Carrie Hand Olson
Teaching Philosophy
I believe that all students have a right to an education that includes Music instruction. Music helps to bring people together, enriches our daily lives, teaches us about other cultures and history, provides us with a means of expression, and can help us to find some peace in a world that is not always peaceful. In a summer conference I attended, Music educator Dr. Anton Armstrong explained why music education is so important when he stated, "It's hard to destroy when you understand creation." I believe that when children learn to appreciate the beauty of music, and how they can create and be a part of it, they will be better people because of it.
As a Music education student and educator, I have learned that an eclectic approach to music instruction, (one that combines the use of three of the best known pedagogical music teaching methods: Kodaly, Orff-Schulwerk, and Dalcroze) works best in teaching various music concepts to students of diverse cultural backgrounds and learning styles. My goal as a music educator is to instill a sense of music appreciation while teaching students the technical and fundamental components of music in a positive learning environment. I believe that music students should have a variety of active experiences in the music classroom through listening activities, singing and sight-reading, dancing, learning to play various instruments, improvising, conducting, and composition. Along with following the National and State Standards for Music Education, I believe that a student/child-centered curriculum based on knowing what musical skills and knowledge the students already possess, what their learning styles are, and where the students are developmentally, will aid me in providing instruction that will best meet the learning needs of all students.
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