While all music teachers of higher education share certain goals, there are probably as many subtle variations in teaching styles and philosophies as there are teachers. For me, there are two equally important principles which, I hope, guide my teaching. First is the respect for the uniqueness of each student; second is the goal of excellence.
At our initial interviews with prospective students we often ask them what they envision themselves doing with their music degrees. The answers run the gamut from the very realistic goal of being a high school band director to the not-so-likely goal of playing in the Chicago Symphony flute section. During the course of the student's college study these goals often change. Indeed, an education that does not challenge a student's assumptions about the reality of his or her dreams is not much of an education. For instance, many flutists who start out pursuing a performance degree find that they simply do not like to practice as much as it takes to become a professional musician. I never see this as a failure on either my part or theirs; instead, I view the college years as the time when students discover exactly who they are and what path they want to pursue "in the real world." If that path is somewhat different from the path they chose when they entered Lawrence so be it. I should point out that, contrary to the example given above, some students who initially choose music education find that practicing really agrees with them, and end up as very successful performance majors.
I do have high expectations regarding the quality of the work each student does; a music education or theory/composition major may practice fewer hours than a performance major, but those hours should accomplish certain goals, such as a full and resonant tone, accurate intonation, impeccable rhythm, etc. Whatever students end up doing with their lives, the discipline of efficient, well-focused practicing will serve them well. Those students who do decide to pursue flute performance in graduate school find that their work here as undergraduates provides them with a good foundation for further study.
-Ernestine Whitman
