Teacher Appreciation Week: Catching up with Nicholas Stanford
In the year since we last spoke to Nicholas Stanford, ’22, he has obtained his master’s of arts in music education and moved to Athens, Greece to begin a new position as a pre-K to third grade elementary music teacher at an international school.
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, Stanford offered a few moments to reflect upon how he has evolved as an educator and the role Buffalo State played in getting him to where he is today.
When and how did you know that education was the right fit for you?
I learned it was the right fit when I allowed myself to start improvising in the classroom. Once I opened myself up to unplanned teaching moments and responding to them musically, I realized that I could naturally convey to students how I engage with and love music. I remember beginning to explore this along the International Pedagogy Development in Schools Torremaggiore 2020 trip and have continued to foster it in my teaching.
How and why did you choose Buffalo State?
I had many family members attend Buffalo State and love it. At the time, my sister was an undergraduate student, which helped. Academically I wanted to learn from Mark Hodges, the percussion professor, and I knew the music education program was a good program. However, it wasn’t until I attended Buffalo State that I realized how much of an interest I have in pedagogy, international teaching, and teaching music to young learners.
How did Buffalo State support you on your path to becoming a teacher?
I had many professors at Buffalo State—Kerry Renzoni, Victoria Furby, Mark Filsinger, and more—that believed in my future as a music educator long before I saw my own potential in the field. Furthermore, other departments such as IPDS and the Philosophy department at Buffalo State saw my potential and invested time in me. While these three departments supported my path to becoming a teacher, they also supported my path as a student, person, and musician. The liberal arts education I received at Buffalo State was exceptional and I am very fortunate to have started my career here.
What lesson from Buffalo State has stayed with you?
The feelings and growth that came from my professors’ support of taught me a lot about how to care for my own students. The professors who saw me for who I was and who I could be played such an important role in my growth. Their belief in me motivated me to push myself and believe in my own potential. I’ll always remember what that support felt like, and that experience makes me want to provide the same support to my current and future students.
What advice do you have for new teachers?
The most important thing you can do is be yourself. Everyone wants to learn from someone authentic, and sharing yourself with your students allows for a unique teaching environment which only you can create. Your skills and comfort in teaching will come with time; being yourself will allow you to find those teaching skills much sooner.
Photo courtesy of Nick Stanford.
