“ You can’t use up creativity. The more you use the more you have. “ Maya Angelou
In my master classes, private lessons and ensemble coaching, I strive to create an environment that will encourage my students’ curiosity and creativity to flourish. I try to individualize my teaching as much as possible, hoping to keep them engaged and motivated to learn in a way that is most helpful to them. As I am able to identify their strengths and weaknesses, it becomes easier for me to help them find and develop their own personal artistic voice.
I like to make sure that students have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that will allow them to think critically and come up with solutions in the classroom but also prepare them to do the same on the music scene and in their lives outside of the classroom. In my Vocal Master class student’s are expected to participate in the evaluation process by critiquing each others performances and skill development in the their performances. Often the students are as interested in the observations and comments provided by their peers as they are in the performances themselves.
As head of the vocal department, I play an active role in the development of new courses at the college. I have the ability to be flexible with my curriculum as I discover and learn what is inspiring the students from year to year. Their feedback is vital to the process of growth I have undergone since beginning to teach. I learn from them how to properly pace my lectures, facilitate learning in groups and one on one situations and find the right proportion of structure and fun.
For me, effective teaching balances the content of the classwork with my personal professional experience. Though I have extensive experience teaching and performing music on the Toronto scene, I view myself primarily as a facilitator of learning rather than as an expert who simply delivers information to students. When interacting with students, I make note of their different learning styles, what they have already learned and what they need to learn in the future while sharing my love and passion for discovering new things.