This document discusses the philosophy of music education. It argues that music education is essential for children's cognitive and motor development. It also promotes self-esteem, social interaction, and demands excellence from students. The document advocates for instrumental music education in particular as it engages students and develops important skills like discipline, coordination, and teamwork. It concludes that justifications for music education have evolved over time but are still important for student well-being and development.
This document discusses the philosophy of music education. It argues that music education is essential for children's cognitive and motor development. It also promotes self-esteem, social interaction, and demands excellence from students. The document advocates for instrumental music education in particular as it engages students and develops important skills like discipline, coordination, and teamwork. It concludes that justifications for music education have evolved over time but are still important for student well-being and development.
This document discusses the philosophy of music education. It argues that music education is essential for children's cognitive and motor development. It also promotes self-esteem, social interaction, and demands excellence from students. The document advocates for instrumental music education in particular as it engages students and develops important skills like discipline, coordination, and teamwork. It concludes that justifications for music education have evolved over time but are still important for student well-being and development.
This document discusses the philosophy of music education. It argues that music education is essential for children's cognitive and motor development. It also promotes self-esteem, social interaction, and demands excellence from students. The document advocates for instrumental music education in particular as it engages students and develops important skills like discipline, coordination, and teamwork. It concludes that justifications for music education have evolved over time but are still important for student well-being and development.
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Philosophy of Music Education
Laura Roth Western Michigan University November 2015
Abstract Music is an irreplaceable part of any persons life and an indispensible part of a childs education. Though early arguments in favor of music education have lost some ground, various justifications for public music education have found favor in the modern world. Music education tracks and aids childhood cognitive and motor development, instills self esteem and self-worth in children, provides a means for positive teamwork and social interaction (especially for those not in athletics), improves a variety of personal/professional attributes (accountability, responsibility, etc.), and demands excellence in a way that supersedes core classes and athletics. Instrumental music not only makes music education interesting for middle and high school students, but also affords students unique opportunities for growth and success both in and out of the music classroom.
Philosophy of Music Education
Music is an integral part of any childs education. In this regard, the United States has achieved a recent victory. An amendment to ESEA has passed through the United States Senate Conference Committee that, if accepted by further legislators, would add the arts to Americas national STEM curriculum1. However, these officials primary reasoningas evidenced by wording found in this amendmentstates that the arts would be added to increase participation in STEM, improve attainment of STEM-related skills, and promote [a] well-rounded education2. Their primary objective of music educationto aid the attainment of STEM skillsis problematic. Though correlations between academic achievement and involvement in music are strong, there is much more that music brings to a childs life, just as Bennett Reimer believed3. From musics aesthetic value to cognitive and motor development, school/national pride, social inclusion, work ethic, demands of excellence, workplace skills, and academic achievement, music is a necessary part of any childs education. Music is essential for every child because it aids and displays the childs progressive cognitive and motor development. For example, children will clap or move to a consistent rhythm before walking in one; they, in a way, practice music to teach themselves to walk. Musical childhood babbling precedes the formation of words. A child develops cognitively with music as well, showing culture-specific responses to rhythm in their first year of life. As the childs speech improves in the first five years of life, so does his/her ability to carry a tune, suggesting a correlation between learning melodies and language. Middle school childrens attention spans gradually increase, allowing students to think in terms of phrases and pushing them to concentrate through multi-bar rests, whole notes, and cognitive/motor logistics of 1HugeArtsEducationWininCongressToday 2HugeArtsEducationWininCongressToday 3Jorgensen,Justifying
