Bret Ryan

Inst. Org.- Ragsdale

January 28, 2013
Musical Philosophy

There are not many facets of my life to which I have a philosophy. A philosophy, in
my opinion, should be constructed very carefully, and something you are prepared, and
willing to spend your existence defending. The word philosophy, when translated from
the Greek derivative, literally means a love of wisdom. For me, music falls firmly into this
love of wisdom so the continued development of my philosophy stands as a priority in my
life.
The great philosopher Plato once said that music is a more potent instrument than any
other for education (CMW). Unfortunately in todays society, Platos support of music
education is not as wide spread. In many public schools, educators have to defend why
music education is important in the curriculum and society. In my opinion, music affects
curriculum by giving public schooling the well-rounded balance that is needed for full child
development. It has been proven through continued research that students with a scarcity
of artistic outlets in their education struggle with emotional expression later in life. Kenny
Redublo, from studentvoiceonline.com, states that Music is a living entity. It reflects the
way we feel, the way we act, and the way we interact. If students do not have this
expression, their emotions can become bottled up and have nowhere to be released. Music
is also very important for the future of our society. Students, who participate in a band
program throughout even a portion or all of high school, receive a unique opportunity to
serve in a microcosm of society. Band teaches students the importance of societys many
lessons such as setting and meeting goals, teamwork, leadership, discipline, and respect to
name just a few. This is why it takes special people to teach and convey these ideas
successfully to the students.
Teaching music is completely different than teaching another discipline. I believe that
the largest difference in teaching music is in two words; personal contribution. In many
classes opposite to music in the curriculum, students simply become trained monkeys by
memorizing facts that become pointless because they forget them at the semesters end.
With music, every student has the unique opportunity to open up to his/her own personal
opinions. Though they do not have control of the classroom, every time they put their
instrument up to their mouth, they are making a personal decision as well as a contribution
to the class. That is why it is so important for teachers to make the students a priority.
The priority of my band program is defined simply in the following sentence: Teach the
students (not the instruments) how to effectively express themselves through worthwhile
musical projects. I will make it a priority to remember that the students are still human
beings behind the instruments they are holding. A lot of music educators get so wrapped up
in their own personal resumes achievements, that they forget that there are people behind
the many staves in the score. The next part of my priority, effectively express through
worthwhile musical projects refers to the instruction that the students need to display
their personal experiences through the musical medium (band) at hand. If teachers just
educate the students on notes and rhythms from piece to piece as needed, then they are
teaching selfishly, rather than selflessly. The educator should make sure to educate the
students so that the benefits are more geared to the individual gain of the students rather
than ensembles perfectness in performances such as the final product of the Spring UIL
program.
Every music educator is different in so many ways. One of the ways can be his/her
personal beliefs and the affect these beliefs have on personal philosophy. For me as a future
educator, my personal beliefs will affect my philosophy quite a bit. As long as the students
best interest comes first, things such as morals, personal experiences, and musical insights
that other teachers have bestowed upon me will come to the forefront the most. The best
teachers are able to mix their past life experiences, current education, and future goals into
a concoction of well-rounded teachings (GS). I am working to make sure that my teaching
mix is successfully locked into to a powerful philosophy.
The thought of philosophy that I can most familiarize myself to is experimentalism
because I have learned the most in my life through personal experiences. Also, I hope that
through my teaching, students will be sparked to pursue something related to my class in
their own life. I want to create critical thinking students who can fight through trials and
temptations of life as well as have a basis for creating their individual philosophies. The
reason for this is that a teacher once told me, when the students begin to want to teach
themselves, your job becomes a whole lot easier... My philosophy will reflect these ideals
whole-heartedly. Getting the students to actively want to become better musicians without
me pushing them will be my ultimate goal for my teaching career. So, if I was to put my
philosophy into a sentence it would be as follows: I will provide a place of aesthetic
expression that the students will grow both expressively, and intellectually to a level where
the students are driven by personal achievement to reach their personal potential in not
just music, but life. Though it may seem wordy, I successfully wrapped all of my
philosophical beliefs into that sentence.
Music offers us two unique characteristics that always bring me back to it if I ever stray;
it is a universal language, and has a lifetime of value. No matter what country you live in,
and no matter how old you are, you can enjoy music. It is a dominant force in the world,
shaping every cultures senses as well as the values of its children as few other forces can
(FME).












Bibliography
(CMW) Childrens Music Workshop. Retrieved from
<http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/advocacy/youngmind.html>
Student Voice Online. Retrieved from Kenny Redublos article at website-
< http://www.studentvoiceonline.com/opinion/music-is-a-form-of-artistic-expression-
that-can-t-soley-be-defined-by-labels-and-genres-1.2233119 >
(FME) Facts about Music Education. Retrieved from
<http://www.amromusic.com/facts-about-music-education>
(GS)Great Schools. Article- What makes a great teacher.
<http://www.greatschools.org/improvement/quality-teaching/79-what-makes-a-great-
teacher.gs>