Transcript So, What Is a Teaching Philosophy and How Do I

You WILL Be Asked What Your
Teaching Philosophy Is
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By knowledgeable parents/guardians
At school job interviews
On continuing education class applications
By colleagues referring students
As a part of National Certification exams
and portfolios
• By that little voice inside that tells you there
is a disconnect between what you are doing
and what you believe
So, What Is a Teaching
Philosophy and How Do I
Recognize One in the Wild?
How Our Beliefs Drive our Choices of
Curriculum
Presented for the
2006 Arizona State Music Teachers Association
Conference
Elaine Dyches NCTM & Gail Fischler NCTM
A Few Basic Philosophical Areas
How we view the meaning of music
How we view the role of music
How we view our roles as music teachers
How we view the meaning
of music
Whose Role Is Most Important Overall?
PERFORMERS
Composers
high school teachers
AMATEURS
Professionals
studio teachers
CRITICS
POP Musicians
CLASSICAL MUSICIANS
Elementary Teachers
Church Musicians
Who Is Most Important in Contributing to a
Specific Performance?
COMPOSER
PERFORMERS
USHERS
ARCHITECT
Listeners
PROUD PARENTS
SOUND ENGINEER
TEACHER
The Piano Tuner
The Guy Who Cleans The Bathroom???
Are certain genres or cultural contexts more
or less valuable than others?
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Is rap music less valuable than classical?
Is music from the Romantic Era more
valuable than 20th Century music?
Is Middle-Eastern “folk music” less valuable
than Ragtime?
Is a live performance more valuable than a
CD?
Is a digital keyboard less valuable than a “real
piano” ???? (in ways other than $$)
Does musical meaning lie in the work or in
the performance?
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Does Beethoven’s Pathetique have meaning
without a performer or audience? (If a tree
falls in the forest…)
Is the knowing or the doing most important?
Does or should the meaning change if a piece
is played in an African Jungle, in Carnegie
Hall, at a student recital, or alone for your
own enjoyment?
Miss Coed
• I was the sound tech for Les Mis and they couldn’t have
done that show without me. AND, those hot shot singers
wouldn’t have had anything to sing if someone hadn’t
written the music for them.
• My piano teacher insisted that a classical music
performance was the ultimate but I don’t see that it is
any more valuable than a really great rock concert or the
Ravi Shankar concert I went to last week.
• I went to a terrific drum circle group in high school and
it was the greatest musical experience of my life. I mean
I lost myself - you know?
• When I’m out of college and I have my own studio, I’m
going to listen to music my students like and not just
music by a bunch of dead white guys
UTILITARIAN VS. AESTHETIC
How We View The Role of Music
Paul Haack, Bennet Reimer
Utilitarian: “Music As a Means To”
1. Self esteem, self confidence, self discipline
2. Personal integrity, personal creativity, and self
expression
3. Traditional values of patriotism, citizenship,
cultural/religious ties (patriotic songs, anti-war
songs, hymns, political ads, teaching songs, etc)
4. Building math, problem solving, and
logic/symbolic skills
Utilitarian: “music as a means to” cont…
5. Reading comprehension, spelling, language
development
6. Verbal, perceptual, number, and spatial skills and
motor proficiency (“music is like math…”)
7. Higher test scores, better communication skills,
and disciplined study habits
8. Motivate staying in school though graduation
and beyond. Prepare students for admission to
colleges/universities & work in their chosen
fields
9. Fulfill remedial or therapeutic goals
Mrs. USA
• Piano study helps children grow in everything they do.
What they learn in my studio prepares them to be
successful at LIFE!
• Playing a relatively simple piece confidently is more
important than how long or difficult the piece might
be.
• Everyone in my studio has a book of patriotic and folk
song favorites. We have an annual 4th of July piano
extravaganza.
• I am proud that over the years some of my greatest
feelings of accomplishment have come from assisting
students with disabilities to rise above their limitations
through piano study.