playing an instrument. As children enter high school, they gain the ability to employ abstract thought. They may now discuss musical affect, building skills both as a musician and as a critical thinker. High school students that may appear uncoordinated can gain motor consistency by adjusting their new bodies to consistent, familiar instruments. Tragically, the growth of these musical abilities, among others, halts between ages seven (i.e. rhythm) and twelve unless they are further nurtured. Instrumental music classes are the perfect way to continue this development and help students grow to be more aware, dexterous, and musical people4. Further, music education should be in schools because 1) consistent work throughout a childs development is required to achieve musical proficiency5, and 2) public schools are the only institution guaranteed to see children through the majority of their development. In addition, music classes in public school provide a safe cohort full of mentors and mentorship, diverse views and life experiences, a sense of community and self-worth6, an emphasis on excellence matched by no other academic activity, and common interest/knowledge shared with every person who has ever played in a school band. Instrumental music education in particular is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, instruments entice youths into music making. Between the ages of seven and eleven, children [often] prefer playing instruments above all other musical activities7. In addition, learning to play a musical instrument requires the development of a range of skills such as disciplined practice, visual-motor ability, sustained attention and concentration, memory, motivation, coordination, emotional sensitivity and team work8. This applies not only to a students formative years of musicianship, but also to every subsequent day. Playing and mastering a 4GoodingandStandley 5GoodingandStandley 6Rickard 7GoodingandStandley 8Rickard
musical instrument facilitates and requires continued growth in discipline, hand-eye
coordination, attention/concentration, motivation, emotional maturity, and to the simultaneous betterment of self and classmates. Once the educator has convinced parents and students to pursue instrumental music, the music from which students learn is critical. This musiclike the textbook for a core class must be achievable by the students, but must interest the students (to some degree) and have an educational objective. Music may interest students by either being familiar songs (like a movie medley) or by being a quality piece of music (with rhythmic vitality, harmonic interest, etc.). The music must not only challenge the students technical ability, but also leave room to teach other important musical concepts. For example, if a piece has many complicated rhythms, the band will never work on intonation, and staying fixated on one issue for too long will frustrate students. Music should also be chosen for its educational merit. Like a healthy diet, a class repertoire must contain many food groups, manifesting as contrasting pieces, a variety of challenges (not just rhythm or not just intonation, for example). By feeding students healthy music, they will become healthy musicians. Both the process and product of learning new music hold importance to the young musician. However, in order to achieve self-efficacy and good practice habits, young students must receive more time being guided through the process. If the process is practiced and the programming is appropriate for the ensemble, then the product will be satisfying. Focusing on the process above the product also recognizes student improvement and small victories, which are especially important when so many mental and physical demands go into learning a new instrument. Once the students advance, however, more emphasis may be placed on the product,
and healthy competition may take place. Though both process and product must be factors in every music classroom, some circumstances may require holding one above the other. Despite all of this evidence, justifying parental support of band may be difficult. In its beginnings, music education in public schools was justified not by logic, but as developing a gift from God, a way to assure good discipline and character, and a way to lead youth to live satisfying lives. As traditions changeas society has eclectic definitions of what a good person or satisfying life may be, and as many do not support organized religionthese old arguments slip away. More recent justifications for public music educationrelating to peers in a creative way, expressing emotions and ideas appropriately, and providing a medium for mental/personal growthmay hold more relevance to these skeptical parents. Music education is more important than ever, acting as an agent of multicultural education and understanding, improving the quality of life for increasingly stressed students to whom suicide is a very real risk9, encouraging academic attendance, and creating an intelligent and driven generation.
References
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"10 Leading Causes of Death by Age Group, United States--2013." Injury Prevention & Control: Data & Statistics. 2014. Accessed November 24, 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/injury/images/lc-charts/leading_causes_of_death_by_age_group_2013-a.gif. Gooding, L., and J. M. Standley. "Musical Development and Learning Characteristics of Students: A Compilation of Key Points From the Research Literature Organized by Age." Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 2011, 32-45. doi:10.1177/8755123311418481. "Huge Arts Education Win in Congress Today | Americans for the Arts Action Fund." Americans for the Arts Action Fund. November 19, 2015. Accessed November 23, 2015. http://www.artsactionfund.org/news/entry/huge-arts-education-win-in-congress-today. Jorgensen, Estelle R. "Justifying Music Instruction in American Public Schools: A Historical Perspective." Arts Education Policy Review 96, no. 6 (1995): 31-38. Rickard, N. S., P. Appelman, R. James, F. Murphy, A. Gill, and C. Bambrick. "Orchestrating Life Skills: The Effect of Increased School-based Music Classes on Children's Social Competence and Self-esteem." International Journal of Music Education, 2012, 292-309. doi:10.1177/0255761411434824.
