John’s teaching philosophy is simple: Make music accessible and enjoyable for as many people as possible. He does this by choosing music that is appropriate to the ensembles he works with. He also assesses groups using formative and summative assessments and then uses the data to plan rehearsals and future music selections. Whether leading a warm-up or a sectional, John’s ensembles and classes are mostly student lead which allows for students to take more ownership in their ensembles and classes. This makes students become more involved and form a better understanding of the material his groups work on. It also helps students build comradery and build a section rapport. Differentiation is a huge part of John’s classroom. His daily teaching includes ways to learn for Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic learners. In addition, students are also differentiated by instrument sections and within those sections, more advanced students help students who are struggling with the material. By doing this, it helps the lessons reach a broader variety of students and makes the classroom a more welcoming environment. Since 2004, John has worked with musicians just starting their musical journey in fifth grade to musicians who are retired and performing for fun. He believes music should not only be accessible to performers but for wide audiences as well. His groups perform for audiences ranging from retirement homes and concert halls.