Throughout the 2016-2017 ISM program, I plan to experience the atmosphere of an elementary classroom, specifically in a music education setting. The quality of a lesson plan will determine the success of a class, as well as the amount of attention a teacher will receive. I strive to enhance my understanding of purposeful ways to engage and instruct students of all ages, while maintaining a controlled classroom. I will focus my studies through the lens of shame and worthiness, in order to enhance productive student-teacher relationships and to avoid a negative outlook on learning. The Independent Study and Mentorship program will help me to gain knowledge and establish relations with mentors and professionals in the elementary music education field, in turn providing a solid foundation in future job opportunities.
Hannah is a junior at Reedy High School. She was born in Austin, TX, before moving to Frisco in 2008. She has been interested in singing since she was three years old, and began playing the piano when she was in the fifth grade. In school, Hannah participates in the theatre arts program, and has performed in school productions during each year of high school. She enjoys playing the piano, singing, and acting, as well as spending time with her friends, family, and two dogs, Margo and Sigmund. Hannah is currently the lead singer of her church youth band, U-Turn, and has a song out on i-Tunes. Because of her love for music, combined with her passion for interacting with young children, she decided to focus her studies on the field of elementary music education. Through this, she will have the opportunity to interact with teachers in the field at a variety of elementary schools, as well as to talk with many child therapists, so that she might better understand the many requirements and expectations of a teacher. Because Hannah has had many personal experiences in a classroom setting in which she either directly or indirectly experienced shame in response to the reaction of a teacher, she has decided to focus her studies through the lens of shame versus worthiness. She hopes to bring the issue of the use of shame in classrooms to the attention of more teachers and school staff, so that this relevant topic can be further addressed and hopefully reduced or extinguished.
In the future, Hannah hopes to attend either Vanderbilt University or Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, to earn her Bachelor's Degree in K-12 education with a certification in music education. Later, she may return to school to earn her Master's Degree specifically in the music field. Thus far, she does not have any specific plans as to where she wants to pursue her career in elementary music education.