Ross Mappes December 10, 2011

E131 – Colloquium in Music Education Philosophy Final

Music has been a major component of our school systems in the United States

since the early 19th century, from its official acceptance in school curriculums in 1838.

Since then, music has enriched the lives of countless students. Unfortunately, music

education has taken a beating in recent years. This is a tragedy, as music education has a

wide variety of intrinsic benefits. The teachers working to keep music in schools

understand just how beneficial music can be to the lives of children and students.

Music can create a sense of self-worth and accomplishment in students of all

ages. Students work for weeks, sometimes months, to prepare for a concert. As their

directors push them to be the best they can be, the students put in their sweat and tears to

ensure their concert is at the highest musical caliber possible. Both the students and the

director put their heart and soul into rehearsals. Finally, on the evening of the concert,

the students have the opportunity to show off just how hard they have been working.

Students who are not part of school music programs don’t often get the

opportunity to show off just how hard they’ve been working in school. Students should

have the opportunity to show their hard work to a large audience of people that care to

listen to their music. For me, music made me feel like school was worthwhile as I got to

perform and touch the hearts of whatever audience was listening to my orchestra’s

concert. To hear an audience’s applause is the best feeling I’ve ever had, a feeling that

all students should be able to experience.

Music becomes an outlet of creativity to all who embrace it. In school, students

are often bombarded with closed-ended scenarios. From my personal experience, this

can become very discouraging for students. Music is a unique study in the fact that

there’s never just one answer. Many people with different opinions can all be right at the

same time. Every individual student in an ensemble can personalize music so that each

student feels connected to the music. In no other school subject can this be done. Music

isn’t necessarily black and white.

Music creates a sense of camaraderie between students. In many classes you will

have the students who obviously don’t want to be there. They slack off and distract other

students from the learning process. In an advanced high school orchestra, however, you

will have a group of students that truly want to be there to make music. This mindset

causes students in the ensembles and programs to bond based on their passion of music

making. Music classrooms are one of the very few school environments where it is

simple to create long lasting friendships and bonds, friendships that are extremely

important to childhood development.

Music can be extremely important to the developing student. It creates a sense of

self-worth and accomplishment, is an outlet of creativity to all who embrace it, and has

the ability to create a sense of camaraderie and friendship. In no other classroom can all

of these be done jointly. To permanently take music out of schools would hinder students

from experiencing these scenarios. To help students with their development, music

should remain in schools.