When a student walks into the music room, I believe they should be entering a place where they will be challenged both academically and creatively. Music education is often falsely perceived as a “mental break” for students who have been taking academic classes all day. However, this is not the case. Music has the profound ability to engage students using emotion, physical movement, and knowledge, which is why it is often where the most learning occurs. Additionally, music is one of humanity’s most valuable traditions due to its power to connect to every person and the preservation of this art form should be at the forefront of people’s agendas. It is my firm belief that these truths are the reason that music should be taught, or at least offered, at the highest priority all throughout a child’s school life.
It has been studied and proven countless times that playing and listening to music has health and developmental benefits in children. But I am of the mind that the importance of teaching music goes beyond just that. Emotion, passion, inclusivity, open- mindedness, creativity, listening, cooperation, and cultural awareness are all things that can be developed, fostered, and valued in a safe music classroom. This is despite any other factors affecting the student such as a disability or academic grades. Music is a way for students of all kinds to be heard without judgment, yet also get constructive feedback. This truly equal ground for students is where many start to build their confidence and thus really start to become individuals. I have a similar philosophy to that of Suzuki in that we don’t teach music in order to create musicians, we teach music because it is a powerful tool to express emotion and experience joy. For example, one does not teach math so that all students will one day become mathematicians, but because knowing your times tables is a necessary skill that will aid you your entire life. I firmly believe that teaching music should be thought of in the same way. It is not a hobby, but a beautiful outlet for students to learn how to explore emotion, express it, and listen to others.
In an ideal world we would be able to provide opportunities for all the arts to be showcased and taught in public schools. However, due to budgets and time, I truly think that music is a way to cover all the bases, which is why it should be provided all throughout a child’s education. In a good general music class, one should experiment with movement, visualizing the music (both artistically and through notation), singing and playing instruments, and even acting out the lyrics of a song with blocking or games. This way, a student can begin to discover where their artistic passions lie and by the time they get to high school, where often more varieties of arts are available, they can choose to focus on what excites them the most. All of this continues to help them grow in a group setting as well as explore their individual interests and find personal motivation to be creative.
Every child is capable of doing just about anything they put their mind to. Music is no exception and it should always be treated as such. Of course talent exists, but every single person can do something musical that contributes to a group or ensemble. I believe this should be a fundamental belief in every music educator and that it is our challenge to create an environment in which every student can thrive.
One of the things that originally drew me into music education was the fact that I saw it as a mix between music therapy and performance. I have discovered that the more I learn about this field, the truer this becomes. This is a profession that will constantly challenge my musicianship, passion for music, and desire to inspire and help others discover their own passions. But more than that, music education is something that every child deserves to experience and be a part of, in order to reach their full potential.
It has been studied and proven countless times that playing and listening to music has health and developmental benefits in children. But I am of the mind that the importance of teaching music goes beyond just that. Emotion, passion, inclusivity, open- mindedness, creativity, listening, cooperation, and cultural awareness are all things that can be developed, fostered, and valued in a safe music classroom. This is despite any other factors affecting the student such as a disability or academic grades. Music is a way for students of all kinds to be heard without judgment, yet also get constructive feedback. This truly equal ground for students is where many start to build their confidence and thus really start to become individuals. I have a similar philosophy to that of Suzuki in that we don’t teach music in order to create musicians, we teach music because it is a powerful tool to express emotion and experience joy. For example, one does not teach math so that all students will one day become mathematicians, but because knowing your times tables is a necessary skill that will aid you your entire life. I firmly believe that teaching music should be thought of in the same way. It is not a hobby, but a beautiful outlet for students to learn how to explore emotion, express it, and listen to others.
In an ideal world we would be able to provide opportunities for all the arts to be showcased and taught in public schools. However, due to budgets and time, I truly think that music is a way to cover all the bases, which is why it should be provided all throughout a child’s education. In a good general music class, one should experiment with movement, visualizing the music (both artistically and through notation), singing and playing instruments, and even acting out the lyrics of a song with blocking or games. This way, a student can begin to discover where their artistic passions lie and by the time they get to high school, where often more varieties of arts are available, they can choose to focus on what excites them the most. All of this continues to help them grow in a group setting as well as explore their individual interests and find personal motivation to be creative.
Every child is capable of doing just about anything they put their mind to. Music is no exception and it should always be treated as such. Of course talent exists, but every single person can do something musical that contributes to a group or ensemble. I believe this should be a fundamental belief in every music educator and that it is our challenge to create an environment in which every student can thrive.
One of the things that originally drew me into music education was the fact that I saw it as a mix between music therapy and performance. I have discovered that the more I learn about this field, the truer this becomes. This is a profession that will constantly challenge my musicianship, passion for music, and desire to inspire and help others discover their own passions. But more than that, music education is something that every child deserves to experience and be a part of, in order to reach their full potential.