Hi everybody! This is my second update on my Presidential Scholarship project! You know how most semesters have that slow build to craziness? Yeah, not this one! It started off full steam! In a way it’s a blessing. I have been able to jump right into my project and get started on the work. It is so exciting to be able to share my project with the pedagogy class and receive such enthusiasm and interest in return.
This project has been almost 6 months in the making. I had applied for the scholarship, built a voice curriculum, met with my faculty mentors, made and met contacts in the schools, taken meetings and speaking presentations, organized schedules, and now finally got to add the last piece of the puzzle, the CSUN students from Pedagogy. Vocal Pedagogy is a required class that all vocal performance majors have to take to graduate at CSUN. In the class, students learn about the anatomy of the voice, vocal health, and voice training. As a sophomore, I remembered coming into the class feeling insecure about my knowledge of the voice. I could not accurately describe the head voice and chest voice muscles and was not even aware of the inner workings of the vocal mechanism. I also entered the class without even having taught voice. This all changed. I learned all about the vocal mechanism. I became thoroughly acquainted with the various technical problems and how to fix them. This class completely changed the way I approached singing. I loved the academic yet practical approach it took to singing and I excelled in that setting. Additionally, I took on one of my piano students as a voice student. I was so nervous! What if I messed up their voice? What if I said something wrong? What if I didn’t know something? All these fears played in my head. However, none of these were founded in reality. I soon discovered that my knowledge about the voice was better than I imagined it to be. I understood more than I gave myself credit for. While in music school, it is easy to compare yourself to the other voice majors. You compare your range, tone, and skill with your peers. This constant comparison is not helpful to the ultimate pursuit of developing your own talent. I found that this comparison had led to me doubting my own knowledge of the voice. Teaching allowed me the confidence to be secure in my vocal expertise. Because of this transformative effect teaching had in my life, I am determined to make this available to my fellow voice majors taking pedagogy. Teaching gives a direct outlet to change other people’s lives for the better! I am proud to be facilitating voice lessons in my project and excited for the project to be off the ground and running! I am so thankful for all the interest and support I have received from colleagues, friends, teachers, and family. You all have been so kind and encouraging to me as I complete my project! Please subscribe to the blog to automatically get updates and keep asking questions! I am excited about this year and am so happy to be sharing all of these great things with you!
September 23, 2017
William
2 comments
Hi Wil,
We are so thrilled wth your enthusiasm and sharing your gift. What good is a gift if you don’t share it with others. Think of all the people who have invested in your talent, and look where you are taking it to others. In reality, it’s your ministry. We are so proud of you.
We love you with all our hearts.
Grandpa and Grandma Shaw
(p.s. What does Pedagogy?)
Thanks! I appreciate all the kind words! Oh! Pedagogy is the method or practice of teaching, especially in an academic setting. In this situation, I was referring to vocal pedagogy, how to teach singing!