Music Education: My Philosophy

“I love music passionately. And because I love it I try to free it from barren traditions that stifle it.” This statement by Claude Debussy proves that one can inspire not only with beautiful compositions, but with simple words as well. And he’s got a major part of my philosophy summed up right from the start – I have always believed that the art of teaching music is so unlike any other discipline, and therefore I can’t allow myself to conform to a set routine, or a same old, ho-hum standardized environment. Let’s face it: the same thing over and over gets boring for anybody, and if I become bored, there’s no way my students are staying awake, either! I quote fellow music educator Peter Boonshaft from his exceptional book, Teaching Music with Purpose: “Though we need some routine for structure, too much can be deadly.” If music is something that constantly changes with time, then music education should be no different – sometimes we prepare for an upcoming concert, sometimes we simply listen and critique music instead. Other times we may read about a little music history in order to broaden our knowledge, or do a little composing, or sit back and reflect about what music means to us as individuals. No two days in a row should be exactly the same!

Perhaps I picked up this rapidly-changing schedule from my other job. I was previously self-employed as a private music teacher, specializing in direct 1-on-1 instruction in piano, guitar, percussion, and music composition. At my peak, I had 32 students per week, and every student had his or her own lesson plan – naturally no two students’ lessons were alike. My goal for each student was not to become a professional musician – it was not even to pursue any sort of career in music at all. Would I encourage this path? Of course, but it was not necessary. Each student of mine was simply expected to put in diligent effort, to try their best, to learn from their mistakes, to think critically about their assignments and performances, and to have fun doing what they were doing. The last part was especially important, because if you aren’t having fun, you aren’t getting a rewarding learning experience (it’s called ‘playing’ an instrument, not ‘working’ an instrument!)

                From then to now, my goals and expectations have not changed – the only difference is that instead of teaching one student at a time, I get to teach them in groups. In my ideal classroom, I still want each of my students to put their best efforts in everything they do, from group activities to homework to written assessments. The effort is what is important – I want to know that even when they don’t succeed, that they are striving to become better and try to reach the next level. When they do make mistakes, I expect them to take the proper initiative to correct them, and I will always be glad to guide them in doing so. I want my students to brainstorm and use their creativity when writing, or performing, or when working together as an ensemble. Above all, I want my classroom to operate on the foundation of humor, passion, fun, and love of their craft. Music is something to be enjoyed; after all, it’s part of the entertainment industry.

                Peter Boonshaft says that as music educators, we must “envision what our students can become and then we work to make it happen. We see what’s possible, and then we teach until we set them free to be what they can be.” As an educator, it is my duty to ignite the creative fires within my students, to unlock artistic potential, to motivate and drive students to become better musicians, and to cater to all unique individual’s needs on every level, every day. This is my personal mission statement. At the end of the day, I want my students to leave my class having actually learned something, and with smiles on their faces as well.