Music For Students’ Sake

CHANGING OUR VIEW ON MUSIC ADVOCACY IN TODAY’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Approaches to music in schoolsUTILITARIAN APPROACH

•Development of moral character

•Improved health

•Development of intellectual discipline

•Music for worship

AESTHETIC APPROACH

•Music for its own sake

•Preservation of music as an art form

•Teaching students to love music

The Aesthetic Approach is Obsolete •Aesthetics are an integral part of the music listening experience• The listening experience changes with advancing education•What was once totally aesthetic becomes part-aesthetic and

part-intellectual.

•Combining intelligences with aesthetics informs the whole experience.

Music in Public Schools

MUSIC IS IN SCHOOLS FOR ITS OWN SAKE•By making this case, you're saying “music needs us;” not “we need music.”

MUSIC IS IN SCHOOLS FOR THE STUDENTS’ BENEFIT

•Public schools are for children; not the subjects.

•Adam Kruse: “it is about music, it's not about sound.”

Students,Music, and Public Schools

Students•Will always enjoy music

•Will always listen to music

•Will always be emotional

•Some will seek extra-curricular music activities with or without their teacher

•Enjoy social experiences

•Enjoy working toward a common goal

Music•Will always exist

•Will always be important and personal to every person

•Can elicit emotional responses and connections

•Can be an enjoyable and challenging social experience

•Is a cultural phenomenon

Public Schools•Music programs allow for students to make social connections and develop meaningful skills

•Music programs can be a key part of the school/greater community

•Music programs can be important to children

Note: Preserving the art of classical music should/can be a part of the curriculum but should not be the ultimate goal.

Avon Electric Orchestra