Teaching Statement
I am a product of international education, raised entirely away from my passport country in communities of passionate, caring, and ambitious educators; finally it is my turn to be a contributing architect to such a community. My parents are international educators that have been overseas for the past 27 years. As a result, I spent the first 18 years of my life living wholly in the eastern hemisphere between Hong Kong, Turkey, the U.A.E. and ending with graduation in Malaysia.
The schools I attended had incredible communities built upon the dedication of the faculty and staff to realize the mission and vision of the institution. As a student who struggled with feeling a sense of ‘home’ because of my expatriate upbringing, this sense of community was central to my ability to thrive as a learner. Because children are influenced by strong leaders in their environment, it is important to lead by examples of collaboration, care, dedication, creativity and hard work. At the International School of Kuala Lumpur, where I attended for seven years, Mr. Housego worked incessantly to turn my middle school band class on its head with creative and curious methods, challenging and engaging both students and parents. Ms Palko's drive, passion, innovation and spirited collaborative nature provided all students in the school with the most honest example of pure joy in education. These standout educators, in a sea of amazing educators inspire me to be a positive force for students, a consistent collaborator, and a dedicated staff member.
The availability of a strong music program in schools is essential to create a well rounded student. Because of its unbound spirit, music is able to transcend any barrier from culture, to time period, age, to socio-economic standing, and allows us as humans to share experience and build a foundation for nurturing, understanding and developing diversity. This is why music is integral to learning, not only in school, but also in life. A music class can serve any number of roles for a student. Some need an escape from the mundane, some need to express themselves in ways that they can’t otherwise, and others need to find a vessel to channel their creative energy into; an effective music program would provide a fitting space for all three of these cases and countless others. In my teaching I aim to create a safe space for students to explore themselves and their voice through music. With an emphasis on collaboration, communication, dedication, and creativity, students in my classroom move beyond knowing how to play pieces, to understanding the vast network of elements, contexts, and motivations that will allow them to best define their lifelong relationship with music. I facilitate students’ growth by providing methods to explore, express and celebrate their humanity and diversity. Through an emphasis on cultural learning in music, contextual understanding and analysis, and student composition, I look forward to building a program founded on the celebration of the history of musical expression, the student’s ability to contribute to this history, and their role in continuing the future of this expression.
The schools I attended had incredible communities built upon the dedication of the faculty and staff to realize the mission and vision of the institution. As a student who struggled with feeling a sense of ‘home’ because of my expatriate upbringing, this sense of community was central to my ability to thrive as a learner. Because children are influenced by strong leaders in their environment, it is important to lead by examples of collaboration, care, dedication, creativity and hard work. At the International School of Kuala Lumpur, where I attended for seven years, Mr. Housego worked incessantly to turn my middle school band class on its head with creative and curious methods, challenging and engaging both students and parents. Ms Palko's drive, passion, innovation and spirited collaborative nature provided all students in the school with the most honest example of pure joy in education. These standout educators, in a sea of amazing educators inspire me to be a positive force for students, a consistent collaborator, and a dedicated staff member.
The availability of a strong music program in schools is essential to create a well rounded student. Because of its unbound spirit, music is able to transcend any barrier from culture, to time period, age, to socio-economic standing, and allows us as humans to share experience and build a foundation for nurturing, understanding and developing diversity. This is why music is integral to learning, not only in school, but also in life. A music class can serve any number of roles for a student. Some need an escape from the mundane, some need to express themselves in ways that they can’t otherwise, and others need to find a vessel to channel their creative energy into; an effective music program would provide a fitting space for all three of these cases and countless others. In my teaching I aim to create a safe space for students to explore themselves and their voice through music. With an emphasis on collaboration, communication, dedication, and creativity, students in my classroom move beyond knowing how to play pieces, to understanding the vast network of elements, contexts, and motivations that will allow them to best define their lifelong relationship with music. I facilitate students’ growth by providing methods to explore, express and celebrate their humanity and diversity. Through an emphasis on cultural learning in music, contextual understanding and analysis, and student composition, I look forward to building a program founded on the celebration of the history of musical expression, the student’s ability to contribute to this history, and their role in continuing the future of this expression.
