Teaching Philosophy 

We believe that music should bring joy to those who practice, learn and perform it, as well as to those who receive it as a gift by listening to it. We do not feel that there is any room for fear in the context of learning and performing music, as fear is the antithesis of joy. It is our goal to remove the aspect of fear as it is commonly experienced by students in a student/teacher relationship, as well as in performance settings, as much as possible.  Students should understand that mistakes are a normal part of the learning process and should not be feared. The value comes when the student recognizes their mistake and learns from it. There is no value in self-degradation when mistakes are made.

Our goal is to help students release their mistakes immediately, feeling no guilt or fear, move through them, and then correct them.

All students progress at different rates. Some students have more time to practice than others. Some students were raised in an environment which was richer in musical stimuli than were others. We all come from diverse and varied backgrounds. Therefore, we will all progress in our learning at different rates. We believe that a good teacher takes that into account and allows all students to progress at their own ideal rate, challenging each student to fulfill their potential, setting high standards, without causing undue stress or fear of not measuring up to perceived expectations.

There are several aspects we use in teaching to facilitate the release of fear and to enhance the experience of joy as it relates to music. Here are a few:

• Breathing and relaxation exercises.
• A non-threatening attitude toward students of all ages.
• Use of games and fun activities.
• Rewards and incentives.
• Praise and compliments on areas of improvement.
• Teaching techniques suited to each student’s differing learning style.

Our hope is that each of our students will sense the joy and love that all our teachers have for music and that they can share in that joy as they in turn share it with others as they develop their talents and join in our quest to bring joy and healing to the world through the gift of Music! May God bless you in your endeavors!

Jamie Johnson - Director

Academy of Creative Learning, Inc.