Larry Shea
Secondary Methods
9/10/16
My Philosophy on Music Education
Music is not just a form of art, but a lifestyle. As a part of our daily lives, we are all musical in some aspect. Music is much more than something we just listen to or perform, rather, it is a way of expression and influence for how we live our lives. The concept of music education is such an important foundation because without it, music would cease to prosper and exist. If we lived without the essence music, we would be living in an entirely different world.
Before grasping the concept of music education specifically, it’s important to think about the meaning of education itself. Education can be seen as structural guide to the way we thrive and live. When thinking back to when a child is first born, instantly, they begin to learn unconditionally from their surroundings. Even when children enter their first years of grammar school, the knowledge one gains from learning to communicate, maintain self care, and adapt to the world they live in is all an educational process. Learning is something that happens naturally. Education provides a directed pathway to facilitate one’s learning to it’s fullest potential.
Much like the skills of communication and survival, music is a natural part of us all. Like a seed planted inside each one of us, musical experiences can only develop and grow if we have the guidance of an education. One renowned music educator, Shinchi Suzuki, related the idea that if a child has the potential to learn a language, then they also have the potential to learn music. Much like a language, music is natural in all of us. It just needs the guidance, structure, and support in order to allow an individual to discover it at a high potential and continue to learn on their own in the future. Other points Suzuki mentioned are the concepts of listening, repetition, and encouragement, starting at a young age. As we begin to discover our own musical experiences in early stages of life, these concepts are all critical in our development, and education plays important role by providing and reinforcing them. However, regardless of age, everyone deserves to have an educational experience in music.
As we continue to grow and discover music on our own, the context of structure, adaptation, and creativity are also critical components that music education provides. Growing older, we begin to develop our own self-choices, paths, and figure out what our purposes and unique characteristics are. One psychologist, Jean Piaget, found this to be true in his studies of cognitive development. As children develop from their early years onward, their logical reasoning, symbolization, and sense of idealism begin to change and become more abstract. Music education plays a significant role throughout this time, as it allows humans to discover on their own, form opinions, and make their own self-choices with their relationship to music. Thus, it allows them to discover the true inner musicians in themselves, and gives them thought to how they want to experience music in the future. In the process of later development, being able to have freedom of choice and value in music and lifestyle is what makes every musician unique. Scientific studies have also shown that exposure to music can lead to benefits of mental health, sleep quality, immunity, communication and much more. Thus, music education can provide much more than just exposure to an art, but an improved and healthy lifestyle for futures time.
Overall, without music education, much of our society and culture would be completely different. Music has the power to transform lives. In the purpose of music education, the goal is not to shape or force peoples lives into music, but rather, guide and structure them to live, grow, and learn with in the future. By allowing this, music education is what keeps the world of musicians maintained and continually growing. If it were not for music education, music, as we know it, would not exist.
Secondary Methods
9/10/16
My Philosophy on Music Education
Music is not just a form of art, but a lifestyle. As a part of our daily lives, we are all musical in some aspect. Music is much more than something we just listen to or perform, rather, it is a way of expression and influence for how we live our lives. The concept of music education is such an important foundation because without it, music would cease to prosper and exist. If we lived without the essence music, we would be living in an entirely different world.
Before grasping the concept of music education specifically, it’s important to think about the meaning of education itself. Education can be seen as structural guide to the way we thrive and live. When thinking back to when a child is first born, instantly, they begin to learn unconditionally from their surroundings. Even when children enter their first years of grammar school, the knowledge one gains from learning to communicate, maintain self care, and adapt to the world they live in is all an educational process. Learning is something that happens naturally. Education provides a directed pathway to facilitate one’s learning to it’s fullest potential.
Much like the skills of communication and survival, music is a natural part of us all. Like a seed planted inside each one of us, musical experiences can only develop and grow if we have the guidance of an education. One renowned music educator, Shinchi Suzuki, related the idea that if a child has the potential to learn a language, then they also have the potential to learn music. Much like a language, music is natural in all of us. It just needs the guidance, structure, and support in order to allow an individual to discover it at a high potential and continue to learn on their own in the future. Other points Suzuki mentioned are the concepts of listening, repetition, and encouragement, starting at a young age. As we begin to discover our own musical experiences in early stages of life, these concepts are all critical in our development, and education plays important role by providing and reinforcing them. However, regardless of age, everyone deserves to have an educational experience in music.
As we continue to grow and discover music on our own, the context of structure, adaptation, and creativity are also critical components that music education provides. Growing older, we begin to develop our own self-choices, paths, and figure out what our purposes and unique characteristics are. One psychologist, Jean Piaget, found this to be true in his studies of cognitive development. As children develop from their early years onward, their logical reasoning, symbolization, and sense of idealism begin to change and become more abstract. Music education plays a significant role throughout this time, as it allows humans to discover on their own, form opinions, and make their own self-choices with their relationship to music. Thus, it allows them to discover the true inner musicians in themselves, and gives them thought to how they want to experience music in the future. In the process of later development, being able to have freedom of choice and value in music and lifestyle is what makes every musician unique. Scientific studies have also shown that exposure to music can lead to benefits of mental health, sleep quality, immunity, communication and much more. Thus, music education can provide much more than just exposure to an art, but an improved and healthy lifestyle for futures time.
Overall, without music education, much of our society and culture would be completely different. Music has the power to transform lives. In the purpose of music education, the goal is not to shape or force peoples lives into music, but rather, guide and structure them to live, grow, and learn with in the future. By allowing this, music education is what keeps the world of musicians maintained and continually growing. If it were not for music education, music, as we know it, would not exist.