Philosophy of Music Education

I decided to go into education because I have always been fascinated with the process of
learning and I have a passion for children making music. Education in general is vastly important
for our society not only because we create the leaders of the next generation but also to help our
students find their passions and be able to pursue those dreams. To be a good teacher is to guide
them during the process so that they are able to achieve their desired outcome. Music education
is important because of all the facets of learning that are possible in the unique community that
music has to offer. In my personal philosophy, music education is necessary for a well rounded
education because of the experiences that train self accountability, discipline, and learning a
second language. In my classroom my priorities are to hold my students to a high expectation
and maintain a safe and healthy learning environment through emphasizing the importance of the
process, realizing that all my students have different life experiences, being comfortable with
making musical mistakes, meeting my students where they are, and treating everyone in my
classroom with respect.
In an interview with Ms. Mariah Barnett teaching Orchestra at Lawrence High School, I
asked her what her strategy for classroom management was and she said “as long as you treat
your students like human beings and with respect, they will give you that respect back.” This
resonates with me to this day because I agree that the best way to teach our students how to be
good people is by modeling that ourselves. My classroom has high expectations for performance
and accountability; and that can be accredited towards the building of professional relationships
with your students. Not only are we giving them the tools to be good humans, we are also giving
them the vocabulary and critical thinking skills to continue to be musicians for the rest of their
life. Whether that be as an audience member, or a performing musician, that is very important as
a music educator to instill in their students. While in my class, I strive to maintain a healthy and
safe learning environment where my students feel comfortable and excited to enter the music
making with all their friends. Carol Dweck and her research on the growth and fixed mindset has
had a great impact on my teaching philosophy, especially that of knowing that mistakes are
perfectly acceptable and part of the learning process. Taking musical risks are encouraged in my
class, and if mistakes happen along the way, that is normal and allowed in my room. The other
part of having a safe space that I have talked about is treating my students with respect. Part of
my philosophy for classroom management that I mentioned earlier goes right along with the safe
space; if I treat you with respect, I expect that you treat me and the equipment with the same
respect. I will respect my student’s time and be constantly reevaluating where my students are
with the material as well as their lives. The world is always changing around us as affecting our
students; to be aware of that is respecting their time and mental health.
Within the curriculum in the music classroom, a few priorities that I have are taking
account of all my student’s differences and accommodating them through differentiated
instruction. Meeting your students where they are means understanding and taking notice of
when someone is falling behind or needs more of a challenge during class. It is important to
communicate with those students as well as offer them something that will be better for them. A
large population of the student body interacts with music in some way but are not enrolled in a
music class; therefore I am implementing some alternative approaches to music education like a
modern rock band class to reach a greater percentage of students in the school. My program is
students centered and built for them to create their own musical experience with only myself as a
guide. A goal of mine is to expose my students to world music pedagogy, work with other
content areas in the school, and explore different styles of music.
Music education provides not only an aesthetic experience but creates an opportunity for
community building that promotes the traits of a responsible leader. In my class, the process is
valued a great deal because that is where the learning takes place and where the students can get
to know each other and the music. Providing a safe learning environment is the only way that
this can happen. Part of creating that safe space is being comfortable with making mistakes,
understanding that all my students have a unique perspective, meeting students where they are
with the material, and treating every student with respect and humility. I am constantly reading
about compassionate teaching and social emotional learning so that I may better serve my
students while they are in my classroom. Therefore, my teaching philosophy will always be
shifting and expanding so that I am doing my job to the best of my ability for my students.