practice centres on helping students become confident and engaging musicians, teachers, and leaders. I teach courses in music history and music appreciation. Yet regardless of the course’s focus, I always aim to create a classroom space that emphasizes exploratory learning grounded in both individual experience and within wider social and cultural contexts. The core of my teaching philosophy and practice focuses on building foundational student-teacher relationships, which I believe translates into positive learning experiences that strengthen students’ classroom engagement, critical thinking (Light 2001), and overall student success (Kuh and Hu 2001). I strive to facilitate participatory learning environments where students integrate personal experiences with the development of course-appropriate learning outcomes: analytical skills, critical thinking, and emotional knowledge. Seeking personal connections to the material is integral for teaching students who come with limited, or perhaps even no knowledge of the Western European art music tradition. I believe being open to these personal connections also means welcoming the exciting social, cultural, and political questions students bring to the course material. 

References

Kuh, G.D., and S. Ku. 2001. “The Effects of Student-Faculty Interaction in the 1990s.” The Review of Higher Education, no. 24: 309–32.

Light, R.J. 2001. Making the Most of College: Students Speak Their Minds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.