It was when I was in secondary school that I decided I wanted to be a music teacher. We were moments away from performing a concert when my band director had everyone make a circle and put one hand in the middle. On the count of three, we cheered “Go Band!” and walked onto the stage. Seeing the joyous anticipation in my peer’s eyes, feeling a contagious excitement in the air; it was a moment I will never forget. Teachers have the amazing power of inspiring future generations and creating positive moments that will last a lifetime.
Teaching music is a unique field that has value unparalleled to any other field. The opportunities it provides to create, express, and communicate makes the music room a place for meaningful learning. Music is found across the globe and can bring individuals, communities, and even worlds together.
In a classroom, flexibility is essential to meet the needs of all individuals. Music provides the freedom for a variety of activities, including singing, chanting, moving, reading, creating, and playing instruments. By using different channels to learn, music classes can address different styles of learning and allow students of all levels of cognitive and behavioral development to learn meaningfully.
From the words of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "Music is the universal language of mankind." I believe music is a communicative tool that transcends cultural boundaries and provides an opportunity for self-expression and creativity for all. Students of different cultures can sit in a classroom together and achieve meaningful learning at the individual level. The repertoire and activities available to teach music content and curriculum is not limited to one culture but can address all cultures, thus continually meeting the needs of students in the classroom.
Music can bring together a community. Music programs can reach out to parents and the community through concerts and performing at community events. It is important that the music education students receive should not be limited to the music classroom, but should assist students in collaborating with the community and encourage them to become an active member in society.
Music provides the opportunity to teach lifelong values, such as responsibility and leadership. Through performing in small and large groups, individuals feel a sense of responsibility to lead, participate, and contribute. Students learn to have others depend on them, and to uphold their assignment to help the class achieve an overall goal. Through peer leadership positions, students are given the opportunity to lead their class, a value that transcends beyond the classroom and into the real world.
Lastly, music can send a message. Whether the message is an emotion, or that it tells a meaningful story, powerful lessons can be found behind every piece of music. These messages can be written down by a composer, and it is up to the students to both understand the message being told and to be able to communicate that message to others. Even more importantly, students can create their own messages and communicate them to others. Creativity and self-expression are crucial values that music provides an amazing opportunity for and are valuable for every human being.
Teaching music is a unique field that has value unparalleled to any other field. The opportunities it provides to create, express, and communicate makes the music room a place for meaningful learning. Music is found across the globe and can bring individuals, communities, and even worlds together.
In a classroom, flexibility is essential to meet the needs of all individuals. Music provides the freedom for a variety of activities, including singing, chanting, moving, reading, creating, and playing instruments. By using different channels to learn, music classes can address different styles of learning and allow students of all levels of cognitive and behavioral development to learn meaningfully.
From the words of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "Music is the universal language of mankind." I believe music is a communicative tool that transcends cultural boundaries and provides an opportunity for self-expression and creativity for all. Students of different cultures can sit in a classroom together and achieve meaningful learning at the individual level. The repertoire and activities available to teach music content and curriculum is not limited to one culture but can address all cultures, thus continually meeting the needs of students in the classroom.
Music can bring together a community. Music programs can reach out to parents and the community through concerts and performing at community events. It is important that the music education students receive should not be limited to the music classroom, but should assist students in collaborating with the community and encourage them to become an active member in society.
Music provides the opportunity to teach lifelong values, such as responsibility and leadership. Through performing in small and large groups, individuals feel a sense of responsibility to lead, participate, and contribute. Students learn to have others depend on them, and to uphold their assignment to help the class achieve an overall goal. Through peer leadership positions, students are given the opportunity to lead their class, a value that transcends beyond the classroom and into the real world.
Lastly, music can send a message. Whether the message is an emotion, or that it tells a meaningful story, powerful lessons can be found behind every piece of music. These messages can be written down by a composer, and it is up to the students to both understand the message being told and to be able to communicate that message to others. Even more importantly, students can create their own messages and communicate them to others. Creativity and self-expression are crucial values that music provides an amazing opportunity for and are valuable for every human being.
Contact me:
Emily Ouellette
Choir, Drama, and Elementary Music Teacher
American Overseas School of Rome
Via Cassia, 811, 00189 Roma RM, Italy
+39 06 334381
eouellette@aosr.org
Emily Ouellette
Choir, Drama, and Elementary Music Teacher
American Overseas School of Rome
Via Cassia, 811, 00189 Roma RM, Italy
+39 06 334381
eouellette@aosr.org