In terms of my philosophy towards of music education, I would say that it has evolved the more I learn about how important it is. This class specifically helped me understand that it is not just kids learning how to play the recorder or older kids learning how to sing in a choir. Music education is about providing education and being an outlet for kids to be a part of something that is bigger than them, which is something that took me awhile to understand myself.

The whole purpose of music education, like I already stated, is to give kids a different outlet for those who aren’t great at sports or extremely smart. I was one of those kids that always gravitated towards more artistic things and once I found music in elementary school, I finally found something that made me feel like I belonged somewhere. Being able to provide that gratification for other kids is what music education is all about. It’s there for kids and adults to connect in ways that no one could think of doing anything else. Music has a huge aspect of unity that comes along with that, so being able to educate others about it will only improve things.

The role of the student in music education is to engage and soak up the information that is being taught to them and to have a good time while doing it. The students are there to learn about music and take something away from each lesson no matter how small it may be. Students should be having fun with it as well because if learning or participating in music is becoming boring for them, then something needs to change. The students will then stop engaging with the class and then you have lost the students. It is important to keep the students engaged and to make sure they are actually learning things again no matter how small it is.

On the other hand, the role of the teacher in music education is to provide students with the correct material in a knowledgeable and fun fashion. As I stated before, it is very important for teachers to keep their students engaged because if not, they won’t want to come to music class anymore and then you have lost them. Teachers are also there to be helpful and understanding. Every music teacher that I have ever encountered has been some of the nicest people that I have ever met, and they are always willing to listen to anything. So, while it is very imperative that teachers provide accurate and appropriate information to their students, its also important to listen.

Lastly, the role of the music teacher in the community is to be a partner for everyone and work alongside them. I think music teachers are sometimes are forgotten so it is important for music educators to speak up when they need something or just when they want to help with something. They are also there to provide entertainment that makes people smile and forget about all the stressors of life. Music can make people smile in ways that I think they forgot how to and it is crucial for teachers to remember how much joy they can provide because being a music teacher can be exhausting, but those smiles make it all worth it.