Music Vision Statment
You might think that music education is inherently creative, but this is not always so. Often times, people teach music because they were/are successful in it. But we are the few who were successful within a class that was probably taught in a very non-creative way. Think back for a moment to your elementary music class. Do you remember being and thinking creatively or learning notation? For some reason, one of the most creative subjects on the planet often gets reduced to its least creative parts in the classroom.
When we learn the English language, most people don’t focus on writing until children enter kindergarten. That gives students five to six years of communication before they formally start learning how to read and write. However, the thing that many music teachers focus on is how to read it. In order for students to understand what they are reading and writing, they first have to experience it. Without a foundation of musical understanding, the notation they learn holds no meaning. As with any other subject, if we want students to be creative, we have to provide an appropriate foundation, and nowhere is that less common than in an elementary music classroom.
There are several reasons for this. First, we have to make sure our music teachers are well trained. Up until recently, a music certification was not required to teach music, so people who minored in music in college were given music educator positions. While these teachers have a vast knowledge of music and teaching, they are missing the necessary knowledge of pedagogy and philosophy that is specific to this field. Certified music teachers cannot teach anything besides music, but for some reason, anyone with a music background is expected to be able to teach just as well. If we are going to make music the creative subject that it is, we need to give its complexity the same respect that we give any other subject.
Secondly, we need to give students the opportunity to create music. There are countless ways to do this through improvisation, arranging and composition. Contrary to common belief, the ability to read and write with standard music notation is not necessary to do any of these. Often times, students can create pieces of music that reach far beyond their ability to notate it. By asking them to create music on paper first, you are limiting them to their ability to write in standard notation. With improvisation, students can make up music on the spot. Depending on the situation, this can focus on many other aspects of music, such as a sense rhythm, beat, and ensemble. Arranging is becoming much more accessible through the use of technology. Programs like Sony JamTrax and GarageBand allow students to create music using loops and samples that come with the software. While they are not creating these musical loops, the ability to use complex musical material in a creative way expands their own musical knowledge. They can create things that sound like the music they listen to at home. Creating music that they love increases engagement and makes music class relevant to their own lives.
While knowing the lines and spaces on the staff is important, if you don’t have the foundation of knowing what those sounds mean, music can become monotonous and boring. Before we can ask students to communicate with music in a written way, we first must give them the opportunity to figure out what they want to say. This can’t happen unless we step outside of the music notation box and teach music. It will not be simple, because music is not simple. If we want to teach our students to appreciate music for its creative potential, we have to teach it from a perspective that recognizes its complexity.
When we learn the English language, most people don’t focus on writing until children enter kindergarten. That gives students five to six years of communication before they formally start learning how to read and write. However, the thing that many music teachers focus on is how to read it. In order for students to understand what they are reading and writing, they first have to experience it. Without a foundation of musical understanding, the notation they learn holds no meaning. As with any other subject, if we want students to be creative, we have to provide an appropriate foundation, and nowhere is that less common than in an elementary music classroom.
There are several reasons for this. First, we have to make sure our music teachers are well trained. Up until recently, a music certification was not required to teach music, so people who minored in music in college were given music educator positions. While these teachers have a vast knowledge of music and teaching, they are missing the necessary knowledge of pedagogy and philosophy that is specific to this field. Certified music teachers cannot teach anything besides music, but for some reason, anyone with a music background is expected to be able to teach just as well. If we are going to make music the creative subject that it is, we need to give its complexity the same respect that we give any other subject.
Secondly, we need to give students the opportunity to create music. There are countless ways to do this through improvisation, arranging and composition. Contrary to common belief, the ability to read and write with standard music notation is not necessary to do any of these. Often times, students can create pieces of music that reach far beyond their ability to notate it. By asking them to create music on paper first, you are limiting them to their ability to write in standard notation. With improvisation, students can make up music on the spot. Depending on the situation, this can focus on many other aspects of music, such as a sense rhythm, beat, and ensemble. Arranging is becoming much more accessible through the use of technology. Programs like Sony JamTrax and GarageBand allow students to create music using loops and samples that come with the software. While they are not creating these musical loops, the ability to use complex musical material in a creative way expands their own musical knowledge. They can create things that sound like the music they listen to at home. Creating music that they love increases engagement and makes music class relevant to their own lives.
While knowing the lines and spaces on the staff is important, if you don’t have the foundation of knowing what those sounds mean, music can become monotonous and boring. Before we can ask students to communicate with music in a written way, we first must give them the opportunity to figure out what they want to say. This can’t happen unless we step outside of the music notation box and teach music. It will not be simple, because music is not simple. If we want to teach our students to appreciate music for its creative potential, we have to teach it from a perspective that recognizes its complexity.