My Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy

What I am most passionate about, in regard to being an organist, is teaching. 

Since moving to Chattanooga, I have taught over a dozen organ students ranging in age from 17 to 83. I have successfully prepared high school students for college auditions, taught adult organ students who sought to improve their service-playing skills or prepare for an upcoming recital, and worked with seniors who wanted to start organ lessons to keep their mind and body sharp. After completing the highest levels of certification from the American Guild of Organists (AAGO and FAGO), I began coaching organists of all ages and skill levels who were working toward some level of certification, either for a personal sense of achievement, or for a promotion or a raise at their place of employment. I am the current Certification Exam Coordinator for the Chattanooga AGO chapter, as well as a member of the national AGO Committee on Professional Certification. My own skills as an organist have improved exponentially as a result of my experience pursuing AGO certification, and it means a great deal to me to see my students’ confidence level and organ expertise grow as they pursue the same educational goals.

In more general terms, my teaching philosophy as an organist is to create an environment of mutual respect, honest communication, meaningful relevance and positive reinforcement.

My goals and aspirations as a teacher are centered on achieving a life-long effect on the life of the student both inside and outside of our lessons.  In order to work toward these aspirations, I consistently strive to plan and achieve measurable goals, as well as receive constant feedback from my colleagues and my students.  

Mutual respect between myself and the organ student promotes a learning experience characterized by honesty, openness, and willingness to admit mistakes and try new methods. 

Honest communication on my part is necessary in order to assess student understanding and to promote their self- awareness, self-sufficiency, and self-assessment. I encourage my students to pinpoint their individual learning needs early in the learning process so I can create a flexible, customized lesson plan.

Striving toward meaningful relevance is one of my primary motivations as a teacher, to impart upon the student lessons in music, in school, and in life.  To work toward this goal, I regularly discuss issues with my students outside of the traditional curriculum, such as music theory and music history, as well as time management, practice habits, performance anxiety issues, maintaining physical and mental health, conserving energy and increasing focus, and overcoming obstacles.  I encourage my students to take responsibility for their own progress throughout the year, to learn plan in advance, and to be flexible when obstacles arise.

The delicate balance between positive reinforcement and constructive feedback is vital. Facilitating an effective teaching environment entails treating my students the way I would want to be treated and measuring my success by their improvement, interest, and excitement about playing the organ. 

I pride myself in taking my students’ performance to heart.  I rejoice when they succeed and personally invest myself in their achievements inside and outside of our lessons.  I pay attention to what is going on in their lives and listen more than I speak. Most importantly, I expect more of them than they expect of themselves. My expertise and enthusiasm as an organ teacher and performer foster an excitement for learning that will hopefully continue for the rest of my students’ lives, regardless of whether they pursue music as a profession or as a creative outlet for personal expression.