Madeleine Jepsen | Collegian
Few college students can boast a full-time job in their area of study, but for senior Mikayla Brown, it’s all in a day’s work. This fall, Brown became the music teacher for Hillsdale Preparatory School while entering her senior year at Hillsdale College.
Although this is her first official position, Brown is no stranger to teaching music. A lifelong musician, Brown began teaching music when she designed and taught a special education music class while attending Findlay (Ohio) High School. She continued to pursue her interest in music and teaching at Hillsdale College through the music education minor.
Brown first heard about the job while volunteering at the school through Music in the Community, a college GOAL program. When she learned that there was an opening for the position of music teacher, she applied for the position. The school accepted her.
Over the summer, she began crafting a curriculum for her students in grades K-8, drawing from her previous experiences with teaching music. Her classes include Elements of Music History, Composition, and Learning Instruments. She teaches lessons according to the students’ grade level.
“My main priority is to get kids to engage with music because it’s something that’s really good for you,” Brown said. “It’s excellent for your brain, and if they’re enjoying it, I’m enjoying it.”
Brown said her students’ enthusiasm helps to increase her own, despite the challenge of balancing her academic load with teaching music and her involvement with the symphony and percussion ensemble.
“Somehow I manage to do it, and I think it’s because the kids are so energetic, and being able to pick up on that energy makes me really excited to be there and to be teaching them, and that can power me through the rest of the day,” Brown said. “It’s a really cool connection to be able to engage with young students.”
Prior to starting her job at Hillsdale Preparatory School, Brown assisted in teaching music at the Hillsdale Academy last spring. She observed and taught under the direction of Ross Bonjernoor, the director of music and musical theater. This also constituted her apprenticeship for the music education minor.
According to Bonjernoor, Brown went above and beyond in her involvement with the Hillsdale Academy’s music program. In addition to the classroom instruction, during which she primarily taught younger students, she also helped conduct the ninth and 10th grade choir and worked on the school’s spring musical.
“She engages students; she is very direct, which is a very good trait to have,” Bonjernoor said. “She’s very organized, and when she sees the goal in front of her, she automatically puts a plan together to attack it.”
James Holleman, the music department chair, noted how the music education minor helped prepare students for opportunities they may have teaching music as was the case for Brown.
“Mikayla’s a wonderful one to be one of the first because she will be successful,” he said. “Mikayla’s fearless as a musician — she can do anything. She’s very focused, very at it, very fearless, and zero drama. She’s a real pro.”