Alexandra Finnie

Psychology of Music Teaching

Professor: Dr. Mick

I found Psychology of Music Teaching to be a stimulating and invigorating class. I had

the opportunity to read and discuss about several learning theories, educational psychologists,

and teaching methods. Studying and learning about behaviorism, cognitivism,

constructivism, humanism, social aspects of learning, several important psychologists, and

other learning theories, is relevant to my teaching practice because it can help me make

informed choices for how to create a learning environment that best fulfills my goals as an

educator. It has also given me the opportunity to reflect on the type of learning experiences that

I want to provide for my students. For example, our discussions surrounding learning theories

have helped me better understand the benefits of provide constructivist learning opportunities

for my students (Piaget, Bruner). Teaching can very easily become teacher-centered where the

teacher transmits information to students. It often takes more effort and planning to create

context-based student-centered activities, but these activities can be very rewarding and much

more meaningful for the students (Pogonowski, Dewey, Locke). I also discovered that learning

in a constructivist manner can also help encourage positive student motivation. Although I have

learned to appreciate the constructivist teaching methods much more, I also see the benefits of

other learning theories, so I will continue to teach in other ways as well. My goal is to add a bit

more constructivist ideas into the mixture of my teaching. I plan on continuing to reflect and

evaluate the type of teaching activities that I include in my lesson plans so that I can continue to

grow (Dweck) in order to best meet the needs of my students, and provide them with a well-

rounded educational experience that will benefit each student.

This class also introduced me to the way that the brain processes and learns music. I

found this portion of our class to be very interesting. I am excited by the stories that we

discussed of how music can help people with alzheimer's and babies with developmental
complications. I believe that it is important for young musicians to learn about the various

functions of music in relation to medicine, health, and therapy, so that they can develop a

deeper understanding the power of music. It is also very important for music educators to

understand part of why music is so special based on the parts of the brain that are activated

through music-making. I also learned that sharing pictures and examples of how the brain

functions and processes new information to students can give them visual evidence of how

learning occurs (Dweck). This can help them better understand the importance of practicing,

and reinforces that effort and hardwork can make them more successful.

To me, one of the most impactful parts of this class relates to the concept of effort and

facing challenges. I was introduced to Carol Dwecks mindset theory. I had never heard of this

theory before, taking this psychology class, but it has made a life-changing and lasting

impression on me. The importance of fostering a growth mindset within each of my students has

become one of my primary objectives. I want to instill a habit of goal-setting and an attitude of

determination and perseverance within my students. I will approach my teaching by providing

my students with growth opportunities so that they can form the belief within themselves that

effort leads to improvement and will help them achieve their goals.