Troy Jakubiec – Teaching Philosophy

My name is Troy Lucas Jakubiec; I am a graduate of the Bachelor of Music, and post-
baccalaureate Education programs at Vancouver Island University. Music is my passion, and I
look forward to passing on this inspiration, and finding the hidden talent that lies within
everyone. I believe that teaching is something that should be cherished, and someone who has
made an impact positively on someone’s life is someone to be held in high regard.
When I was a student, I was very fortunate to have been graced by several educators who
were very passionate about what they were teaching, while also taking great interest in the future
of their student. I give a lot of credit for the path that I have chosen to these great mentors in my
life. Perhaps, if I can inspire even just a few students in the same way that these figures have
influenced my life, then maybe I can feel satisfied.
I have many philosophies in regards to music and education, others will become apparent
over time, but for the time being it is safe to say that a teacher must create a safe environment to
grow and flourish. I believe in setting a structured environment, yet placing enough freedoms to
allow for growth. One should know the rules in music theory before he is able to break them.
That being said, once we know which music theory rules we can break we can begin to create
and flourish as musicians.
The goal for music education should be for growth and development of the individual
through the learning of music. This is probably a common thread throughout most subjects, not
unique to music classes. In an ESL environment, this means using the shared understanding of
music to learn the necessary vocabulary in music, so that students may have a chance to express
deeper interests as they become global citizens. In a broader sense, the skills learned in music
classes such as teamwork, independence can also carry through their day to day life in academia.
However, I would argue that music (and the arts) inherently offers something that other subjects
may not: a place where they may be valued for their individuality and encourages a freedom of
expression.
Each week my students record a video of themselves to upload to Canvas from a section
of music we have learned as a class. Each week as subjects present themselves, I add a new
category to the rubric; rhythm, pitch dynamics, articulation and technique (posture, use of a
plectrum, etc). Doing this frees up time that would otherwise be used for class rehearsal, and
allows me to provide succinct individualised feedback for each of my students. At the end of the
class, after our final performance, I ask the students to watch each of their performances and
reflect on their growth through our time together.
The purpose of education is to grant the gift of knowledge upon our students in an open
and creative manneor. It is much more effective for the students to discover the information on
their own. As an educator, I will do all that I can to lead the students to the “a-ha!” moments. I
hold the students’ wellbeing at the top most priority. Student identity is very important to me. I
believe that students learn best in an positive, active, and engaging environment. Structure is
important, but we must strive to keep things interesting. Teachers work with student's best when
there is a level of mutual respect, as well as a feeling of trust between the two parties.
The methods of teaching, especially in music that isis most effective, is by show and
experience: when someone has heard what they are supposed to sound like (either by someone
playing in front of them, or by a recorded CD) they can move forward and know what the end
goal is. In terms of assessment, regular playing tests are crucial, making sure that the difficult
areas of the piece are being played properly. The playing tests can be in groups or in individual
playing. Sometimes, getting the students to record themselves is effective to get them to hear
 Troy Jakubiec – Teaching Philosophy

how they sound, instead of how they think they sound. This can boost their confidence, when
they stop focusing on the little details, and learn to work on the big picture.
My philosophy on teaching music is that anyone can create and produce music, if
properly guided. I don’t believe that anyone is incapable of making music, it’s just a matter of
practicing and listening, just like any other life skill. To play this out in my band room, I
encourage students to be welcoming of others’ opinions and ideas: everyone has a voice and that
is what makes us who we are.
With regard to student work, it should be cherished. If someone has written a piece or
even just a melody, it should be played at the very least in the classroom, and hopefully in the
concert. If someone has made a recording of some sort, it could be featured on a CD to be sold at
band concerts along with other student work. In the end, we want to encourage, not discourage. I
will go through the song that they have made to make sure it follows the rules of theory and
voice-leading. Whether or not the student actually achieves the expectation at face value is not
the point. The journey to reach those heights is how the student truly discovers their voice, their
art and themselves. I will provide the student with every bit of information that I can to guide
them through their journey. But ultimately, the job of all teachers is to take the student to the
point where they don’t need us anymore.
Daily assignments consist of written quizzes (formative assessment), but I would also
assign a listening log (summative assessment), where the student will be asked to listen to an
album and they to write their thoughts about it. Some teachers assign practice records and get
their parents to sign it. When I was in school I felt that this wasn’t very effective. Unfortunately
some students would end up simply forging their parent’s signatures and making up the time that
they spent practicing their instrument. I have decided that instead of assigning Practice Logs
alone for my class, I would like to assign the aforementioned ‘listening logs’ for the students to
do at home. I have asked the students to listen to an album of music of their choice, and write
their thoughts about the music, this way they would have to think critically and do something
that is relevant to their interests. I felt that this is more effective, because when I was a student,
this is what kept me interested in music. It is possible to forget what music is meant to sound
like, when you get hung up in your own sound. I want to have the students listening critically to
music and begin formulating their own opinions as to whether this is the kind of music they
wanted to make. That is what I’ll mark them on: their critical thinking of what they think about
the music, along with general biographical information like “who is on the album?” and “when
was it recorded?” Students thinking critically will have a more success finding a job in this 21st
century way of thinking, and if I can help them get there, I have done my job as an educator.
The other form of summative assessment is by playing tests: getting the students to play a
selection of challenging music and marking them on a system of things that we have agreed upon
in class. I can do this in a group setting or one-on-one. In a group setting, the students get a
chance to take ownership and learn to take on a role of leadership role. Transversely, by doing
this test one-on-one, it shows where the students are in terms of playing, which you cannot
always tell in a group situation. It also gets the students to learn the most important passages in
the piece and gives them motivation for practice.
My ideal classroom environment is one where everyone actively listens and pays
attention to the rest of the band. There should be only one person talking, (usually the teacher) if
they are not busy playing. The class should be filled with music-making, rather than lecturing.
The relationship with other colleagues should be one of respect, and approachability. Everyone
must be working with one common goal; providing the students with the best experience they
 Troy Jakubiec – Teaching Philosophy

