Developing a Music Education Philosophy – Part I

For music educators, many parts of the day includes musical sound; sound that signals us to wake up, sound that signals a start of school, sound of the students warming up in a band room, and the sound of silence as the day is done. Our days are marked by sound. It is a reminder of who we are and why we press on: music educators with a passion for teaching sound, or music, to the next generation of music students.
Like other educators, music educators not only need reminders of why they continue to teach day in and day out, they need to actively live out their underlying beliefs about music teaching and learning. Such action-based belief is what many call music education philosophy. It is a set of beliefs displayed in daily classroom routines and activities. When truly anchored as belief within an individual, philosophy takes on an active, visible form in one’s outward life. It is through an individual philosophy that one is able to map one’s assumptions to understand what direction needs to be taken or which direction to follow. With an applied music education philosophy, educators invoke their individual philosophy and map it so that they are better able explore, probe and process musical thought and inquiry exemplified in the music classroom. Thus, a well-formed music education philosophy enables a music educator to present a strong foundation of formulated critical understanding to better equip music students for their future learning and musical experiences. It is through the application of an active philosophical discovery that this paper will promote how a music educator can strengthen one’s music education philosophy, develop purposeful curricula and thereby present a well-rounded music program and experience capable of providing opportunity to engage today’s music student for a lifetime of learning.