Statement of Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy closely follows Carl Rogers, who said “How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for their own personal growth?” Jazz legend and pedagogue Butch Morris would often challenge his students’ imaginations, directing and empowering them to “Have an idea!” and “If you’re a student of music and you don’t have a question, you’re in trouble.” With this in mind, my teaching and learning philosophy rests on three principle actions: Exploration, Enaction, and Articulation. Influenced by James Gibson’s ecological psychology, and Christopher Smalls’ notion of musicking, I aim to guide my students to make conscious contact with their embodied knowledge, and nurture their growth into fully integrated musicians.
I have written on specific curricular tools I’ve developed for use in music theory and aural skills courses designed to bridge the theory classroom with students’ backgrounds and personal musical goals. Ultimately I aim to nourish and empower students’ capacity to construct a theoretical scaffolding that supports their own creative work, be it composition, interpretive or historical performance, or critical scholarship. Students, rather than having “learned theory” as traditionally conceived, in essence, become theorists.
Experience
2019 Harvard University, Mind-Brain-Behavior Initiative | Cambridge, MA
Teaching Fellow | The Role of Music in Health and Education
2019 Northeastern University, Department of Music | Boston, MA
Instructor | Music Analysis Seminar
2018-19 Kutztown University, Department of Music | Kutztown, PA
Scholar-In-Residence, Full-time Instructor (18 units)
2016-17 Chapman University, Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music | Orange, CA
Adjunct Professor | Psychology of Music
2015-18 University of California, San Diego, Department of Music | San Diego, CA
Associate Instructor, Teaching Assistant (40 units)
2012-13 Life Pacific College | San Dimas, CA
Adjunct professor (9 units)
2011-13 Azusa Pacific University, School of Music | Azusa, CA
Adjunct professor (40 units)
Courses as instructor of record: 83 Units
- Theory/Harmony
- Fundamentals of Music | Azusa Pacific University, F2011/12 (Course Evaluation)
- Music Theory I | Azusa Pacific University S2012/13, Life Pacific College F2012, Kutztown University F2018/S2019 (Syllabus, Course Evaluation)
- Music Theory II | Azusa Pacific University, S2011 (Syllabus, Course Evaluation)
- Music Theory III |Azusa Pacific University, S2012/2013 (Syllabus, Course Evaluation)
- Music Analysis Seminar | Northeastern University, F2019 (Syllabus, Course Evaluation)
- Music of the 20th Century|UC San Diego, W2017 (Syllabus)
- Psychology of Music
- Graduate | Kutztown University, S2019 (Syllabus)
- Undergraduate | Hall-Musco Conservatory at Chapman Univ. F2016/17 (Syllabus, Course Evaluation)
- The Role of Music in Health and Education | Harvard University, F2019 (Teaching Fellow) F2019 (Course Description)
- Hip Hop Music and Culture| Kutztown University, S2019 (Syllabus)
- Film Music| UC San Diego, S2017 (Syllabus, Course Evaluation)
- Keyboard|Life Pacific College, S2013
- Applied Composition|Azusa Pacific University, S2013
- Introduction to Music Literature |Kutztown University, F2018 (Syllabus, Course Evaluation)
- Introduction to Music Technology | Life Pacific College, F2012 (Syllabus)
- Fundamentals of Music Business| (Syllabus)
James Gutierrez, Ph.D. 