Philosophy on Music Education
I had to write a paper in my Instrumental Music Methods Class about my philosophy of music education. Instead of focusing on intrinsic values, however, our teacher wanted us to write like we were writing to administration who probably does not 'get' music. So here is my paper and feel free to add in your two cents about it:
Music is an essential component of every child’s education. In addition to being one of the fine arts, music is a science, a physical education, mathematical, a foreign language, and is history. Music doesn’t replace any of these subjects, but rather enhances all of them. Music is an equal partner of math and science. It shouldn’t be “I can’t afford to have music”, but rather, “I can’t afford not to have music.”
Music is exact. It is the combination of pitch, volume, melody, harmony, and time that all work together to form this science. “Music training dramatically enhances children’s abstract reasoning skills—the skills necessary for learning math and sciences” (MENC: Neurological Research, Feb. 1997). Performing music requires intense coordination of fingers, arms, tongue, lips, facial muscles, and lungs. These must be able to respond immediately to what the student hears. The rhythmic aspect of music is extremely mathematical. Rhythm is completely based on subdividing time into smaller intervals. The students must be able to subdivide instantaneously. “Students who report consistent high levels of involvement in instrumental music over the middle and high school years show ‘significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12’” (MENC: The Imagination Project at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, 1999).
Most of the terms in music are in French, German, or Italian. In addition to the terms relating to music, however, there is the music notation itself. Music notation has evolved since the beginning of the Medieval Age. With all the different types of symbols representing different ideas, music is certainly a diverse language. Music enhances history as well. There is a huge history of music, and it usually reflects on the country it is from and the time period.
There are many other extrinsic values of music. Music improves test scores, motivation, self-esteem, cooperation, language skills, and develops quick and decisive thinking. Compared to students with no coursework in the arts, students with experience in music performance scored 55 points higher on the SAT Verbal and 38 points higher on the SAT Math. Students who studied the arts four or more years scored 66 points higher on the SAT Verbal and 47 points on the SAT Math (The College Entrance Examination Board, 2001). Music motivates students to work harder in their schoolwork and to better express themselves. Music helps many students feel better about themselves because they feel they are doing something beneficial in their lives. A music ensemble is a team and every student needs to cooperate in order to produce beautiful music. Students learn a lot about teamwork and cooperation in band. Music helps improve reading and language skills as well. “Music students out-perform non-music students on achievement tests in reading and math. Skills such as reading, anticipating, memory, listening, forecasting, recall, and concentration are developed in musical performance, and these skills are valuable to students in math, reading, and science” (An Evaluation of Achievement in Reading and Arithmetic of Pupils in Elementary School Instrumental Music Classes). Music definitely gets your brain working. “During musical performance, children must constantly turn their thought into action. Thought structures continually have to be updated and adjusted. The combination of constant vigilance and forethought, coupled with ever-changing physical responses, is an educational experience of unique value” (“Making Music Makes You Smarter,” NAMM, 1997). When a person listens to classical music, the right hemisphere of the brain is activated; but when a person plays music, both hemispheres light up. These areas are the same areas involved in analytical and mathematical thinking (“Music and the Mind,” New Horizons for Learning, 1993).
Music is not an extra-curricular activity. Music is not a sport. The College Board names the arts as one of the six basic academic subject areas students should study in order to succeed in college. Music is a basic education class and should be taught with the same fervor as math and science. Plato once said, “We need to educate the mind, body, and soul.” Music deserves a place among the common curriculum of all schools. It helps students with all of their other subjects as well as helping students with self-esteem and motivation. Music needs to be a part of every child’s education.
Music is an essential component of every child’s education. In addition to being one of the fine arts, music is a science, a physical education, mathematical, a foreign language, and is history. Music doesn’t replace any of these subjects, but rather enhances all of them. Music is an equal partner of math and science. It shouldn’t be “I can’t afford to have music”, but rather, “I can’t afford not to have music.”
Music is exact. It is the combination of pitch, volume, melody, harmony, and time that all work together to form this science. “Music training dramatically enhances children’s abstract reasoning skills—the skills necessary for learning math and sciences” (MENC: Neurological Research, Feb. 1997). Performing music requires intense coordination of fingers, arms, tongue, lips, facial muscles, and lungs. These must be able to respond immediately to what the student hears. The rhythmic aspect of music is extremely mathematical. Rhythm is completely based on subdividing time into smaller intervals. The students must be able to subdivide instantaneously. “Students who report consistent high levels of involvement in instrumental music over the middle and high school years show ‘significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12’” (MENC: The Imagination Project at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, 1999).
Most of the terms in music are in French, German, or Italian. In addition to the terms relating to music, however, there is the music notation itself. Music notation has evolved since the beginning of the Medieval Age. With all the different types of symbols representing different ideas, music is certainly a diverse language. Music enhances history as well. There is a huge history of music, and it usually reflects on the country it is from and the time period.
There are many other extrinsic values of music. Music improves test scores, motivation, self-esteem, cooperation, language skills, and develops quick and decisive thinking. Compared to students with no coursework in the arts, students with experience in music performance scored 55 points higher on the SAT Verbal and 38 points higher on the SAT Math. Students who studied the arts four or more years scored 66 points higher on the SAT Verbal and 47 points on the SAT Math (The College Entrance Examination Board, 2001). Music motivates students to work harder in their schoolwork and to better express themselves. Music helps many students feel better about themselves because they feel they are doing something beneficial in their lives. A music ensemble is a team and every student needs to cooperate in order to produce beautiful music. Students learn a lot about teamwork and cooperation in band. Music helps improve reading and language skills as well. “Music students out-perform non-music students on achievement tests in reading and math. Skills such as reading, anticipating, memory, listening, forecasting, recall, and concentration are developed in musical performance, and these skills are valuable to students in math, reading, and science” (An Evaluation of Achievement in Reading and Arithmetic of Pupils in Elementary School Instrumental Music Classes). Music definitely gets your brain working. “During musical performance, children must constantly turn their thought into action. Thought structures continually have to be updated and adjusted. The combination of constant vigilance and forethought, coupled with ever-changing physical responses, is an educational experience of unique value” (“Making Music Makes You Smarter,” NAMM, 1997). When a person listens to classical music, the right hemisphere of the brain is activated; but when a person plays music, both hemispheres light up. These areas are the same areas involved in analytical and mathematical thinking (“Music and the Mind,” New Horizons for Learning, 1993).
Music is not an extra-curricular activity. Music is not a sport. The College Board names the arts as one of the six basic academic subject areas students should study in order to succeed in college. Music is a basic education class and should be taught with the same fervor as math and science. Plato once said, “We need to educate the mind, body, and soul.” Music deserves a place among the common curriculum of all schools. It helps students with all of their other subjects as well as helping students with self-esteem and motivation. Music needs to be a part of every child’s education.
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