Philosophy of Teaching

Students learn better if what they are learning is communicated to them with excitement, energy, creativity and passion.  I feel that my job as a teacher is to continually learn new methods and music.  I want my students to have more than just skill; I want them to have passion and fun.

Singing involves so many things; I want to approach teaching holistically so that none of those components are neglected.  Sight-singing, rhythm, ear training, and diction must be included in each lesson.  I believe my students should learn each piece of the puzzle that is vocal performance.  Incorporating small increments of each skill in most lessons will enable my students to be well-rounded and proficient.

Learning to sing must go beyond learning the notes.  Both style and technique must be addressed as each piece is learned. As a teacher, I have a responsibility to impart knowledge of relevant history and style to my student so that they can learn how to make good stylistic decisions on their own later.  Technique fits with learning to sing correctly stylistically as well as finding a consistent voice and maintaining vocal health.

Students should learn how to care for and maintain their instruments.  They should learn components of anatomy and vocal health.  My responsibility is to both protect and prod in the correct balance for the student to safely reach their potential.  I believe that teaching well involves being fully engaged and listening critically for both progress and potential problems.  I also believe I should be creative and exploratory in my teaching within the parameters of safely developing each student’s instrument.  Further, as a teacher I must strive to understand what makes my student tick and how best to foster steady growth in them.