“My Personal Philosophy of Music Education”

Education is important to me because it provides me with the skills and knowledge that is vital but also gives me the opportunity to go beyond what I thought was possible.  Most people view students as empty vessels and education should be poured into them until they are full.  I do not believe that education works like that.  As educators we are there to help guide students and give them the tools to succeed and achieve their potential. 

            Music is not just learning notes on a page.  Music is learning history, math, culture, rhythms of everyday life, and expression.  Music is everywhere and to truly appreciate it and reap its benefits, it is important create an understanding of it.  Students hear music everyday and express themselves through it by dancing, singing, humming, or even tapping their foot.  Any student can learn music no matter their race, age, gender, class, or gpa.  Music Teachers should believe that any student can learn and produce music.  They should be encouragers that push their students to do their absolute very best in their classroom and other classrooms.  They do not believe in impossibilities and they find a way to teach to every student.  There is no “unteachable” student.

            Music education is important in our schools because it permeates all of the other subjects taught in schools.  Music education enhances students understanding of other subjects such as math, history, spelling, and many more.  Music education is a vital aspect in learning.  “Research made between music and intelligence concluded that music training is far greater than computer instruction in improving children’s abstract reasoning skills (Source: Shaw, Rauscher, Levine, Wright, Dennis and Newcomb, “Music training causes long-term enhancement of preschool children’s spatial-temporal reasoning,” Neurological Research, vol. 19, February 1997).  Music is one of the best tools that students can be given to help them in their study of other subjects.