The Sky Is The Limit: Jordan Taylor
My love for teaching stems from my mentors in the Seattle Public School District, as I had limited access to private music lessons. My teachers facilitated a space where peers were celebrated for successes, and where they could find solace in times of loss. My teachers, Mika Armaly and Christine Gero, were brilliant examples of “warm demanders.” There was time for silliness and time for connection, but there was also time for focused work. Part of their care for us as students was ensuring that we knew that we were capable, not only of learning difficult things, but of using kindness to build the community we wanted to be a part of.
Orchestra class was the best part of my day. So much so that in my junior year of high school—which was unfortunately cut short by COVID-19—I played first violin in the Symphony Orchestra, viola in the Chamber Orchestra, and worked as a teaching assistant in the 9th grade Concert Orchestra. As a student who consistently struggled with navigating social and academic difficulties, the music room was the one place where I thrived.
After the pandemic hit, my orchestra teacher, Ms. Gero, refused to let our learning stop, and she arranged private Zoom lessons for me and other students who needed them, free of charge. In a matter of weeks, I went from thinking I was incapable of graduating high school to confidently picturing myself with a college degree in music.
This act of care from my teacher opened my eyes to a world of opportunities that were only possible with individualized support. In classes where I wasn’t turning in work, wasn’t understanding readings, and wasn’t feeling like I belonged, I needed a teacher who could show me the light at the end of the tunnel—something that most public-school teachers (understandably) do not have the time for. When I finally had this extra layer of support, as well as teachers that I knew believed in me, I felt transformed as a student, realizing that I had the tools to build my own future. I felt unstoppable.
I believe one of my greatest strengths is seeing potential in others. Sometimes, it’s a gut feeling. Other times, it is trust in how far they’ve come to know they can go further. And then there are these magical moments where a third-grader smiles in sectionals, and I can vividly see them, twenty years later, playing with the same love for music. I love those moments.
But only seeing point A and point B is like sitting down for a puzzle, but only using the edge-pieces. I love collaborating with students and figuring out, piece by piece, how to “level-up” in a way that excites them. I try to meet students where they are, incorporate music that resonates with them, create a safe space to “fail gloriously,” but most importantly, I aim to teach students how to teach themselves and see their value as humans—skills that, once acquired, can last a lifetime.
When you believe that you can learn, the sky is the limit.
