Andrea Weber

Philosophy of Education

There are many purposes of education and music education. Education provides students with content knowledge and personal capabilities to contribute to the future of society. Education, especially music education, equips students with the ability to understand human intellectual and emotional capacities necessary for a successful adult individual in today’s society. As Paul Lehman states, music “is a basic instinct in every human being. That’s why it holds such enormous potential to elevate and uplift the human race.” Music education provides students with knowledge of how outside influences can become an outlet for emotions, as well as a way to understand other content areas, especially the historical and cultural diversity of society. Music education also provides students with leadership, group-working skills, professionalism, and independent learning skills. Music education is integral to the curriculum in schools because these qualities are addressed in other content areas, but not nearly as extensive as in music. As stated in the Education Week, “we need to keep the arts in education because they instill in students the habits of mind that last a lifetime: critical analysis skills, the ability to deal with ambiguity and to solve problems, perseverance and a drive for excellence.”

Teaching pertains to the equal exchange of ideas between the teacher and students. It also pertains to the teacher is also a role model who inspires the students to expand in their learning. The teacher must be a role model because they are the most influential resource for the student’s expansion of knowledge and understanding. I should be a good example of someone who has knowledge, but is willing to learn and do so without letting my personal life interfere. I believe that one’s past experiences influence their learning, but that their personal experiences outside the classroom should not hinder the learning of new ideas.  I believe that students are more willing and cooperative in the learning process if they have a good example of a cooperative learner.

The students in the classroom should be willing to contribute their ideas and not be afraid to question ideas in order to find more truth and reasoning. It is crucial that the students question and logically reason through their problems to find conclusions. In order for the students to feel they are capable to contribute to learning, there must be the proper environment for them to work. It is important to make sure the students work in groups or together with others in order to feel more comfortable exchanging ideas and so they may understand multiple approaches to reasoning. In order to supplement the learning process and open exchange of ideas, there are different ways to instruct and assign the students work. A great way to harbor interpersonal relationships and allow for students to find alternative views is through group projects. It is important to constantly emphasize past which is built upon to create a full-circle of education both in content and in life-lessons.

The classroom should not hold any bias towards social, economic, political, or other influences that might prevent equal learning to occur. Students interacting with each other on work can be more productive than students working by themselves. However, working together should not take away from the integrity and honesty of the work. Open minds, equal learning, diversity towards cultures and a role model to facilitate learning are the most important and core features to my educational philosophy.