Teacher Interview: A Violinist With A Humorous Approach
I can remember the first day she walked into class as if it was yesterday. Even though it was two years ago i’ll never forget the feeling that the class had when we all knew in that moment that Ms. Ayisha was going to be our new music teacher. She sat down and introduced herself in a way that made all of us laugh. We were coming off of losing a music teacher and when Ms. Ayisha walked in she brightened up our day.
Ms. Ayisha is one of the greatest music teachers ever. She has taught myself and many others a lot about violin. My experience being her student is amazing. I have had so much fun with her and she always makes me laugh. She can be serious but she always makes the lessons fun and exciting. I had a lot of fun interviewing her. I got to learn so much about her and I got to hear some funny stories.
I learned that she was born on a farm in Tennessee. She moved to Arizona to do her doctorate at ASU because she wants to become a medical doctor. She was 13 when she started playing the violin. She was inspired to want to start playing when she was about five years old. Her friend was playing the violin and she was really interested. She begged her parents to start violin lessons but they said no. They moved a couple years later and she had another friend that played the violin. She never stopped begging until her parents finally said yes.
She decided to become a teacher after she got her Masters Degree when she was about 23 years old. She had at least 12 years of experiences of teaching music in the past. She heard about DGM by a friend who used to teach violin at the school. Her friend contacted her and told her that there was an opening spot for a new violin teacher and she applied. One of her childhood memories is really funny. Her family went to Mexico for a little while. Her and her little brother really wanted to go swimming in the lagoon. So her and and her family went swimming. She had said that her friends came with them and it was really fun. Soon they left and went home. It has been hours, almost dinner time and then they realized that they have forgot somebody which was her little brother. So they went back to go get him and he was just sitting there doing nothing. I couldn't stop laughing when she was telling me the story.
Ms. Ayisha has been teaching here at the school for two to three years so far. One of her most clear memories of her teaching at DGM is when the advanced violin group were listening to music and dancing. We would come up with this choreographed dance and dance to the music. It was really fun to watch us she said. One of her most funniest moments teaching is when she was working with the little kids and they would just tell stories of their parents at random moments. “There would be funny times when they would make me laugh” she said.
A funny story that she told me is when she was teaching little kids in Mexico, so a couple of years ago. A cockroach ran through the circle and all the kids were freaking out but the parents were there to help the kids calm down. “So that was helpful” she said. She loves working at the school, she loves all the kids and she thinks that her experience at the school is great. She works with all different ages but it's usually three to forty five. Her number one priority as a music teacher is to make sure her students have a desire for learning and want to learn. Also to make sure that they have fun while they are learning.
One of her goals is to make sure that she graduates with her doctorate in May. so that's not far away. Her hobbies and passions are that she likes to travel a lot. Her favorite part of being a music teacher is the advanced violin studio parties that our group would throw. Advanced violin has parties at the end of each semester. “They are really fun and exciting” she said. She doesn't really have any favorite songs she likes to play on the violin. She said “As long as i'm playing the song, I like it.”
She likes to give specific instructions, but she has a unique and fun way of teaching. One of her favorite parts about playing the violin is that she loves giving concerts and performing. I have been to one of her concerts and she is amazing. During this interview she told me some things that I never knew about her. She has made me laugh and smile while telling her fascinating stories. She is a very talented and kind person that I will always look up to .
