In this episode, Clare McLeod joins Charlie to explore her philosophy of teaching and the role of the teacher in helping students become curious, independent, and engaged learners. They discuss meeting students where they are, understanding their readiness to learn and change, and recognizing that the most effective next step may not always be the one a teacher initially has in mind.
Clare also explores how we think about knowledge in voice teaching—where science, artistic experience, tradition, and personal understanding intersect—and how teachers can remain open to questioning what they think they know.
At the center of the conversation is every teacher’s favorite tool: the question. Clare discusses how thoughtful questions can create space for students to make choices, develop their own understanding, and become less dependent on their teacher over time.
CREDITS
Produced and hosted by Charlie Christenson
Music by Charlie Christenson and Aubrey Johnson, “Berklee Voice Ex. 1”
GUEST BIO
Clare McLeod, has a Masters in Education and is an Associate Professor in the Voice Department at Berklee where she is the principal author of the Minor in Teaching Contemporary Voice and Berklee Online’s Essentials of Teaching Contemporary Voice. A certified Estill Master Teacher, Clare also trained at the National Center for Voice and Speech, and is a member of the Voice Foundation, the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Pan American Vocology Association.
LINKS
Berklee College of Music
Berklee Voice Department: Web | Instagram
Charlie Christenson: Site | Berklee
Clare McLeod: Berklee
Minor in Teaching Contemporary Voice: Berklee
FURTHER READING
How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren