Music Education is important because music plays a role in everyone’s lives whether it be in terms of leisure, studies, work, or self-expression. My future dream job would be as a high school music teacher who also teaches private lessons on the side. I want to be able to provide both a one on one experience as well as teach in a classroom setting. I believe that teaching music is all about playing and being able to express yourself through this medium and that we should not solely focus on it as a scholarly subject in which marks are the goals. Through teaching within high school, students will be equipped with surface-level exposure to music.
I strongly believe that music making occurs best when it is viewed as more than just notes on a page. Music is one of those subjects in which there is freedom through interpretation and emotional connection, and this is demonstrated through how it can drastically change how pieces are played. For this reason, the most important skills that music learners should acquire is the ability to be musical. Another attribute that students should have is the ability to persevere and constantly put forth their best efforts. Mastering a technique or playing with best tone typically takes practice and time. It does not happen overnight. In dealing with the learning process, I go by the statement, “Process over product.”. I believe that the best way to learn is to think about the different ways to get to the product rather than purely thinking about the end goal. Figuring out the best way for students to reach current musical goals will give them skills to figure out how they can meet future goals as well. The process refers to the experience that the students under-go rather than purely the music created.
Having engaging and unique experiences allows for the students to choose their own paths. I believe that allowing a student to show the way they want to learn is the best way to do so. Rather than having a general set structure to apply for all students, I believe in customizing learning plans and approaches to each person, giving them experiences that best suit their needs. For example, if a student enjoys more kinesthetic learning, I would focus my time on having engaging activities and playing music, rather than explaining. I also believe that the best way to learn and improve is to have a strong support system in the form of a positive teacher. The most progress is made through having a teacher by one's side, always encouraging students to be better and push them to the best of their abilities. Having that constant reminder and person to keep students in check provides me with the opportunities to get better.
One tool that I would use for music making is to ask students to record themselves at the beginning of the process and again at the end of the process. This would allow them to hear their own improvements, and it will also help them determine what worked for them as well as what didn’t. Along with the self-reflection, I would like to provide them with a grading system weekly, which shows their progress in the practice room each week. With these systems, I would also include monthly graded playing tests, and at the end of the year, each student would be able to look at their trends of improvement.
My main future goal is to be able to provide a powerful music learning experience to students. Rather than just telling the students what to do, I would experiment with them so they can have their own “eureka” moments, as those tend to have lasting effects if discovered by themselves. I want to be a teacher that is known for being caring and encouraging while also yielding results. I want to be able to connect with my students while also creating amazing musicians.