Introduction to a Music Educator

Hi, I'm Kayla!

     I'm a senior majoring in Instrumental Music Education and French. This is my last semester of classes, and then in the fall I'll student teach.
     Being a music major is a pretty unique way to experience college; for the first two or three years, we're all in the same building all day, taking one music class after another with the same group of 10-20 people. Everyone has to do 5 semesters of theory, 4 semesters of aural skills, 4 semesters of piano, 4 semesters of musicology (music history), and then if you're an education major, all of the instrumental methods classes AND music ed courses. As you can imagine, there's a pretty tight sense of community -- and that's without even considering the studio you're in every single semester or the ensembles you perform with. It's typical for a music ed major to be in up to 13 classes on top of their obligation to practice every day. All of this adds up to a group of very busy, very sleepy, VERY stressed musicians who resent everyone and everything but each other (...but honestly, sometimes each other too).
     After I graduate, I'd like to teach middle school band for a few years in an urban school district. Then, I'd like to go to grad school for either music ed or musicology. 
     My ultimate dream in life is to do research, regardless of the field I wind up in. If I go into music ed, I'd like to explore the ways music education can help close the achievement gap between low- and high-income students. There has been some promising research on this topic published only recently, so I'm really excited about its possibilities for the future! If I decide to pursue musicology, I think I'd like to focus on either the influence of Romantic culture on the fin du siècle Paris Conservatoire or on the influence of French colonialism on the musical traditions in Senegal. Clearly, I'm the type of person with way too many interests, and my biggest challenge in life has always been picking which of my passions to pursue.
     In addition to music and French, I also enjoy writing and painting, two things I'd do in my free time if I had any. I tend to follow politics pretty closely, because I think it's important to stay informed and active. 
     I've lived in Norman since the first grade, so this town is definitely my home. I have a cat and a dog, both of whom I would spend every waking (and sleeping) moment with if at all possible. 

My dog is half golden retriever and half corgi. He's pretty dumb, but really loving and goofy. 

My cat is very small, skittish, and affectionate. She didn't love her Hallowe'en costume this year.