My Beliefs about equity and affirmation:

I believe all students have the right to be treated with respect and dignity. Students should not be judged and categorized based on their backgrounds and beliefs. All students are different and deserve fair treatment not based on social and personal biases.

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Why I believe equity and affirmation is important:

People are not born with and given the same opportunities as each other and it is my responsibility as a teacher to fill in the gaps and provide resources, opportunities and encouragement to help students excel in my classroom. I want to do my part to get rid of the barriers keeping students from succeeding and thriving in my classroom. Since not every person is the same, I want to do my best to cater to all needs, not just the ones I can see. Equity and affirmation is important for everyone. Students and teachers alike can benefit from its use or decline due to its absence. 

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Views on programming concerts and musical activities:

I believe concerts should have a wide variety of repertoire that represent different cultures as well as the “traditional” rep. like Mozart, Strauss, Tchaikovsky. The pieces chosen should help the ensemble grow their musical and social knowledge. Musical activities in the classroom should also be diverse and come from an informed background by both the teacher and the students. 

I think it is important for people to program songs that do not all sound the same or come from the same background of music and composers. There should be diversity in composers, style, and background in each concert. 

I am going to choose rep that firstly, can be used to help my students have a better understanding of the musical skills they are learning. I will have music examples that are from a diverse background, and be sure to explain everything needed to play the music the correct way.

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Views on how students participate in music-making:

I believe students should participate to the best of their ability. If someone is not able to play their instrument, I would want them to do whatever they could do that would help reach the ultimate goal of being able to play an instrument. I know for some people the ultimate goal will not be playing an instrument, in that case, I would want them to do what is comfortable to them and in the process, create music. I will search for outside opportunities for my students to perform, observe music making, and be taught music to help students feel more connected to the class and to music. I will have options available for my students to do what makes them feel like they can succeed.

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Views on what is student-centered learning and choice:

To create an equitable environment, it is vital to have student-centered learning and choice in the classroom. Giving students options and choices inherently keeps them more invested and engaged in their learning. It is the teacher’s responsibility to listen to the needs of the students and make lessons according to those needs.

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Tangible and observable classroom examples I will enact in my classroom:

I will be a role model for equitable and affirming acts towards my students and peers. I will differentiate my lessons to ensure every student can understand and retain the knowledge given. Final assessments will have the option to be shown or presented in different ways. Every day, students will be greeted by me in a way of their choice, like waving or a hi-five. The classroom will be centered around student choice. Classroom rules will be made as a class, both students and teacher will have a say.

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Connections Between My Teaching Philosophy and Equity and Affirmation Beliefs:

One of the main points of my teaching philosophy is that to be an effective teacher, I must get to know my students. Getting to know my students sounds small and obvious, but its impact will be great and powerful. It is also one of the first steps to creating an equity and affirmation filled classroom. Having diverse repertoire is another important aspect of having an equitable and affirming environment. I want students to feel seen in the music we create together.