The Four Pillars of Music Education

Principled Practitioner

I believe that an educator must have a set of principles by which they operate both within and outside the classroom. My philosophy of teaching relies on the prioritization of the learner above all else. Generalized education, while not without its benefits, falls short in the music classroom of delivering the enriching experience that a music educator wishes to give their students. I believe that a music educator must engage with each student on a personal level along with any generalized instruction that they may give. It is not enough as a teacher to give out information and expect it to be retained and utilized. The educator must engage directly with the students, learning what they desire from music and helping to move them toward those goals. My philosophy dictates that if a student wishes to explore further into an area of music in which I am not comfortable, I will endeavor to venture with the student down a path on which we can learn together, enhancing the musicianship of not just the student but of the teacher as well. 

I also aim to be as accessible to my students as possible. Through personal connection and shared goals, I hope to encourage my students to come to me about whatever they may need, whether that be a musical question, any concerns about their schoolwork, or simply a general life concern that they may need advice on. I believe that fostering an environment of acceptance, care, and teamwork brings about far better results than an environment catered to discipline and competition.

This lesson took place in late September of my student teaching semester and was my fourth lesson with this group of students. Most of them came into their first class only a few weeks before never having experienced music education in any form. With the help of my cooperating teacher Mr. Nathan Swift, I outlined a lesson based on John Feierabend's First Steps in Music that would help the students begin their musical journey. Lessons in the First Steps in Music style do not have one central focus, rather they give short doses of many different kinds of musical experience. These experiences, when repeated week after week, seek to create "tuneful, beatful, and artful" musicians, meaning that they can recall and sing tunes, keep a steady beat, and perform music expressively.