Music has been a facet of cultural identity in every society throughout history. Ours is no exception. What makes us different from nations past, though, is our wide-spread system of music education. Before the creation of the United States, the only people in the world being educated in music were the wealthy and the musically inclined. Today, everyone receives a general music education, usually until they reach secondary school. Currently, school curriculums are being trimmed down in order to meet national standards, and the value of music education in public schools is being questioned. Because of this, music educators have been forced to defend music education, and this has started to bring to the foreground the reasons for keeping music education in schools. As a future music educator, I have spent years developing beliefs the importance of music in our society, and I believe that music education is critical to the development of any and all students with regard to the understanding of cultural identity, the establishment of the self, and the desire to fulfill ones potential.

Education aims to make known all that is important to a given society. Every education system educates differently, because different parts of history are more important to that system than to others. Our system is largely based off of math and science, because these subjects are accepted as important to the future of our society. The study of history, though, is unique in the fact that all of the major developments taught by math and science occurred within its area study. Math and science, while important, are not the only things that define our world, and neither have they alone defined important cultures of the past. Music has been a part of every culture since recorded time, and it would be naïve to view it as an unimportant factor of cultural identity. To deprive one generation of a well-rounded survey of the history of the world would be to deny them a complete understanding of the current state of things. This is why music education must be kept in schools. It is as much a part of the past and future as anything scientific, and must be taught as such. Music as a topic serves to shape students’ understanding of cultural identity, but beyond that, the teaching of music requires that students  actively participate in their own development as human beings.

The study of applied music requires a personal investment from every student involved, and this dramatically sets it apart from other studies. Music teaches students about themselves. This is something that cannot be acquired from any amount of academic lecture, but only from the outward expression of that which comes from inward discovery. Music is unique among the arts because it only exists in the present, and good music requires the utmost skill from all who participate. In no other setting does the class average have such weight. Being an integral part of the whole demands that student do their best, and that no one gets left behind. Students active in music receive a unique education that develops them as people, as well as students. In our current world of science and technology, the continued acknowledgement of the self is critical to the future of society as we know it. In this way, music is critical to the maintenance of a healthy society because of its ability to develop the self. The success of music education in the development of the self depends on the philosophy of the instruction. My philosophy of instruction implies that demanding excellence pushes students to achieve their full potential.

Placing demands on students is the only way to educate them. When teachers ask too little of students, they fail to maximize the growth of each student. Likewise, when teachers ask too much, they risk loosing the interest of students altogether. My teaching philosophy revolves around the idea that it is necessary to demand out of students everything they are capable of. Most students are reluctant to put forth the effort necessary to grasp their full potential, and this can cause teachers to lessen their demands. I believe that a teacher should know better and be strong enough to demand excellence in the face of apathy. It is the teacher’s job to recognize potential and demand growth. It is not the teacher’s job to help students further their mediocrity. Too often is mediocrity accepted in today’s society, and music education opens up an opportunity to change this. If this opportunity is missed, a teacher does a great disservice to his or her students. Each student has the potential to be great. What greater lesson can be taught than that which teaches them to strive for excellence? The demand of discipline within a musical setting prepares students to reach their full potential in all pursuits, musical and non-musical. It is critical that music be taught to all students, and that it be taught well. Allowing students to settle for mediocrity teaches them nothing. The goal of any education is the development of students, and music education is a powerful tool for doing so.

Music education develops students with regard to the understanding of cultural identity, the establishment of the self, and the desire to fulfill ones potential. It should be available to anyone who wants it and is willing to work for it. In any type of education, excellence should be demanded out of all participants. Only by doing so will education extend from the classroom into real life. Music is not alone in its educational potential, but it is distinctly great at teaching. I am living proof that the demand for excellence extends past the music room. I have learned from my music teachers to take pride in everything I do, and this has had a profound effect on my life within the classroom, and without. I hope to be able to take what I have learned and teach others, so that similar effects may be felt in their lives, and that they be eternally grateful, as I am.