Interview Questions Flashcards
Describe one of the courses you’d like to teach. How would it complement and/or enhance what you know of our curriculum?
For one of your topics classes, could you describe one particular subject or unit, explain how it fits into the larger structure of the class, and how you’d go about teaching this particular topic? In particular, could you speak to learning goals and types of assignments?
In the same (or another) topics class, how would you design the course, which includes a mix of students who can read music and have either sung or played an instrument for several years and students who have no traditional training and are taking the class out of mere curiosity but are, for instance, a
sociology major? How would this topic and course structure attract students who, for various reasons, haven’t traditionally felt welcome within departments of music?
What do you see as the challenges and rewards to teaching music at a liberal arts college?
Diversity Equity and Inclusion are important to the mission of Haverford College. How has your scholarship teaching or service contributed to fostering a more diverse equitable and inclusive environment or practice in the past and how might that be carried over as a Assistant Professor at Haverford ?
We’d likely ask you to teach Intro to Electronic Music and Music Theory courses in fall and offer courses of your own design in the spring. How would you prepare for the fall and what would you propose to offer in the spring?”
The introduction to Electronic Music and Sustainable Sound is for music major/minor and non-music students. I want to make this course available to anyone who wants to experience producing music and sound. I imagine an open framework where music and other disciplines, such as computer science, engineering, mathematics, and more, to mingle, share ideas, and support each other. My class consists of several modules designed to learn specific electronic music techniques and knowledge. For example, the 2nd module, TRRS board project, is for learning analog audio, precisely the differential signal concept. Students use a soldering iron and several electronic components to assemble and test how this theory works. The differential signal concept can be confusing, but it becomes actual when students use their hands. With little activities and my support, students will remember how the differential signal works for a longer time. With this kind of hands-on experience, students understand the fundamental theories and have an opportunity to create something new and experiment with ideas.
(or)
While teaching music theory for several years, I learned that writing music is a very effective practice for understanding music theory. However, music theory courses are not only for music composition majors; not everyone is comfortable writing music. So, over the semester, I assign small writing projects to help students eventually overcome the fear of writing music. Students begin writing a cantus firmus, first speicies, second, third, fourth, and fifth speicies counterpoint. These simple two-part writing practices will prepare students to utilize more complex harmony for their final project. With hands-on experience, students understand the fundamental theories and have an opportunity to create something new and experiment with ideas.
We have a number of “creatives” on our campus. These students want to make music and pursue courses that stimulate their progress. If you could design a course that might engage these types of students what might that be?
So why do you want to work with us at Haverford?
I want to work at Haverford College because Haverford is an ideal environment to pursue my teaching method and philosophy. While teaching at several colleges, I have met students with various backgrounds and learned that each student is unique and different. I did my undergraduate at a large research university, and I used to take large lectures where a professor was centered, and students passively received an education. My initial teaching style mimicked those large lectures, and soon I realized the professor-centered teaching method is challenging for educating diverse student bodies. Since then, I have tried to adopt ‘differentiated instruction’ where a teacher provides individualized content and personalized plan to each student in need. This approach was successful in a small classroom setting but was very challenging to pursue in a large lecture setting. I have learned Haverford has small class sizes. About 40% of classes are less than ten students, and about 80% are less than 20. That is perfect for executing my teaching method in a very effective way. At Haverford, I imagine my students will receive the education they deserve, and it will be my rewarding moment to see their success with my support.
How will you contribute to our mission, or to liberal arts education of undergraduates?
Haverford’s mission is to provide liberal arts education in the broadest sense, and it has chosen to remain small and to foster close student/faculty relationships to achieve its mission. Haverford’s mission is in harmony with my teaching philosophy and differentiated instruction which can be executed effectively in a small classroom environment to support students with diverse backgrounds. My specialty is music composition, especially writing and teaching music for acoustic instruments and electronics. My electronic music knowledge and course offerings will complement and diversify the current music curriculum. Developing an interdisciplinary music technology course has an enormous potential to collaborate with other departments at Haverford and Bryn Mawr, possibly Tri-Co as well, such as computer science, neuroscience, engineering, and mathematics, as a cross-department course. All together will achieve the mission of Haverford College.
How do you assess outcomes and objectives?
I clearly state expectations and objectives at the head of each syllabus. These outcomes have a few purposes, such as giving my students a good idea of what they will learn and what they will equip with after the course ends. Also, it provides how I will grade their work. Besides that, my ultimate outcomes and objectives are developing each student’s critical thinking ability and enhancing problem-solving skills. Looking back at my undergraduate study, I remember relatively small things from many lectures. The teachers I still remember and appreciate allowed me to experiment and increase my profound curiosity. Through transformative learning, I could continue researching and studying different subjects even after graduating. So, the rubrics in the syllabus will immediately calculate the short-time assessment when a semester ends. Still, the long-time assessment depends on individuals, and it may take some time to see how students grow intellectually.
How can you contribute to diversity and inclusion efforts?
One approach I take in my class is diversifying course content. For example, the Western canon lacks works by female and BIPOC composers, even though it expanded to Asian and African literature. I introduce various composers’ works to strengthen diversity. For example, I often teach women electronic music pioneers like Kaija Saariaho and Pamela Z and acoustic music composers like Sofia Gubaidulina, Isang Yun, and others. Also, I ensure my class environment is equitable as possible. Students with diverse backgrounds and skills may need supplemental materials and individualized instructions to thrive more effectively. My pedagogical approach, ‘differentiated instruction,’ aims to support various needs through the transformative learning experience.
What’s your dream class to teach?
I want to create a course for designing sustainable musical instruments. I value the opportunity to connect my research to my teaching and use the class I create to move my research forward. Designing sustainable musical instruments is directly related to my ongoing research, and I will be thrilled to work with my students. Throughout a semester, everyone will develop two musical instruments; one for using acoustic materials and another for electronic/computer-based components. Students will discover various contexts, such as the history of each type of instrument and materials, how its physic works, relevant musical background, and societal function and role as sustainable instruments. Students will have opportunities to have weekly group improvisation sessions to be familiar with their tools and also to prepare for creating a collaborative sound installation as a final project. This course is open to a vast range of students. I can imagine developing it as a cross-department course with other departments, such as fine arts, computer science, engineering, environmental studies, and more. Visual Culture, Arts, and Media (VCAM) will be our favorite place to hang out, and as a collaboration with the Housekeeping Division, students may find supplies from the campus.
How do you run a class? (Socratic discussion, lecture, course design, etc.)
What kinds of service would you be interested in pursuing?
How do you think your expertise fits within our research / teaching portfolio?
