Leadership & Education Philosophy 

Music is a powerful tool. To children, music is a whole-bodied experience; heart soul mind and strength all totally focused towards one end; creative musical expression. Children need the opportunity to totally immerse themselves in the process of music-making, a natural expression of childhood. 

Leadership in music education means fostering and developing passion for musical _expression. This passion can then be independently communicated. It is expressed through both interaction and performance.  For my students, I make every effort to demonstrate the joy that I receive from creating music. Both in my classroom and in my performance venues, I believe that they see that the process of making music is a delightful, life-skill. I frequently see my students and their families when I sing in the community. 

As a children’s performer, I have the opportunity to model positive musical interaction for parents with their young children. By writing short, ‘singable’ songs for children, and using a variety of folk songs, I spark the parent’s memory of those old songs, and hopefully they will share music experiences together.  In our “circle time” music sessions, my goal is for my students to think and make connections, both musically and conceptually. When they intently focus on one of the animals, observing detail or use a puppet to “act out” or convey factual information, they are internalizing information. I teach the children songs that they repeat on the bus with their friends and at the dinner table for their parents. When they replicate the music experience for someone else, they are passing on the music.  

At the school where I regularly teach, we love singing for audiences. Recently, I walked past the cafeteria and heard the second grade singing a song about a dancing centipede for the lunch ladies.   I love the fact that they spontaneously broke into song. I feel privileged to have taught them the material. These children were demonstrating their ownership of the songs! They don’t need a music teacher to sing!  

When our children perform, they enjoy their celebrity. Most are not aware that they have stretched themselves to go beyond their own personal understanding. By mastering the information (memorization and performance of the song) THEY become the teachers, by communicating to the audience. This is the ultimate reward for every teacher.