A student teacher works with a music class at a local school.
Ithaca’s commitment to hands-on, field-based learning means you’ll be observing classes in your freshman and sophomore years and teaching classes in your junior year -- earlier than in most undergraduate programs. Two years of study in the basics -- teaching techniques and educational psychology, for example -- gets you ready for the classroom. Then, to help hone your teaching skills, you’ll receive one-on-one advice from a teaching professional and a mentor. In your senior year you’ll student teach full-time in a public school and receive even more professional feedback. The program is tailored to vocal and instrumental music education; keyboard and guitar majors follow the vocal curriculum.
When you graduate from our program, you'll have initial New York State teaching certification, which is honored in most other states as well.
At Ithaca you’ll discover that your professors and your fellow students are devoted to improving their own and each other's musicianship.
When you need advice or additional help or just feel like chatting, you'll find that faculty doors are open. Maybe you’ll be urged to attend a particular concert, meet a visiting artist, consider a different interpretation of a piece you’re performing, or enter a specific competition. Or your professor might make sure you have a student-teaching assignment that’s right for you or coach you through the graduate school application process.
Whatever the specifics, our faculty take an interest in you as an individual and personalize your instruction at every level. A student-faculty ratio of 8:1 and an emphasis on undergraduate education are key features of our approach to teaching and learning.
As for your peers, one student put it this way: "The students here are teachers, too; we all inspire each other." Indeed, our students are known for their commitment to helping each other improve: at Ithaca, the most intense competitor you'll face is the one who looks back at you from the mirror.