Missy Isles

Educational Philosophy

My educational philosophy as a music educator is three-fold:  

First, I feel that educating students in the arts helps them to become confident, well-rounded individuals.  Given the nature of music performance, it should be a very hands-on activity that pushes students to engage themselves and try their best.  I always say to my students, “if you make a mistake, make it big!” We all have to give our best effort, even if it’s not 100% perfect.  The more we try, the more we grow as musicians and as people.  Going along with this, I feel that normalizing errors is essential in a music classroom.  By doing this, students feel more willing to perform or offer their ideas and opinions in a safe, constructive environment.

Secondly, I believe that one of the roles of a music educator is to help create cross-curricular connections whenever possible and to identify different styles of learning. A child’s duty in school is to learn, and if I can make connections between what we are learning in the music room to what they are learning in history, math, science, etc., then those ideas and concepts will deepen, creating more meaning for the student.  I find that self-reflection as an educator is key to forming effective, well-thought-out lessons and activities.  Movement, music theory, and performance should be present in every class at an elementary school level. Also, it is essential to differentiate instruction based on the needs of students to help ensure understanding and retention.  I find great joy in creating activities that either simplify or deepen content to fit a student’s individual learning needs. 

Finally, I feel that our job as educators is to be a cheerleader for our students.  At times, I’ve seen students who have less success in other areas of the school thrive in the music setting.  Giving praise and positive reinforcement to students helps them see the good in themselves.  One great way to do this is to have strong communication skills with parents and families and to spread the joy whenever appropriate and possible.  Another is giving students direct, honest, and specific feedback when they do something stellar.  This could be both in and out of the classroom.  While I definitely see the value of praising academic progress, I also feel that acknowledging successes in student character development is key to encouraging a sense of community, kindness, and acceptance of others.