Philosophy of Music Education

Logan Caywood
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Music surrounds our human culture and is an integral part in the daily lives of people all
around the world. Music allows us to communicate, connect, and relate to one another, and on an
individual basis allows us to explore and express our own emotions. Through music and music
education, we are able to express ourselves in a creative manner, and are given an opportunity to
develop mentally, emotionally, and creatively. Music education provides a peer group,
supporting each other as they aim to improve in their musical skills, alongside life skills of
self-discipline, responsibility, and patience. Music will continue to be a part of students lives
well after they leave public education.

As a music educator, I believe that all students, regardless of socioeconomic status,

physical or intellectual ability, and race, should be provided with the opportunity to create,
develop, and grow in their awareness of the music that surrounds their lives. In our current state,
I believe that formal, public education in the United States exists as a means of preparing
students and young adults for entrance into the workforce. I personally do not believe that this is
the correct approach to the education that we should be providing for young people in our world.
I believe that formal education should aim to increase student knowledge, growth as critical
thinkers, and empower students to learn for themselves, as they become citizens of the world.
Teachers should know their students as more than just a number, as an individual, attending to
students' academic needs. Through this relationship with our students, we should encourage them
in their learning, providing the opportunity for them to choose academic excellence for
themselves (1995). As teachers, we should constantly encourage students to co-exist and
co-operate with those who may be different from them. Students should be encouraged to
understand aspects of their own culture, and learn those of other cultures that surround them.
Formal education should be encouraging students to be exploratory and creative in their learning,
not to memorize information, but to discover information and be able to express themselves.
Music courses in formal education should apply to students in a number of different musical
styles and genres. Students of all ages have different interactions with music in their personal
lives, which we should encourage in our music classrooms. Through the uses of technology,
non-traditional classroom instruments, and many musical genres, we can reach students
alongside more traditional ensembles in music education.

Through a variety of music education courses, we as teachers are able to instruct students
through music and connect them to a number of other subjects. Music holds a strong connection
to mathematics, science, nature, history, and literature. While all of these subjects can in some
way be connected to the others, music often times encompasses several of these subjects within a
single piece of music. Students have the opportunity to learn and grow in all subjects, while
creating and expressing themselves through music. Students can succeed and achieve in personal
and group development, not only in their musical skills and appreciation, but also in their own
lifelong skills. Assessment of the students can come in a variety of ways. This assessment is
measured on an individual basis, and is more than simply if students can hit the notes and
rhythms asked of them. Music educators should be aware of each student's individual success,
struggles, and achievements inside their classroom. Assessment can be made every single day,
observing the actions, efforts, and accomplishments of our students.
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Music educators have the unique opportunity of encouraging students and cultivating an
environment of creativity and self-expression in our classrooms. Through our one-on-one
instruction, unique lessons, cross-curricular connections, and connections made to music that
surrounds our everyday lives, our students can learn what makes them like the music they do,
and grow in their knowledge of how to create and perform it for themselves. Music education is
a subject that is more than simply an elective or an extra-curricular. Music education should be a
core subject, that provides the same, if not better, opportunities for students to be able to learn,
create, and receive assessment through their development. Music educators can cultivate and
facilitate young musicians into students that feel comfortable and confident in expressing
themselves and creating art, that will surround them each and every day.
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Sources

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But That's Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant
Pedagogy. Theory Into Practice, 34. 159-160.