Aesthetic: “Music For its Own Sake”
1. Involvement in music may yield benefits in other
areas of study and personal development but it is
never used as a rationale for musical study –
music is end and means
2. Music is an art form – it is a whole area that
should be studied with as much
comprehensiveness as any other subject
3. Music has intrinsic value to us as a society – it is
fulfilling & adds depth of feeling to our inner lives
4.Music provides a way to think and act in sounds
Aesthetic: “Music for its own sake”cont…
5.Intellect is not separate from or of higher value
than feelings, emotions, physical sensations, and
actions – Music is an act of intelligence plus
emotion.
6.Music imagination is realized through bodily
actions – thinking is body-centered
7.Music is universal, cultural, and individual
8.Music is pleasurable and profound
9.Music is end and means - product and process
Mrs. Muse
• My students all participate in yearly evaluations
and competitions. They must be technically
proficient to communicate through sound.
• Music cannot be explained in words. I tell my
students- feeling feeling feeling! Express
Yourselves!!!
• Music is THE Universal Language. One can
communicate with another soul without ever
speaking a single word.
• I never use stickers or prizes - Becoming one with
music is reward enough.
• I know that the benefits of piano study far exceed
any benefits of participation in soccer or any of
those other sports.
POSITIVIST VS. CONSTRUCTIVIST
How We View Our Roles as
Music Teachers
Hanley & Montgomery
Positivist (Traditionalist) Viewpoint
1.There is a continual quest for Improvement –
Student receives and acts primarily on feedback
2.Information and advice come from teacher;
Teacher passes on values and accepted
convention; Promotion of lineage - Hierarchy
3. Learning is a programmed activity (behavioral?) Action & Results/Prediction & Control
4. Meaning is imposed on the student. There are
Right & Wrong Answers - Focus is on HOW
Positivist cont…
5.Teacher is implementer of others ideas; teacher is
devoted to methodology
6. Learning builds upon facts It is subject
centered/product focused; Teacher is the expert;
Student has little input into evaluation; Student
outcomes are predictable
Mrs. Fundamental
• I am very disciplined. I always use the technique
books that go with the lesson books and I really drill
the students on their notes.
• All my students have specific practice routines based
on their levels. Beginners must practice 30 minutes,
early intermediates 45 minutes and so on.
• I studied with Madame M who studied with Monsieur
X who studied with Bach himself! I know exactly how
to tell a student to phrase so that the expression in each
piece is correct and stylistic.
• I have so much teaching experience that I know
exactly which etudes and exercises will lead to a
successful technical performance.
• I require my students to be dressed appropriately at the
lesson. If they come dressed in their baseball uniform,
their minds will not be on their music
Constructivist (Reconceptualized)
Viewpoint
1.The learner personally imbues experiences with
meaning - The quest is for understanding
2. Learning is a social activity that is enhanced by
shared inquiry/discussion
3. Knowledge and beliefs are formed within the
learner (cognitive) - Learning activities
encourage ties from previous experiences to new
ones
4. Learning fosters tolerance of conflicting issues
and perspectives- Acceptance of ambiguity &
multiple answers/meanings: Focus on WHY
Constuctivist cont…
5.Teacher is a decision maker & researcher – learner
has input into the discovery process; teacher is
responsive to learners needs
6. Reflection is an important element of learning;
learners play an essential role in
assessment/evaluation; Activities are learner
centered/process focused – Product/outcomes of
learning are varied and often unpredictable.
Mrs. Whatsit
• I teach, practice and keep pictures of all my students on
top of my piano for them to see! I keep baskets with
all the music categorized by level right where I can
reach it when I need it!
• My families love the group lessons I have every
Saturday afternoon. We have snack time and game time
and then we all play a piece. It’s the highlight of my
week!
• The question is often WHY???? Why did you play
forte? Why did you want that to be faster? Why did
Bach put two octaves between the hands here?
• I want my students to tie what they know of history,
art, math, science, etc. to their music making. Does the
texture of this piece remind them of lava rock or
chocolate? What was the world like when Chopin
wrote this Nocturne?
And, Your Point Is ????
The tail must not wag the dog
There is a difference between teaching
philosophy, teaching objectives and
curricular activities. What you believe should
direct your teaching objectives which, in
turn, direct learning activities.
Your actions really do speak so loudly
others cannot hear what you are
saying
Professional integrity and continuing growth
as a teacher means that you have thought and
reflected about your most personal beliefs
and that those beliefs are evident in your
actions