The P.E.A.R.L. Method

My Teaching Philosophy

I have been fortunate to have several great role models in my musical life. The teachers from whom I learned the most, and therefore, those who made the most difference in my life all demonstrated similar qualities. Each teacher:

Showed true passion for the subject they taught.
Engaged me in the process of learning.
Affirmed my strengths and past experiences.
Showed me the relevancy of what I was being asked to learn.
Focused on my needs as a learner and person.

The key words that shape the foundation of my teaching philosophy form the acronym PEARL: Passion, Engagement, Affirmation, Relevancy and Learner-Centered.

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I have come to realize that the reason I love to teach is because I love to learn. During my DMA interview a few years ago, one of the professors asked me why I wanted to return to graduate school when I already had years of teaching and performing experience. I replied that I felt I had only touched the tip of the iceberg. For me, learning is never complete. I have the desire to instill in each and every student, no matter where they are in their academic careers, a passion for knowledge. I love attending workshops, master classes, and performances, and enjoy learning from my colleagues and peers. No matter how many pieces we’ve performed, or how much we know about theory or musicology, there is still more to learn! I believe this love for knowledge, and specifically for music, is infectious. Therefore, I speak about music with enthusiasm and emphasize to students how much joy music brings into my life. I know that not all of students will make music their profession, but I do know music can always be a source of pleasure, and perhaps even comfort for them.

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Feedback from students is valuable to my growth as a teacher. It is something I routinely solicit from students, whether it is in private lessons and studio class, or in vocal or instrumental coaching sessions. The feedback helps me to reassess and adjust my teaching approach as needed. Asking students about the process also encourages critical thinking on their part. Critical thinking skills are something I also try to develop in practicing. One of the most important things I believe I can teach my students to do is to learn how to practice efficiently and effectively. This involves isolating problem areas, using specific techniques – slow, methodical practice; blind practice – to correct problems, then emphasizing that the same process can be used in every piece they study. I encourage the same kind of analytical thinking of singers in vocal coaching sessions. This encourages them to develop problem solving skills. I also emphasize the importance of listening to all kinds of music – orchestral, chamber music, vocal – in an attempt to show them how all music can teach us something about phrasing, tone production, musical gestures and style. This encourages them to be more discriminating in listening, and hopefully in their own performances.

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We all know that when someone acknowledges what we do well, we are inspired and encouraged beyond measure to set our goals even higher. I firmly believe in lavish affirmation as a routine part of my teaching. I make it a point to remark on what a student does well rather than focusing first on what needs to be improved: “You really voiced the tops of the chords beautifully, and the phrases were long and very legato. Now, let’s see if we can work on the pedaling.” By noting what is good about the performance, the student is encouraged and doesn’t shut down. This is equally important in studio class when students perform for their peers. I ask all students to first offer constructive criticism. Then we move into a discussion of how to make the performance more convincing. Similarly, students come to the studio or classroom with varied experiences. It is important to acknowledge and show how we can learn from those experiences. We are not there to simply mold students into what we think they should be, but to recognize and celebrate their individuality.

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Unless I can show my students that what I am teaching is relevant to their musical development and/or their lives, the content may remain unintelligible and useless. For instance, students often complain about practicing scales and arpeggios. When this happens, I ask them to pull out their repertoire and we review together the number of times these technical effects appear. Showing the student how scales and arpeggios are routinely incorporated into works makes it easier for them to see the importance of practicing them.

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The term 'Learner-Centered' is often considered a cliché. However, from personal experience, I believe that the best teachers are those who consider the needs of the student first. I constantly try to remember that each student has traveled a different path to arrive here, each student is here for different reasons, and each student faces different challenges as a musician, whether they are technical, intellectual or emotional. If a student needs to focus on technical aspects of playing first, then that is the approach I take. As a teacher, I am concerned not only about the musical development of each student, but also about his or her personal growth as a human-being. I approach each student first as a person, secondly as a musician. This approach helps me to gain the respect, trust and confidence I need to instill or confirm a passion for learning and music.