My Philosophy of Music Education
Education is an integral part of American Society. The goal of a formal education is to prepare students to fit in, adapt, and be successful in the continuously growing and changing society. A student’s formal education doesn’t just happen in a classroom setting. Things that influence a student’s education outside of a classroom (parents, extra curricular involvement, etc.) setting are called the “hidden curriculum”. Education is one of the most important things we can pass on for posterity and is very valuable. Music education should be a vital part to formal education, but unfortunately in today's society, music is viewed as an extra-curricular and is usually one of the first things to go at the sign of a budget cut due to our struggling economy. Music education is imperative to the education of youth and should be considered a top priority within a formal education.
As we move further into the 21st century, it is important for us to emphasize and teach important skills necessary to adapt and be successful in the 21st century. Those skills include: critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration (team work), and creativity and innovation. Music education can definitely help in the preparation of developing youth to adapt to the 21st century.
Music fosters teamwork and collaboration. Performing in small groups, in whole classes, or in any ensemble means you are part of an integrated team. Everyone has a role how ever large or small and this interdependency on one another helps to develop team working skills and a sense of ownership. In order for an ensemble to have a successful performance, everyone involved in the ensemble needs to take ownership and have the discipline to practice and learn their parts individually and work together as a team with the rest of the ensemble to have a positive outcome and a successful performance.
“MUSIC ENGENDERS A SENSE OF BELONGING, IMPROVES TEAM WORK AND ENCOURAGES SELF DISCIPLINE AND A SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT. IT PROMOTES CO- OPERATION, RESPONSIBILITY, COMMITMENT AND MUTUAL SUPPORT. IT PROVIDES AN OUTLET FOR RELAXATION AND A CHANNEL FOR EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION.
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Music encourages and enhances creativity and innovation. Music can enhance creativity in so many ways; through creating music and performing music. Performing music allows students to express themselves that any other medium cannot provide. Composers usually create music based off of a set of emotions they experience or a certain story, and it is up to the performers to be able to express and portray those emotions or story to their audience. To be successful in today’s world and in the future, students will need to be able to be creative and innovated. The best way to foster creativity is by being involved in the arts.
“RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THERE ARE BENEFITS OF ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH MUSIC WHICH GO BEYOND THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND THE ENJOYMENT AND APPRECIATION OF MUSIC. MAKING MUSIC CAN SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF LITERACY, NUMERACY AND LISTENING SKILLS.
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Music is able to improve learning skills. Studies show that students that are involved in the arts score higher on standardized tests such as the SAT and achieve higher grades in school. Music can help students become more successful in other content areas such as reading and math. Music itself is a foreign language. The process of learning how to read and notate music can be transferred to learning reading and learning another foreign language. With music, students are constantly counting and subdividing rhythms and that can help develop numeracy skills. Music stimulates the right side of the brain. Stimulation and development of the right side of the brain fosters students to think creatively, use their imagination, and develop critical thinking skills. The self-discipline and self-motivation it takes to be involved with music can transfer over to students to be self disciplined to do well in school.
The most important outcome of being involved with music is the type of person a student can become. Along with improving academic skills, music can improve self- confidence, behavior, and social skills. There are also many opportunities for students to gain leadership skills through being involved with music. Plain and simple, music is just fun. It’s good for the heart. Music can improve one's quality of life. It is very crucial to keep the arts as a core value in schools for students to have a well-rounded education and to gain skills to be successful with life and enjoy life.
Music education is imperative to the education of youth and should be considered a top priority within formal education. Music is an educational building block and helps students build skills necessary for success in the 21st century, such as teamwork, creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. Every student is able to experience music and should have the opportunity to experience music and have a well-rounded education. Aside from the aesthetic aspect, music can also build confidence, discipline, and social skills. Music is fun and can make ones quality of life more pleasurable.
“MUSIC ENCOURAGES CREATIVE THINKING BECAUSE IT EMPOWERS CHILDREN TO SHAPE THEIR WORLD THROUGH SOUND. IT ALLOWS THEM TO EXERCISE THEIR IMAGINATIONS. IT ENABLES THEM TO TAKE RISKS WITH CONVENTIONS. IT TEACHES THEM TO COPE WHEN THERE ARE NO ‘RIGHT ANSWERS’ OTHER THAN THOSE THAT THEY DEFINE FOR THEMSELVES, LEARNING TO DIRECT AND CONTROL THEIR CREATIVE IMAGINATION. MORE THAN THIS: IT IS A MEANS OF PROMOTING A SPIRIT OF ENTERPRISE THAT CAN INFLUENCE EVERY AREA OF THEIR LIVES
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