Jackie Bakewell

              Webster’s Dictionary defines music as “vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds that have rhythm, melody, or harmony.” Any individual, including myself, who has ever had the distinct pleasure of being able to study and create music knows that this definition is technically correct, but fails to mention what makes music truly worth our time.

 

              Music is academic by nature. We read, write, and create. It is the only subject in school that backs all of Howard Gardner’s eight multiple intelligences and has been consistently linked to higher scores on standardized testing and in subjects like science and math. However, music is also affective by nature, and this is where it’s uniqueness lies. Music as a product and a process teaches us the ability to interpret and express our feelings in cultural and social contexts, and offers us the courage to act using those abilities for the betterment of ourselves and others. In a time when study after study continues to tell us that student mental health is declining, music serves a higher purpose.

 

              I am a music educator because music has always been a constant good in my life. I have been incredibly fortunate to be afforded outstanding music education throughout my life, and want to give that same opportunity to our future generation. It is my turn to create a musical environment for my students that contributes to their success as young people, students, and musicians. In order to create that environment, I teach with these three words in mind: comfortable, capable, and confident. I strive to create an environment and establish rapport with my students that ensures they feel welcome, respected, valued, and safe (comfortable) in my classroom. I believe it is only then that can they can truly learn the information necessary to be deemed musically and creatively capable. Once students prove this capability to themselves through independent work, contribution to class activities and receiving positive feedback from me, I see students become confident at their progress, take on more challenges and continue to grow.

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              I have taught in a wide variety of settings, including classroom, mommy-and-me, specialized group classes, semi-private lessons, one-on-one lessons and master classes. My students have ranged in age from 4 months to 85 years old, and have each reinforced those classic Wicked, "For Good"  lyrics-- "Because I knew you, I have been changed for good."