This class has been one of the most engaging and thought provoking I've been able to be a part of in my first semester, and it has been both a validation to some of the philosophies that I have already had about music education and a door for exploring new philosophies I never knew existed. I thought it was important to start the class by talking about what it is to think critically about something, because for a lot of people, it just means try to justify what you believe. However, thinking critically must be critical, meaning you must question why you believe the things you do, and be able to accept a change in mindset when you prove yourself wrong about something. One of my beliefs is that one of the best things that could ever happen to you is to lose an argument with someone. If you have the ability to look at something objectively from both sides and admit that you were wrong about something, it means you have changed your thinking on something for the better, and you are a better person because of that. True open mindedness comes from the ability to think in this way, and not from being politically correct or inoffensive to anyone.
I have come to the conclusion that teaching music requires the teacher to take on a very different role than that of a math or science teacher. In order for students to be emotionally invested in music, the teacher needs to be emotionally invested in the learning of the students, and be mindful of the way that each person interacts with music. The teacher must guide students to make their own discoveries, while also providing thoughtful conversation to the students in order to nurture the ability to think critically about themselves. This allows the student to be autonomous in their playing and in their learning, and they can develop the tools to teach themselves and others well before traditional music pedagogy allows. The conversations that we have with partners in class are helpful in solidifying our interpretations of what we are being taught, however I feel like it would be more helpful if we could be given all the questions we should think about and then have 15 or so minutes to have a more meaningful conversation about the topic as a whole, rather than talking about one question for 30 seconds and then moving on, etc. I also believe that some of the classroom policy we have been practicing is a little bit unconstructive. I believe that students should be allowed to express their feelings about something. If it isn’t a personal attack on someone, then any emotional expense to other students is a problem that must be resolved by those students. I don’t believe we need to shelter students from feeling emotional distress from things that aren’t directed at them. That is something that they are going to experience for the rest of their lives and they need to learn how to deal with it. For example, giving high fives and expressing joy about something is something that I personally believe should never be diminished just because another student is jealous about it. I am excited and satisfied with the fact that my view on pedagogy has been shifted in this class, and I hope it continues to. I really enjoy working with my teacher and my classmates.
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