As I come to a close on my undergraduate career here at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, I can't help but reminisce on the memories and friendships I have created as well as the experiences and connections I have made while here. I have been given amazing opportunities and I am enthusiastic to share my knowledge with the world.
I was asked at the beginning of my final semester "Why is there a disconnect among students here at Crane when they go out to student teach? Why can't they connect the dots on everything they have learned?" My Response: College is not a four year undergraduate experience. You have three years to make an impact on your teachers, then you have 1/2 a year to put your theories to practice and 1/2 a year to prepare for your life outside of Crane. In your first three years of undergraduate you don't obtain the information as well because people spend a lot of their weekends doing the things they aren't suppose to be doing. Furthermore, techniques classes are not just a semester course you should be keeping up on your secondaries and piano until you graduate. In addition, conducting is not just a two semester course in which you can master it. These requires years of practice to master and understand. A lot of students prepare for the test and forget about it but these are life long skills we need. Undergraduate Students also need to understand that you need to keep an open mind about the theories that are taught. You don't have to listen to them but take from them lessons to be learned. You can say "I will never use that in my class" or "Okay, I can use this is X situation" or "I kind of like this maybe I will use it." Then I think students would feel more prepared for student teaching.
I was asked at the beginning of my final semester "Why is there a disconnect among students here at Crane when they go out to student teach? Why can't they connect the dots on everything they have learned?" My Response: College is not a four year undergraduate experience. You have three years to make an impact on your teachers, then you have 1/2 a year to put your theories to practice and 1/2 a year to prepare for your life outside of Crane. In your first three years of undergraduate you don't obtain the information as well because people spend a lot of their weekends doing the things they aren't suppose to be doing. Furthermore, techniques classes are not just a semester course you should be keeping up on your secondaries and piano until you graduate. In addition, conducting is not just a two semester course in which you can master it. These requires years of practice to master and understand. A lot of students prepare for the test and forget about it but these are life long skills we need. Undergraduate Students also need to understand that you need to keep an open mind about the theories that are taught. You don't have to listen to them but take from them lessons to be learned. You can say "I will never use that in my class" or "Okay, I can use this is X situation" or "I kind of like this maybe I will use it." Then I think students would feel more prepared for student teaching.