can have during their high school years and where the students are safe to grow intellectually and
creatively.
Support from parents is crucial for the band room to function effectively. Fundraising will be
important in order that the students can go on the field trips which allow them to learn about
music and for the group to become a cohesive group.
I am a Social Constructivist, as lead by the beliefs and theories of Lev Vygotsky. I
strongly believe that people learn to their maximum potential in a group setting. This is essential
with music, as you can practice your instrument for hours on your own, but it is not until you
bring it all together that it makes sense. This is directly related to the zone of proximal
development. Telling someone to learn a song is a difficult task to master, but with the guidance
and support of peers and a knowledgeable person, the possibilities open wide. I believe in giving
the opportunities to learn songs on their own and pick up new discoveries as they occur. By
allowing the students to discover the infinite possibilities of music either by recorded or live
music you allow for personal growth.
Graded music exams provide a structured framework for progression from beginner to
advanced musician. The point of the grading structure in the band room is to give the students
clear goals of what is expected that they will learn. Practice tests should be a regular thing. The
point of a practice test is a summative way for the student to learn how to play a part of music.
This helps the band in a number of ways because now the part is learned, and usually tricky parts
are usually the important parts. They will be scored on a criteria confirmed by the students
themselves. The students will agree which are the most important parts of musicianship, but
ultimately it will come down to phrasing, articulation, dynamics, tone etc. They will get their
total score by a percentage of everything they have done in the semester. Everything counts for
something.
The inclusive classroom: the only way to reach every student, and make connections with
everyone in the room is by using variety. As a band teacher, I cannot afford to spend 20 minutes
working with one section, getting nowhere. Once it comes to the point where one group of
instruments doesn’t know their part, they must be told that they need to go home and learn their
parts, and make sure that there is an expectation that for the next class, they will have learned
how to play that section. On the other hand, it is important to go through the class and listen to
each section individually and make sure everything works as a unit. By doing this, everyone will
have a chance to share their craft. Those that have practiced should be commended for their
efforts and given constructive feedback so that they can move forward to the next level. I try not
to spend too long on any given task, allocating specific moments of subtlety to connect with the
students. For example, I might go through the class as everyone is practicing on their parts and
say “your tone is really coming along, I can tell you’ve been playing your long-tones a lot more
recently. Next you can work with a metronome and work on your sense of rhythm, because your
eighth notes still need straightening out.” Individualized feedback is very important to the
growth of the students and this is why teacher subject knowledge is very important. A student
will know if you are making something up just for the sake of giving them feedback and
everything must be pertinent to get them motivated to move on to the next task.
For these reasons I believe it is the duty of the schools and districts to provide the opportunity of
arts and health education. Especially now at a time where young people's mental health is in dire
need of collective adjustment. Young people need a place where they can be proud of who they
are and valued for being one-of-a-kind.
 Troy Jakubiec – Teaching Philosophy

I’m sure I will learn more as I go along. I do not claim to know everything, and I will maintain
that the eagerness to learn and discover will be important. This attitude will be passed on to my
students which will lead to a lifetime of discoveries.