Teaching strategies

It is essential for teachers of all disciplines to have a clear understanding of how to write outcomes and implement strategies in the classroom to reach all learners. I am a kinesthetic and a visual learner, so I have a tendency to base my learning activities around kinesthetic and visual experiences. In recent teaching experiences, I have found myself overly reliant on things like written lesson plans. I am sure that this reliance will go away over time as I get more comfortable in the classroom, but, for now, at least I know my bias. As a student, I respond to kinesthetic experiences, so I have my private students "do" and "feel" things with their bodies. I know that I am not an auditory learner, so, as a teacher, I need to remember to include auditory strategies in my student-centered approaches.

In a student centered approach, students come first. Being student centered means responding to the needs of the students, even in front of the music itself. I really like this idea, as it puts students in charge of their own education. If the students feel that they have a part of the creative process of music making, music becomes less of a chore and more of an art. As a conservatory student, I often felt like I was a "tool" to be used for the execution of technique. When directors told me what to do, my own creativity was stifled, especially in an ensemble setting. If everyone feels like they have a stake in an ensemble, it will provide even more opportunities for social, academic, and personal growth.

Involving students in a meaningful way inside rehearsals may help students develop transfer abilities into other areas. With teacher guidance, students will discover the many ways that music is a part of other areas of culture, science, and math. Teachers can inspire students to explore other areas by providing context for the students in the form of handouts which describe cultural perspectives on the piece, composer, and era.

Writing effective teaching strategies can help make learning meaningful for the students. Implementing the strategies can be gratifying for the teacher, and students will pick up on the excitement that this process generates. I think that teachers owe it to their students to implement creative teaching strategies that are based in meaningful learning outcomes. Helping students learn in this way will contribute to true understanding, which will lead to transfer into both music and other skill areas.