Mission Statement

Music is an essential element of the soul, expressing the full range of human experience. It plays a key role in the daily lives of our society and serves as a powerful tool for personal and communal growth. All students deserve a high-quality, comprehensive music education that is inclusive and culturally responsive. The mission is to ensure access to meaningful music education for all students, helping them develop the skills to create, perform, and understand music, while preparing them to be career and college ready.

Vision statement

I envision a world where every child has access to a comprehensive music education that reflects their diverse experiences and learning needs. As an educator and advocate, I seek to dismantle barriers in music education by implementing innovative, inclusive teaching strategies that ensure all students-especially those with intellectual disabilities and communication challenges-can actively participate and thrive. Through my work, I aim to inspire the next generation of musicians, educators, and leaders who will continue to shape the cultural and artistic landscape of our communities.

Professional Think Pieces

Issues in my school

In every educational environment, there are challenges that seem to persist year after year. One such challenge that has become increasingly apparent in our school is the lack of parent participation and support, coupled with a noticeable decline in student drive. These issues not only affect the academic success of our students but also influence the overall atmosphere of the school community. As the African proverb reminds us, “It takes a village to raise a child.” This timeless saying emphasizes the importance of a collective effort in nurturing a child’s development, and it is a lesson we must remember as we work together to address these challenges in our school.

Parental involvement in a child’s education has long been recognized as a critical factor in academic achievement. Research shows that students with actively engaged parents tend to have higher grades, better attendance, and stronger social skills (Epstein, 2011). However, in our school, there has been a marked decline in parent engagement over recent years. Whether due to busy schedules, economic pressures, or a perceived lack of understanding about how to support their children, many parents are less involved than we would hope. This lack of engagement manifests in several ways, from low attendance at parent-teacher conferences to fewer volunteer opportunities being filled by parents.

Alongside this, there is also a noticeable decrease in student drive. Once enthusiastic learners who were eager to engage with their lessons now show signs of apathy and disinterest. It’s not that our students lack potential—they are capable of achieving remarkable things—but rather that many lack the internal motivation to reach for those opportunities. This drop in student motivation is often emphasized by the external factor of limited parental involvement. When parents are not fully engaged in their child’s academic life, students may feel a lack of accountability, which can lead to disengagement in the classroom. The absence of this crucial support at home, coupled with a society increasingly focused on instant gratification rather than long-term goals, contributes to the growing apathy we see in our students.

Reference

Epstein, J. L. (2011). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools (2nd ed.). Routledge.

 

Positive Impact on Social Change

I define positive social change as the ability to shift and influence change in any given space or environment. It is also having the will and desire to build within one’s community and meet the needs of their culture, supporters and those surrounding. In connection to Walden’s mission and vision, positive social change for me is related as it embodies the goals and purpose of becoming a more effective educator and leader through practice. As the work I do directly impacts my students, it is my desire to by of great influence to create change amongst them. I am able to identify with my students, staff and administration through my relationships and willingness to meet them where they are while also giving them the proper tools to be successful. Positive social change gives me the ability to provide a sense of motivation and encouragement to my students to excel in more than just core curriculum but overall, as a performer and creative learner.

As a Music Education teacher, my ability to impact social change in the classroom is directly connected to interpersonal interactions and hands on learning. When teaching music, there is a goal to ensure students are grasping a completely new school within the arts. The positive part of teaching music is being able to have students gain an appreciation for music and arts beyond the classroom. As music and other arts are directly linked to having positive effects on student behavior, academic and social-emotional learning, I am able to use my day-to-day teaching tools and personal connections to inspire students to go further in their endeavors to pursue music. Using myself as an example, I am able to guide students that are encouraged to take music into a career. The world needs music and all art forms—giving my students the tools to be musicians will only allow them to advance further and value the art form itself. Normally, I am navigating throughout my work day by giving my students a lesson but guiding them through the process. I am a model of what I want to see so I often demonstrate what is needed through instruments, verbal call and response or small assignments. This allows to me be directly in tune with students so I know how to meet their needs in areas they need improvement on or pouring words of affirmation into them when they are achieving. My preferred elements of using group work and constructive feedback discussions allows me to extend myself to students on a more personal level to at allows them to have a voice of their own, identify their own strengths and weaknesses and give them autonomy as musical learners.

  One crucial aspect of this transformation is culturally responsive teaching, which ensures that students see their own identities reflected in the curriculum. Ladson-Billings (1995) emphasizes the importance of culturally relevant pedagogy, which encourages educators to use students’ cultural backgrounds as assets in the learning process. This approach in music education can help students engage more deeply with musical concepts and feel a greater sense of belonging in the classroom. Another essential factor in driving social change is ensuring equitable access to music education. Many schools, particularly in underfunded districts, lack the necessary resources for robust music programs. Abril and Gault (2008) highlight how disparities in funding contribute to limited opportunities for students in marginalized communities, reinforcing systemic inequities.  It is my goal to continue to be an impactful educator and graduate student through my continued practices and learning.

  By maintaining a positive attitude, being an effective communicator, and being committed to students, I will only become more established as an educational professional. Everyday education is shifting and changing so having the ability to have a growth mindset is important to help maintain the Professional Dispositions. Through everyday practice, not only are our students growing, we as educators are as well. I will continue to develop a growth mindset by being dedicated to becoming a mastered educator through the Walden University Masters program and also getting feedback from students, staff and parents on my advancement as an educator. This will become evident as students progress within music,getting participation and feedback on concerts and events and looking towards an evaluation on my overall performance as a music teacher. Through these small goals and studies, I am more than capable of advancing as an educational professional. 

 

Reference

·      Abril, C. R., & Gault, B. M. (2008). The state of music in the elementary school: The principal’s perspective. Journal of Research in Music Education, 56(1), 68–81. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429408317516

·      Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32(3), 465–491. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312032003465

•            Walden University. (n.d.). 5 things that everyone should know about social change. https://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change/resource/five-things-that-everyone-should-know-about-social-change

·      Walden University. (n.d.). Social change [Multimedia]. https://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change