Philosophy Statement

       Music education is distinctly valuable because it allows students to take ownership of their own education, with a unique learning atmosphere that teaches students an artistic vulnerability that allows them to grow with each other, both as musicians and as young people. Learning music teaches students valuable life skills, such as being able to interpret abstract ideas, how to work in groups both big and small, and how to create and express ideas of their own. Music unites students as individuals; students continue to learn to explore and express their own emotions while simultaneously growing with each other as a close and tight-knit community. The process of learning music well takes patience and discipline in ways that leave each student held highly accountable, which in some ways gives students control of the classroom, given that the progress of the classroom depends partially on the type of work that students put in outside of class time.  A classroom with high student control could potentially be risky, but in a situation where students are taught how to do what they need to do by a teacher that is able to keep students engaged, the class will thrive not only in terms of performance, but also in the creation of autonomous learners with accountability and genuine musicianship. Ultimately, I believe in music for music’s sake, because I believe that music, intrinsically, provides extrinsic value. 

       Student participation in music education consists of practice and teamwork, as well as constant self-reflection. Students should be taught how to assess themselves, not only critically, but also how to assess positive results, and should also be taught to identify the cause of that result, whether it be a positive or a negative one. The quality of participation in the classroom is dependent on how engaging the teacher is. An engaging teacher will be able to not only teach students how to do the above, but also do so in a way that keeps students excited to do those things, even if it does require being a bit critical with yourself at some points. Participation in the music classroom also means being able to make connections to music. This sometimes means emotional connections, as that is an important aspect to musical performance. In order to truly connect with music, it is important for students to understand the context surrounding the music of study as well. For instance, a student that is well connected to their music will have an understanding that a Mozart symphony should not be played the same way as Carly Rae Jepsen. Due to the vulnerable nature of music, student participation sometimes looks like students being willing to stand on the edge of their comfort zone. Performance is often uncomfortable, even for well seasoned performers. Learning to live on the edge of comfort is part of what keeps students engaged, and teaches students how to push themselves in a way that allows them to continue to grow. Participation in the musical setting looks different for different people, and so part of their participation is also connected to how effectively the teacher employs differentiation in the classroom. 

       Music teachers should develop relationships and an environment in which students want to learn and get better. This classroom should center around the students, and their development as musicians, rather than centering around the teacher, and the development of the repertoire that has been programmed. This involves a great deal of intentional scaffolding to ensure student success. In order to achieve a student centered classroom, teachers must also be culturally responsive, understanding the importance of the diversity of culture and honoring those things. I believe one of the key components of “music for all” is having culturally responsive teaching as a consistent part of the classroom. A quality music educator knows that music should be accessible to all students, and that the goal of creating musicians doesn’t mean trying to get all students to become career musicians, but rather fostering a program where students can understand music on their own, and have a life-long love of music regardless of profession. Acknowledging and removing elitism and hidden biases from music is crucial to the expansion of a quality music education, and if we truly believe in “music for all,” we must ensure that that really means all people, regardless of race, religion, or any other part of our identities. Ultimately, a teacher must be culturally responsive, student centered, and understanding of the fact that their pedagogy not only can, but should change depending on how students are responding to it.