Philosophy of Music Education.

1. Philosophy of Music Education
I believe in music education for all children. I believe that music is a fundamental part of
the human condition and must, therefore be a central part of any complete curriculum at
every educational level.
Literacy
I believe music education should have, as its core value, literacy. Everything I do
should lead towards comprehensive musical literacy, with proper sequential
acquisition of skills and whenever possible draw connections to other content areas.
Literature
I believe in quality choral literature that challenges mind and voice. Students should
experience historically informed performances of significant historical literature.
Students should also experience informed performances of significant choral works
from throughout the world. In addition, all performances should strive to be
presented in their original language.
Diverse Student Population
I believe children who have special needs benefit when working within the standard
population. I believe the standard population has an equal advantage when working
with children who have special needs. The mainstreamed classroom provides an
environment that allows both populations to learn compassion for each other and
develop a better understanding of how to work within the greater complex society.
In the same manner, I believe in embracing and celebrating all ethnicities and
learning styles. The musician has a unique opportunity to experience the core values
of all cultures expressed by studying and performing its music.
21 Century Learning
I believe it is essential that today’s educators create a climate that is focused on
student outcome, rather than teacher input. The music classroom is a natural place for
such an approach, as performances are perfect products of authentic data driven
assessment. I believe today’s students must be saturated with technology, affording
them many opportunities to create and explore music in an environment that nurtures
collaboration and cooperation. I believe student learning benefits greatly when
teachers demonstrate their continued professional training. Students benefit seeing
their teachers as active performers and artists in the community.
Positive Teaching and Learning Environment
I believe an educator has a great responsibility to model expected student behavior by
exhibiting himself/herself in a positive manner. I believe in creating and maintaining
a positive environment where all students feel welcome to respectfully express their
thoughts freely. As a result, I believe students will learn in an effective and nurturing
atmosphere.
National and State Standards
I believe in teaching to the National and State Standards in order to provide a course
of study that will expand a student’s comprehensive music education.