My Experiences

Teaching violin to students in the English-as-a-Second Language program at Bowling Green High School has been a priceless experience for me, giving me a chance to see how much of an impact I can make in my students’ lives. It has been immensely rewarding to watch students grow from not knowing how to hold a violin to being confident in playing many pieces, and to witness them blossom as individuals and grow in self-confidence on the violin and as people.

This opportunity has made me think differently about the world around me. I grew up in a homogenous school, knowing nothing about Uganda, Vietnam, Somalia, Tanzania, Burma, or Namibia. Now when I hear about these countries, I have a face to go with them, and suddenly the world is a lot smaller. I have been thrilled to enrich the lives of others and surprised at how enriched my own life has been in return.

While teaching I have learned that saying things in multiple ways, trying new ideas, and modeling how to play are vital to developing good teaching rapport. Teaching has also helped me understand how important it is to connect with students. I gained so much from connecting with the ESL students, and I feel sure they will always remember their new connections, too.