Elizabeth Vaughn

MUED 373

Dabback

30 January 2018

Philosophy of Music Education

The role of a music educator is to provide a safe space and a set of tools for

musical interactions and creations to take place. I believe classrooms should be safe

spaces for students to explore, experiment, and grow though creation and play.

Curricula should balance between presentational (such as concerts) and

participatory (such as informal music making) goals to provide students with a variety of

valuable music experiences. Student input and autonomy should be valued in the

classroom. Students should have some say in what they are being taught and should

have the opportunity to bring in music that is relevant to their own experiences. The

music classroom should balance between student interests and music that students

might not experience outside of school. Teaching strategies and course content should

be able to change and evolve as old ideas become archaic and new ones emerge.

Ideally, classrooms should reflect the multitude of ways music exists in society. These

constant adaptations include but are not limited to advances in popular music, music

technology, and secondary-general music strategies and approaches. Lastly, it is an

educator’s job to constantly evaluate one’s self, welcome constructive critique, and

reflect on one’s own experiences to improve and provide future students the best

musical experiences they can offer.