TEACHING

Through reflecting on my own personal experience I found that I am extremely passionate about Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Equity and Access in music education, and how we, as teachers, should do our best to serve our students.

As educators, we must recognize that poverty is a serious issue, and that some students are unable to attend the classes that we teach. When it comes to dance education, children growing up in poverty often have their voices silenced and may not feel deserving of programs and resources. I want to empower my students, and allow them to explore their emotions and provide them outlets to express themselves. I want them to explore their inner world, create clear ties with works of art, and develop new views of themselves and their environment. Most importantly I want them to be heard and prioritized.

As a teacher it is my responsibility to set up a safe classroom environment that allows the students to feel welcomed, so that we are able to discuss topics of social justice, diversity and inclusion of cultures from around the world. In my opinion, a classroom can not function unless there is a certain level of trust between the students and the teacher. With that being said, I strongly believe that we must be aware of who we are in relation to our students to avoid perpetuating an entrenched power dynamic in the classroom. The political nature of dance education is inherent due to ‘who’ is teaching and ‘who’ is learning, which is why it is important to get to know our students. The politics that go along with dance education are intrinsic to the practice itself through course material and general stereotypes instilled into our society.

My dance teaching style strives to teach the fundamentals of dance and movement while still leaving space for students to explore and create on their own. My goal is to have my students be empowered through movement and to gain confidence and control of their own bodies. I believe that performing and experiencing dance as both an audience member and dancer is essential when learning dance. Dance can hold utilitarian values outside of the classroom, allowing the possibility for a more unified and wholistic education experience. By supporting and helping our students create on their own, we are letting them experience the basic beauty of dance itself, Expression! I envision myself as a teacher using a hybrid method that incorporates several different teaching philosophies, since each approach has something unique to offer.