Letter to Future Student
Dear future student,
In my future classroom you will find a community that accepts you for whatever level of music you are at. I hope that I will be able to provide you with all the knowledge you need in order to be the best performer and music student that you can be. I hope I can be the teacher you are comfortable talking to and asking questions. Don’t worry about asking dumb questions, or asking multiple questions, or repeating questions. Don’t worry about messing up or playing the wrong notes. I can testify to you that I have played just as many wrong notes and have messed up just as many times. In my class, you will learn that it’s okay to mess up and to falter as long as you keep trying and give your best effort. I hope that my experiences and struggles with learning to be a musician will help me to know how to fix whatever musical problems you may be having. I hope I can explain theory to you in a way that you understand. But, if you don’t understand, Call me out on it, come talk to me and tell again and again if you don't understand. Tell me to try a different way of explaining it. Tell me if I talk too fast, or if the assignments are too much at a time. I wan’t communication and respect to be the foundation of our classroom. I hope to create a safe space for students to learn and hang out. My classroom should be a place where you feel less lonely and feel like you fit in. I hope that as a teacher I will be able to help you create memories and friendships that will last and are worth keeping by going on educational field trips and music competitions. I will try my best to help you get where you want to be and to provide you with opportunities that will help grow your character, and your musicianship. I will mark fairly, but also be conscious of different learning speeds in the classroom. If you have a desire to go into music, I will do my best to prepare and bring you up to the level you need to be at. Otherwise, I hope that I can teach you a bit about yourself through music. I hope through music I can help distract you from the worries and stresses of everyday life. If you have trouble getting a rhythm in a piece, we will practice the rhythm slowly, then increase the tempo as the class progresses. If you have trouble I would be delighted to have you come to me and we can practice it one-on-one. My music room will always be open for those who want to practice, ask questions, eat lunch or even just talk. I will ask you what you would like to do in the class and what pieces you would like to perform. I want to get your view on music and what ideas and activities you would like to do if you were a teacher for a day. I would also like to give you opportunities to teach your peers in the music room. I would also like to teach conducting and give anyone who wants it, the opportunity to conduct a piece in band or class. I would like to have theory/food days for incentive to do theory. If you need help I will come in early and go home late. I will never judge you if you play wrong or don't understand something. I want my classroom to be geared towards your needs and your interests as much as possible. I also want to do book learning as well as learning with demonstrations. I want you to be involved in the classroom and not just sitting all the time. I want the classroom to be very interactive. I hope you enjoy my class, and learn more about yourself as well as music. You can come to me for anything you need, and I will do my best to help you.
Happy practicing.
Sincerely,
Miss. Pinch