Teacher Feature: Selena Ryan

• Selena Ryan
• Posted 12/13/21
• 0 comments

Get to know our authors. In our  ”Teacher Feature,”  you will not only learn about our contributors’ professional endeavors but also get to know them as  humans  too.  Just like our readers – our authors are actively teaching in schools across the United States. 

Selena Ryan is an Arizona-based music educator, composer, and performer. She specializes in contemporary performance and composition and tries to challenge the many ways to play, interpret, and create music. Selena strives to promote and provide diversity, equity, and accessibility in the music field as an advocate and ally. She holds a degree in Music Education with an Instrumental Emphasis from Northern Arizona University, where she concentrated in clarinet and composition. She works as a K-6 music and band teacher, assistant high school marching band director, private choir director, private studio teacher, and freelance composer and performer.

Some interesting facts we learned about Selena… 

How did you end up becoming a music teacher?

When I was a sophomore in high school, my choir director allowed me to be a student conductor for the freshmen Treble Choir. That choir rehearsed at the same time as my wind ensemble class, but my band director allowed me to miss half of class twice a week to work with the choir. I spent about two months teaching and rehearsing with that choir class and then got to conduct them in the winter concert. After the song ended, I took my bow on stage and felt with absolute clarity that I would do that for my career over the rest of my life. 

Over the next few years, I was given leadership and performance opportunities throughout band and choir, and even began an internship with a private choir that I now direct! When I started college, I changed my degree emphasis from choir to band, but continued teaching and performing in various disciplines. Between private lessons, observations, and internships, I always felt an indescribable spark when it came to being a music educator! 

 Did a teacher influence your decision to enter education?  

I was very fortunate to grow up with many incredible teachers who inspired me once I chose the path of becoming a music educator. My mother was, and always will be, my first influential teacher — and is one of the most wonderful teachers I have ever met. I grew up learning from her and saw her influence as an educator as a student at her elementary school, which has never ceased to inspire me. I also had many incredible music teachers, both in private ensembles, honor groups, as well as in my schools growing up. My decision to become a teacher was my own, informed by my experiences teaching and leading music growing up. But I was definitely inspired to become a teacher after being surrounded by such great influences! 

What inspires you to share your experiences with other teachers? 

I think that the mark of a good teacher is someone who is willing to learn new ideas and insights from new people, which inspires me to share my experiences and ideas with others. My best learning moments have come from sharing my ideas with others who have helped me to come up with even better ones! 

What is your favorite music teaching moment? 

My favorite music teaching moment is seeing my band students trying their instruments for the first time. Seeing the excitement in their eyes when they make their first sound is such an incredible feeling!  

What has been the biggest surprise/revelation about being a music teacher? 

My biggest surprise has been seeing the different classroom management methods that teachers use in schools! I have a very strict management method that my students respond to, but it is very obvious that many of them do not receive the same management in their general classrooms. Of the methods I have seen in different classrooms, the most surprising are the amount that utilize rewards in the form of prizes!

How do you deal with stress? 

I thrive when I have a lot of work to do, and I tend to have the hardest time when I have a lot of free time. I typically remain very cool under pressure and over-plan for every scenario in my head, so things rarely stress me out. It is also very important to me that I maintain good balance between my work, health, hobbies, and social life to avoid having a stressed or angry brain during the week. I make sure to do at least one fun thing on the weekends, whether that is going out with friends, having dinner with my family, or spending a day working on puzzles and playing video games!

Fun Facts About You? 

What is your favorite food?

I have too many favorite foods to count, but I really enjoy breakfast pastries like muffins and danishes! Blueberry muffins and cherry danishes are specifically my favorites, but I will truly eat just about anything! 

Do you have any pets? Tell us about them.

I don’t have any pets, but I am an aunt to an absolutely adorable bunny named Cinnamon, who belongs to my sister! She is almost six months old and is a Holland lop bunny who loves to eat rye treats and hide under tables. I am too scared to pick her up, but I love to pet her and give her nose kisses whenever we spend time together!  

What is your favorite style of music to listen to?

My favorite style of music to listen to is electronic dance music (EDM)! 

What is your favorite school appropriate beverage – are you a cola or coffee drinker?

I rarely drink soda, but I do start every day with a large cup of coffee! My favorite type of coffee is a Frappuccino, but I rarely drink those. I typically just drink water, but I have recently started liking mango juice as a treat!  

What is your favorite book?

My current favorite book is called The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.  

If you could be a superhero, who would you be and why?

I would want to be Spiderman because I would be able to swing from high places and save a ton of time and money on my commute!  

We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Selena! Check out her Music ConstructED articles below.