Teaching Philosophy
As a music teacher, I think teaching and learning is just like planting. We share our knowledge to the students in different way, just like fertilizing the plant; What we share to student, they will absorb, digest and turn it into their own knowledge, same as the grown of the plant. As a teacher, I think being a positive role model is the first step of teaching. The reason I teach because I want to share my understanding and knowledge about music. Music is a subjective thing, everyone’s view of music are different. I just want to bring them the correct knowledge, let them develop music in a right way with their own thoughts. My goals for student is bring them into a music world that they don’t know, lead them to understand the deeper meaning and other side of music. Another goal is let student get into the role of ‘make music’, not just be a ‘listener’, it may let student emerge some new view and thought in music.
My favourite teaching method is Kodaly method. In lesson, I always using Solfege and I believe singing can improve student’s musical sense. I also prefer Praxialism and Aesthetic education. I believe when student need to learn music, they music understand the beauty of music, with some history and some performing practice, student can enjoy music in more easy way.
I will ask them question to engage them. Especially children, usually thry have more creativity. I will try to inspire them into independent thinking. For example, when they learn a new piece, I will play for them or ask them to listen. Then I will ask their thoughts of music, like characteristic, mood, feeling. After understanding their idea, I can follow their mind and lead them into a better learning process.
For the work, I will base on their existing knowledge and ability to place them homework. Sometimes maybe more advanced to inspire them to think. I will do the conclusion and mini quiz at the end of each lesson, to make sure they really understand the content of the lesson.
My research and my own study influences my way of express the idea. As a student and teacher as well, self-improvement is mandatory. Everytime of having new knowledge, we can fix and improve our teaching methods, which means we have more method and effective method to share the knowledge.
Last but not least, I think my background affects me so much. My parents, the environment of growth, my parents etc. Through some negative examples from my personal experiences, I can understand how I should improve my teaching methods to prevent my students from suffering the same negative influence as I did. For example, if my teacher of parents was impatient, so I do know the feeling of being treated impatient, so I will avoid being impatient. Besides my own background, there is a serious issue between society. I noticed that nowadays, there are many SEN students in society. Recently, it became a new topic and huge challenge for education. Through contact SEN students, observe their behaviour and weakness to help them. I will try to my empathy to connect with them, understand what they need, same as other students. I think a right attitude is essential of being a teacher. As I mentioned in very beginning, teacher should be a role model. I think teacher should teach the student the attitude and the right way to treat others. Not just only the knowledge from books and subject. Especially, music is created by human, so the correct value also needed to bring out from teacher.