Teaching

A teacher empowers students to become who they are

My authority as a teacher flows from my respect for students' fundamental human dignity. In service of the Common Good, I create inclusive learning environments where students can move beyond approval-seeking and learned helplessness toward their authentic selves—characterized by creativity, resilience, and purpose. By meeting students where they are, I guide their journey from false constraints toward genuine intellectual and personal fulfillment.

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy in Action

The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduate students’ college readiness and mental health has been obvious, however, even as early as 2018, a survey by the American College Health Association found that nearly 90% of undergraduate students reported feeling overwhelmed by their workload, and nearly 40% reported at least one instance of debilitating depression in the previous year. In order to address these issues, I created the Freshman Seminar “Music, Resilience, and Life Skills,” with the goal of addressing student wellbeing issues, enhancing academic potential, and ideally, improving retention.

I have also worked with the staff of the Learning Excellence program and other student services at HPU including Peer-Assisted Learning Services, the Writing Center, Counseling Services, and the Office of Career and Professional Development in order to to coordinate my pedagogy with their coaching. Most recently, I addressed significant gaps in my knowledge by completing the FSU certification programs, College Student Wellbeing: Trauma and Resilience, and The Fundamentals of Neurodiversity. I will compete all three Credentials in Universal Design by the end of the year

Teaching Responsibilities

  • SoTL Scholar, 2022-24

    DIS 1000 Music, Resilience, and Life Skills (4 cr.) “Intellectual Discovery” - first-year seminar

    MUS 1600 Human Dimensions of Music (4 cr.) in-person and online sections

    MUS 1620 Traditional and Popular Music of Japan (4 cr.) in-person and online sections

    MUS 1650 Coding Musical Soundscapes (4 cr.)

  • Honors Faculty Fellow, 2019-22, 2022-25

    HNR 1103 Working Class Protest Cultures (4 cr.)team taught - discontinued

    HNR 2503 Aesthetic Inquiry: Hip-Hop (4 cr.) involves studio work

    HNR 2509 Aesthetic Inquiry: Country Music (4 cr.) involves studio work

    HNR 2513 Aesthetic Inquiry: Musical Cultures on Foot (4 cr.) Place-as-Text pedagogy

    HNR 3603 Scholar Seminar: Music and Identity (4 cr.) 40% student-led

    HNR 4900 Life, Work, and the Liberal Arts (2 cr.) senior capstone with ePortfolio development

  • Coordinator of Musicianship curriculum

    MUS 2011 Musicianship II: Arranging (4 cr.)

    MUS 4000 Synthesis and Capstone Planning (2 cr.)

Teaching Methodology

I seek to create a positive class culture, mentor students in building skills over time, and curate experiences that challenge the students' understanding of themselves and the world. I use active, experiential pedagogy, and an ungrading system that creates a safe space for experimentation, risk-taking, and creativity. I prototype new approaches continually, and the links to the right provide an overview of the significant elements of my teaching style.

Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness

My principal goal in any teaching environment is to help students and colleagues “become who they are”—to enhance their strengths, access creativity and resilience, and develop a sense of purpose. The following demonstrates my effectiveness as an educator through pedagogical innovation, student engagement, responsiveness to feedback, and professional recognition.

Courses in Development

  • MUS 1600 Human Dimensions of Music (Short Fiction focus) - prototype, Summer Session II, 2024 Syllabus

  • MUS 1650 Coding Musical Soundscapes - prototype, Summer Advantage, 2024 Syllabus

  • ITG 3013 The Psalms and Music - developed in collaboration with Dr. Kelsey Spinnato - prototype, 2025 Sample Syllabus

  • ITG 3XXX Sociology of Music - in development in collaboration with Dr. Mark Plume

  • 3000-level MUS or HNR 2500 Anton Bruckner and his World - in development

  • 3000-level MUS or HNR 2500 The Mid-Century American Symphony - in development

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Research