Response to Peter Loel Boonshaft's "Teaching Music with Purpose"

After reading Boonshaft's book, Teaching Music with Purpose, I feel encouraged and excited to teach music education. I would strongly encourage music educators to purchase a copy of this text. The book contains essays on classroom management strategies, rehearsal techniques, and general musicianship. Most importantly, the first half of Boonshaft's book aims to encourage the brand new student teacher, and to revitalize the experienced, but worn-out educator. These essays remind us why we became teachers; to serve students and to serve music. I can see myself coming back to this book again and again, throughout my career, becoming refreshed and getting something new out of it with every reading.

       
Boonshaft writes at length about his core values of music education. My own core values, based upon my experiences as a performer, choir director, and substitute teacher are currently as follows: 

1. Respect each other and the music
2. Music should be fun...

                      BUT

      3. It is fun to be good

The first is a no-brainer. You can't work as a team and make something beautiful if the ensemble members do not care about each other. Musicians have to think of the good of the whole. Are you the melody? Then play out. Do you have sustained pitches for six measures? Then provide a solid foundation for the moving parts, but make sure you can still hear the melody. Respecting each other also means being supportive. Students should feel safe enough in a band or choir setting to try new things and play on their own. In order to create this safe environment, students have to know that the other students, and the teacher, will not make fun of them or embarrass them for making a mistake or a funny noise. 

The next two values are related. If music class isn't fun, your average student isn't going to be engaged or want to participate. I have learned this through my children's choir. When I first started, I had behavior problems if I did not teach repertoire or musical concepts through games. The kids lost interest and got into trouble. Now that the kids expect to have fun in music, I can teach using a direct teaching style for a few minutes if I need to quickly relay a concept. The students listen and do not fidget because they know the faster we get through the instruction, the faster we can make music together. 

In children's choir, the students are beginning to learn that it is more fun to be good. They recently performed "Jesus Loves Me" on boomwackers and then sang the words. Each student was responsible for one note, and this individual responsibility translated into intense focus during the performance. When they sang the words a cappella, they maintained pitch and tempo better than ever before. There was not a single mistake. I was thrilled with their concentration, the parents loved it, and the kids were ecstatic. They have a new confidence in their musical ability and they keep coming to me with new ideas that incorporate independent playing and singing. 

What are your core values?