Running head: SELF-INQUIRY 1

Self-Inquiry: Selecting the dream

Justin Gamache

EDDC 620

Concordia University

SELF-INQUIRY 2

Self-Inquiry: Selecting the dream

This paper is about the pursuit of the dream, and how that dream has become a great

reward and love to my working life. In this paper, I will discuss what I like to do, how my role

plays a vital importance to the organization, and how I use the feedback provided to improve my

workflow and class for my students. Lastly, in this paper, I will discuss the self-report analysis,

and how my analysis accepts criticism over praise.

Current Workplace

Selecting the dream is much better than doing a job that you just don’t feel in tuned to

achieve. I like teaching music, and enjoy watching students be creative in making music. It can

be a difficult task to be creative in music at times but teaching students to not give up at it, and to

accept the exciting adventure that comes along with making music is by far the empowerment I

like in teaching music. It is my dream to teach music, and there is no better wise selection for me

at this time because it turns work into a lifelong game I can play, win or lose. I have lived trying

to understand music, how I can be better at it, how I can explore my options in music, and how I

can create a learning environment where my promise continues to thrive to produce well-

rounded and independent musicians who can enter and enhance our society in a variety of ways

— as professional musicians, music educators, music consumers, music advocates, and lifelong

musicians! Teaching music allows for me to do my best work because I am able to pursue my

dream in helping fellow students be expressive, creative, have fun, and overall enjoy the positive

rewards of watching my students grow in music education.

I see my role as music teacher vital to the organization because I get to provide

instructions to teach music performance and theory. I am able to teach students one-on-one or in

a group setting. I am also able to teach more than one musical instruments, which allows me to

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provide a diversity to my teaching level. My role as music teacher also provides the arts for the

community like preparing for concerts which the students after all their hard work to get to their

performance level in group, and private lessons gets to perform in front of the community. My

role as music teacher is also vitally important because by teaching students to be a part of music,

students are able to build their self-esteem in class, and in the world. To explain how I have to

this conclusion, my single philosophy of music education for K–12 is inappropriate except when

speaking of music in the broadest of terms. The need for more than one philosophy is not

surprising with a subject as broad and diverse as music, one that provides so many beneficial

outcomes that will help students be creative, be a part of the community, build self-esteem, and

have the ability to have something to look forward to learning.

One major important way I receive substantive feedback is through a quantitative

evaluation system where students tell me what they think and how they would like to see class

run. This evaluation is part to help students feel more comfortable and confident in class. When

the evaluation is complete, all answers of the evaluation are kept confidential and are acted upon

to improve the mobility level of the class so that students can improve their learning in music

education.

Self-Report Analysis

Some of the things that surprised me about the self-report is that it was right on with my

thoughts, of course I like to do music and teach the subject but most of all I like to improve the

quality of teaching in the subject the most. By means of improving the quality of teaching music,

I mean that students should be allowed to learn how to express themselves in music because it

builds a students’ self-esteem and improves their overall health. What also surprised me is that

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when asked, what talents do you have that you haven’t developed? After thinking about this

question, I did respond none. But reading Hallowell’s (2011) response to “don’t say none” (p.

53), I immediately thought that there are more talents I may want to learn to develop to make my

job even better.

I learned that the environment I am currently working allows me to help others learn,

while also helping myself learn about how I can efficiently teach music education in the most

positive way that will allow not just the students to grapple and grow, but allow the community

to take place in the environment I am teaching. I believe that there are more skills that I need to

understand, and involving the community will help develop my own personal skills in

leadership.

I believe that seeking criticism is a major key in learning, and keeps the minds open to

the views of others and to learning. It is about how to change other’s views so they can learn, and

it’s about how to avoid feeling bad when criticized so you can learn. When I immediately

responded none to question four, and then continuing reading for Hallowell’s response to say

don’t say none, because we all have something that we need to develop. Immediately made me

think of six impossible ways to improve my life, and how I could turn those six impossible

things into something possible. Praise is never a good a thing because it doesn’t allow us to

learn, it only gives us a good feeling that we did something so we don’t have to do it again.

I learned that I will not give up no matter what happens in my life or job, and that I am

always open to learning new things but may need some encouragement from my students to

learn something new. I am definitely a quick learner, and the environment in which I am

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currently working will inspire my abilities to change my students and co-workers lives through

the empowerment of music education.

Based on my self-report, I feel I am currently in a position that best represents who I am.

I am a learner that catches on quickly, and a teacher that accepts mind over matter. I don’t give

up easy, and when the time calls to reflect I give my fullest emotion on subjects that truly matter.

In the learning atmosphere of music education, which is a deep subject I have been devoted to

for the past 25 years. You know the calling when you hear that voice in your head whispering to

you to do something, and then you acknowledge the voice. It just feels right to teach music

because it doesn’t fight you, it only makes you better, and builds your integrity to remain sane.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the most important finding of this self-inquiry explains what I like to do,

and that I have strong leadership skills to help guide students to learn and grow in music

education. I am a person that doesn’t give up easily, and will continue to evolve my learning and

teaching capacity to improve the learning environment in music. I have a sense of care, and

acknowledge my responsibilities to improve the learning environment at my current workplace.

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References

Hallowell, E. M. (2011). Shine: Using brain science to get the best from your people. Boston,

MA: Harvard Business Review Press.

Nass, C. & Yen, C. (2012). The man who lied to his laptop. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Robinson, K. (2011). Out of our minds: Learning to be creative. West Sussex, UK: Capstone

Publishing Ltd.