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VASTA Statements of Mission and Principles
Mission Statement
VASTA is an international organization whose mission is to advance the art, research, and visibility of the voice and speech profession.
- SERVE the needs of voice and speech specialists, teachers, and students in training and in practice.
- ADVOCATE for those who work and study in the field.
- PROMOTE the vital role of voice and speech specialists for all professional voice users.
- BROADEN public understanding of the nature and importance of voice and speech use and training.
- CREATE opportunities for ongoing education, and the exchange of knowledge and information among professionals in the field.
- CULTIVATE diversity within our membership, and encourage a liveliness of thought and opinion.
- UPHOLD and advance the highest standards of voice and speech.
Goals:
Statement of Principles
The Voice and Speech Trainers Association expects the following of its members:
1. Offer instruction, advice, and guidance based on their ongoing pursuit of the best information, thought and practices available in their respective specialization.
2. Acknowledge teachers and colleagues who have contributed to their work.
3. Present accurately the nature and duration of their training and experience.
4. Respect the right of colleagues to advocate approaches with which they may not agree and allow students freedom to choose practices which may best meet their needs.
5. Take responsibility for the emotional climate of their classrooms, fostering an atmosphere conducive to their students' optimal growth.
6. Refer a student to a specialist (physician, psychologist, speech pathologist, singing teacher, voice and/or speech teacher, body alignment expert, etc.) whenever the need arises, except in cases where doing so could be detrimental.
8. Give students ongoing, objective assessments, as well as informed opinions of their abilities and progress.
9. Acknowledge the primacy of the director in matters of interpretation and addressing any questions or differences with the director in private.
10. Dedicate their teaching and practice to enhancing the art of communication, nurturing individual creativity in all its differences, developing empathetic abilities as an essential component of voice teaching, and going beyond facile standards of right and wrong, correct and incorrect in assessing the human voice.
This site is maintained by VASTA Director of Technology, Michael J. Barnes. Original site design is by Eric Armstrong.