A Brief Philosophy of Music Education
Music is a prominent part of our lives and can be found in most cultures around the world. Due to that significance, it is extremely important that children of all ages learn to make music, learn about music, and learn to appreciate music. They need to be introduced to music of their own cultures and that of other cultures to enhance their understanding of the world and themselves.
Providing students with the best quality of music education involves fusing multiple musical and educational facets. Methodology is of the utmost concern in music education. The methods I have had success with and utilize as a regular part of my daily and long term musical activities are the Orff-Schulwerk Method and Dalcroze Eurhythmics. The combination of these two approaches allows my students to experience music through performance, improvisation, composition, and responding to music.
The concept of “informed practice” is also of great importance in music teaching and learning. The two ways in which I attempt to implement informed practice are through research and through reflective practice. Research plays a role by providing me with insights into proven strategies and materials from experts in the field. I also use action research in my own classroom to personalize and refine my practices. The second way in which I implement informed practice into my classroom is through reflective practice. Engaging in a constant cycle of reflection allows me to modify my teaching in terms of the bigger picture and the minute details.
The final facet that is of importance in my own personal philosophy is the balance between objective learning and the individual construction of knowledge. Creating a specific curriculum and goals for students is important to guide instruction and track the acquisition of knowledge and skills. However, my constructivist beliefs motivate me to reach those goals through an interactive, collaborative, and experiential approach. I strive to allow students to develop their own understanding through interaction with the music itself, through interactions with other learners, and through interactions with the teacher in an open and safe environment for exploration.
Providing students with the best quality of music education involves fusing multiple musical and educational facets. Methodology is of the utmost concern in music education. The methods I have had success with and utilize as a regular part of my daily and long term musical activities are the Orff-Schulwerk Method and Dalcroze Eurhythmics. The combination of these two approaches allows my students to experience music through performance, improvisation, composition, and responding to music.
The concept of “informed practice” is also of great importance in music teaching and learning. The two ways in which I attempt to implement informed practice are through research and through reflective practice. Research plays a role by providing me with insights into proven strategies and materials from experts in the field. I also use action research in my own classroom to personalize and refine my practices. The second way in which I implement informed practice into my classroom is through reflective practice. Engaging in a constant cycle of reflection allows me to modify my teaching in terms of the bigger picture and the minute details.
The final facet that is of importance in my own personal philosophy is the balance between objective learning and the individual construction of knowledge. Creating a specific curriculum and goals for students is important to guide instruction and track the acquisition of knowledge and skills. However, my constructivist beliefs motivate me to reach those goals through an interactive, collaborative, and experiential approach. I strive to allow students to develop their own understanding through interaction with the music itself, through interactions with other learners, and through interactions with the teacher in an open and safe environment for exploration.
