Music Educator Goals

Throughout the reading this week, the information presented in David Elliott and Bennett Reimer’s texts stressed the importance of music and more specifically, music education. “People everywhere find music rewarding, and everywhere we find people engaged in formal and non-formal efforts to teach and learn music.” (Elliott, 2014, p. 4)

Through music, many paths are able to come together. Although we come from different backgrounds, we are able to bond over the wonderful gift of music. The connection we have through music makes participating in the band program the most meaningful activity for me. The band program opened up my horizon and made me feel like I finally belonged somewhere. The diversity of the people in the program taught me how to be versatile. The age range amongst the members vary in which in one moment you have to respect and listen to who is in charge, then the next moment your peers are waiting for your orders. Learning to respect and handle being respected is an important lesson I am still learning. The position of power is something that should not go

Living in a world surrounded by noises and sounds, one cannot deny that music lives all around them. Schools, street corners, sporting events, there is one thing you will always find: music. Music education is quickly becoming defunct in schools, as many try to decry its many benefits. A growing emphasis on the concrete subjects of math and science, whose benefits are more immediate, are pushing the creativity and imagination of music classes to the back of the budget. Music education is no longer described as stimulating and exciting, but rather unnecessary and distracting. But the benefits of having an education in music is undeniable. Simply being around music can have a positive impact on life. Music enables the human race to discover emotions that they have never uncovered before. The human mind is refreshed by music; “our imagination and memories are stimulated by the sounds, and summon feelings and memories associated with the musical sound” (Wingell 15). Without music, the world would be silent. Lifeless. No matter what language one speaks or what culture one is from, music is a universal language, connecting the hearts of people around the entire world. In schools throughout the nation, that connection is being severed because of budget cuts and lack of funding, but the benefits of music education are clear. The benefits of having an education in music are not only present in the classroom; a lasting impact is also left on the social and emotional growth of a person, though the gains may not be evinced immediately. Participating in musical education programs in schools can give students the opportunity to form lasting friendships and to gain skills that will last them their entire lives. Music education can be beneficial to students because it enhances students’ performance in the classroom, aids in improving student’s interest and engagement in school, and advances students’ social and emotional growth.

The band program means a lot to me because it has helped me become more outgoing and friendly to people. It has also helped me gain much more of an interest towards all things music. When I was a kid I always wanted to be a teacher, but I never knew what I wanted to teach. When I joined band and attended different music classes, I became interested in something that meant little to me at the time. During my time in band it became much more clear to me that I wanted to pursue music education. The band program means a lot to me because it made me who I am today and I hope to help someone find themselves through music like I

Music is everywhere and has been a part of human existence for eons (Dinham, 2014, p. 265). Music has been a part of Australian schools for the last hundred of years, over the last fifteen years the application of music has seen a drastic change with the appearance of the internet and increase of accessibility. In spit of this the elements of music has not changed and forms the basis of music. When teachers or children sing they use those elements automatically (Dinham, 2014, p. 270). The curriculum has an expectation that children will learn to listen to music, compose and make music (ACARA, July, 2013, p. 93). There is a range of music that can be used to teach children; explore music concepts, by singing, playing instruments, by listening, composing songs or music, dancing or moving on music. Children, through participation and appreciation will discover about themselves form bonds with other children and become more aware of different cultures (Dinham, 2014, p. 266). Teacher’s participation, regardless of status, need to ensure that children are getting an education in music. The opportunities and experiences, to create, perform and record given to us as pre services teachers will be of a great help when facing the task of teaching children music in schools. Art education depends on how to motivated and support children, scaffolding their learning, and build on their enthusiasm to join the praxis of

* “when you speak with great educators, and look behind the test scores, the lessons learned in studying music, learning to play an instrument, playing in a band, learning to read music, all provide a richness to a child's education that will last a lifetime,” (par 1).

Staff members like Janice Stone do not have a lot of information about how the time commitment to the band affects student’s lives. But, Stone believes that being in the band does not student’s academic greatly since budgeting one’s time is important.

All over the country band programs are being shut down because schools do not think they are important, or they do not think they have enough money for them. In this writer’s opinion this is a severely poor choice. Too many people the band program is of utmost importance to a school.

Then when I’m done student teaching I will be the teacher probably in high school”. She wanted me to really know that the whole reason why she really got into music was her father, sister and old music teachers. They all have shown her so much about music and she only wants to give back to future kids that was given to her. While growing up McKensi said her sister started getting into music and she’s really the reason why she started having an interest in music. Her dad had a big part in picking this major also because throughout the day her dad would sing every moment. There was never a time he wouldn’t sing. Her old music teacher just inspired her to take what they taught her about music and give it back to other generations. McKensi’s old music teacher made her understand music in a way that she understood it to the point she wants to make students in the future be the best they can

While active music making is the primary goal of music education, as children mature, they will use their known experience and performance to draw from and move to a focus on music literacy and critical response to music. The abilities to read, discuss, evaluate and create music become key components in the development of future independent musicians. With a focus on active music making, student inquiry, and essential questions, I aim to engage the whole child and optimize learning.

Cercone goes into detail on how studies have shown that music classes benefit a child’s learning process, test scores, and other areas of academic study. These support her argument and are all facts that her readers cannot properly disagree with. Cercone discusses how attitude and academics depend on one another to enhance a student’s learning and she goes one step further in explaining how this goes on in the music classroom, strengthening her thesis.

Few would argue against the idea that we educate ourselves and our society so that we have adequate means with which to understand and interact with elements of the world around us. Subjects such as mathematics, language, history, and the hard sciences are granted immediate and unquestioned legitimacy in our schools, and with good reason. We encounter each of these elements of our lives on a daily basis. We need to have an understanding of these disciplines in order to interact with them, otherwise they are meaningless to us. I submit that the same can be said for the fundamental concepts of music. Music is something that we encounter in our society every day. It surrounds us. Indeed

Becoming a music educator is not a brash career choice, but rather a fulfillment of the desire to insure the continuation of a love for music. While many claim to have a superficial appreciation for music, it is the educators who preserve and develop it. As a music educator, I would like to make my students feel secure in their abilities, create lifelong bonds with others dedicated and passionate about music, and contribute in the continuation and preservation of music.

Many people believe that the arts, specifically music programs, hold no beneficial value to students other than for an extracurricular activity. Others believe that having these programs within our schools, only takes away from instructional time. However, research has shown that music education, and exposure to music in general, provides great benefits and values to the adolescents that are involved in said programs (“Music Matters”). Participation in music programs promotes the advancement of academic scores and sets students on the path to success later in life. Furthermore, these programs, be it instrumental or vocal, provide an outlet for adolescents to express themselves and have truly lasting implications on their global development. Notwithstanding all of the pleasure and self-confidence gained through participation in music programs, music education may provide important benefits towards students’ academics by improving their concentration levels and cultivating higher order thinking skills that may increase academic achievement.

“Education- should enhance understanding of the world, of oneself, and of one’s own experience” (Kelly 2009). What is important about music education? There are many important aspects in music education like pedagogy and performance. For me, music education is about letting the students express themselves. Having the ability to give an idea or to vent is a vital tool in today’s society. This concept influences music because expression is not only in how to connect a phrase, but also how to tell a story. With my time in college, Dr. Joseph Frye will always tell me to tell a story with music. He will also ask me what I want to feel after playing a piece. This is what I believe is important in music education.