Congratulations to Taianara Goedert, doctoral student in Music Education and winner of the 2025鈥�2026 Teaching Award in the Graduate Instructor Category!
Taianara is a Ph.D. candidate, percussionist, and music educator who draws on her extensive experience teaching in Brazil and Canada in her work as a researcher and pedagogue at the Schulich School of Music. She is the recipient of a SSHRC grant and was also nominated to represent 麻豆传媒网站 in the Global Leaders Institute for Arts Innovation 2024 Executive Cohort.
Taianara has received resounding praise from undergraduate students for her work as an instructor for MUGT 355 Music in Early Childhood and MUGT 354 Music for Children. As well as her deep commitment to student-centred teaching, students have highlighted how Taianara 鈥渓eads by example and teaches her classes with compassion, patience, open mindedness, but also with a lot of playfulness,鈥� and expressed admiration for her 鈥渞are balance of academic rigor, practical application, [and] cultural responsiveness.鈥�
In this edition of In Conversation, Taianara reflects on how she prepares her students for careers as caring educators, the importance of a supportive and collaborative classroom environment, and the role of curiosity in learning.
How have your musical and professional experiences shaped your teaching?
My teaching is shaped by an ongoing dialogue between theory and lived experience. I often tell my students that what I bring to the classroom is grounded not only in research and pedagogical frameworks, but also in over twenty years of hands-on experience teaching in diverse educational contexts.
Sharing real classroom experiences, both challenges and discoveries, helps make teaching more tangible, especially when exploring how to engage children in meaningful musical learning. I see this exchange as central to my teaching, as it allows students to move beyond abstract concepts and think about how pedagogical approaches unfold in real situations.
My teaching is also deeply shaped by my professional experiences in Brazil and Canada, two very different cultural and educational contexts. Working across these environments has led me to develop a flexible and responsive approach, as well as a strong commitment to culturally responsive pedagogy. These experiences have shaped my understanding of music education as a relational practice, where learning emerges through interaction, listening, and shared musical engagement, particularly in multicultural classrooms. I strive to bring this perspective into every class I teach.
What do you hope your students take away, musically, professionally, or personally, from your courses?
What I hope my students take away from my courses goes far beyond musical skills. At the core of my teaching is a commitment to education as a human and relational practice, and I hope they leave with a genuine passion for teaching music, grounded in care, reflection, and purpose.
Musically, I hope they come to see themselves not only as musicians, but as individuals capable of creating meaningful musical experiences for others. I also hope they leave with a sense of responsibility, an understanding of their role as artists in society, and an awareness that music education can foster connection, belonging, and transformation in ways that extend far beyond the classroom.
Professionally, I hope they feel equipped and confident to step into the role of music educators. This includes developing practical tools, as well as the ability to think critically, adapt to different contexts, and create inclusive and engaging learning environments. I also hope they understand that teaching music is not only about transferring knowledge, but about creating opportunities for learning. By learning, I do not refer only to teaching someone how to play an instrument, but also to helping students develop a genuine love for music, express themselves through music, and use music to better understand the world and society around them.
On a personal level, I hope they leave with a stronger sense of confidence. I strive to create environments where students feel safe to explore, take risks, and grow, so I hope they can leave my courses with a deeper trust in themselves, the courage to take risks in their teaching practice, and the curiosity to continue learning from every experience they encounter.
Do you have a stand-out teaching moment from the past year?
A defining aspect of my teaching, both this year and throughout my time at 麻豆传媒网站, is its collaborative nature. My teaching is highly practice-based, and I consistently create space for students to learn with and from one another through hands-on engagement.
What stands out most is not a single isolated moment, but rather a recurring dynamic in the classroom: students supporting one another in meaningful ways. I observe students stepping in to support each other when needed, peers offering thoughtful ideas and constructive feedback to help refine one another鈥檚 work, and a strong sense of collective responsibility for shared learning.
These moments of support, generosity, and shared growth reflect the kind of learning environment I strive to cultivate, one in which students not only develop their own skills, but also learn how to listen, collaborate, and grow together.
What advice would you give to your first-year-at-university self?
I would say: take every opportunity that comes your way and stay open and curious.
Some of the most meaningful experiences often come from unexpected places, courses you did not initially plan to take, collaborations that develop naturally, or challenges that push you beyond your comfort zone. In the moment, they may not always feel significant, but over time you begin to see how they shape your path and open doors you never imagined.
I would encourage myself to approach everything as a learning experience. Even experiences that do not immediately resonate can still be valuable, as they help clarify what you want to pursue and what you do not wish to carry forward, and that, too, is an important form of learning.
I would also remind myself to value the process as much as the outcome, and to trust that each experience is helping shape the musician and educator I am becoming.
