Natalie Lugo

MUSC-2100

Dr. Blackman

December 8, 2020

A Reflection of Myself as a Music Teacher

As Dr. Shinichi Suzuki says, “When love is deep, much can be accomplished.” While I

want to see my students become successful musicians, my deeper desire is to see them become

loving, empathetic people, hard workers, honest citizens, and fulfilled adults. I strive to love my

students well, to be a safe person, to encourage them to strive after excellence, and to equip them

with the tools to succeed. I feel that one of my strengths as a teacher is identifying where each of

my students currently stands in their journey as a musician and in their personal development. I

have an ability to peek into the hearts of my students just a little bit, and glimpse their potential.

Then I coax that spark into a flame. Even when I am hesitant about what the next step in their

learning is, I am able to teach with authority confidence, while maintaining a loving and joyful

demeanor.

Additionally, I love the process of teaching. I am invigored by the challenge of breaking

a skill down into a piece small enough that the student can accomplish, and then building on that

small skill to work toward the larger goal. I love seeing the sparkle in my students’ eyes when

they succeed. I love seeing them pour their hearts into their music and learn to allow their souls

to dance through their instrument, whether it be their voice or their cello.

 As I grow as I teacher, I desire to see myself become further organized. Currently, with a

cello studio of seven students, I am able to do much of the planning solely in my head, can deal

with issues on a one-to-one basis, and can remain flexible with the families in my studio.

However, in the future, with the dream of a children’s choir and a larger cello studio, I know that

my level of organization will need to increase in terms of lesson planning, intentional time away

from my work, policies that will address the needs of a broader audience, and business skills.

One area I intend to focus on over the next several years is the study of different teaching

methods. While I have already started Suzuki teacher training and am continuing that over the

course of my college studies, I also plan to receive Orff, Kodaly, and Dalcroze certification. I

envision myself incorporating Dalcroze and Orff with my young cello students and choir singers

to enhance their general musical skills, improvisation and imagination, and the connection of

their whole bodies to music through kinesthetic practices. Having grown up in a children’s choir

that uses many aspects of the Kodaly method, I have personally experienced the benefits of a

Kodaly-based classroom such as the emphasis on quality music, kinesthetic reinforcement

through solfege hand signs, and the human voice as the primary mode of music instruction.

Although it is not my intention to teach in the public school system, seeing myself instead

in the area of private music instruction, this course made me more aware of the struggles that the

arts programs in schools face. Even as a private music teacher, there are many ways in which I

can support public school music programs and partner with teachers to foster unity in the arts and

a greater community awareness and support of the arts.

It is my firm belief that, as Dr. Suzuki stated, "musical ability is not an inborn talent but

an ability which can be developed. Any child who is properly trained can develop musical ability

just as all children develop the ability to speak their mother tongue. The potential of every child
is unlimited." As I grow as a teacher, I desire to hold this belief in the forefront of my mind, and

to find ways to love, nurture, motivate, encourage, and foster resilience in my students and to

promote excellence in the arts.