Jorge Quezada

09/29/14
Colloquium
Music Education Philosophy

Music Education in the United States has been a subject of debate to many directors at public
schools, being always at risks to be cut or excluded from what schools programs can offer.
Coming from a system of education where music programs are more than extremely rare and
most of the time badly taught, my experience learning about different music classrooms and
experiencing music making at first hand through years of training have shaped my philosophy
of Education. The inclusion of well developed music programs in schools have brought
optimistic outcomes to students, or to say the least have contributed to unique stories, making
the experience of studying in the system of public education, a very important choice for
parents to consider for the future of their children.

Music is a universal way of communication; through teaching music one can engage many
different cultural backgrounds into one single purpose. Ive chosen the field of Music Education
because I believe that through music one can most effectively stimulate, engage and integrate
all students in the classroom, and create a community of self awareness and respect, where
everybody learns from each other. My goal is to advocate for the inclusion of musicing in
every students life, to become as significant as other activities of his/her everydays life.

I teach music because it has been a part of me since I was a little child. Though I did not receive
any training until later in my adolescence, music was always brought to my awareness in many
other ways such as dancing. Music has taught me many important values that have shaped who

I am, such as dedication, determination, patience, respect, etc. Since music has made such a big
impact in my personality, my goal as a music education teacher is to provide the same kind of
inspiration that music delivered to me. I would love to bring music into the students life in
order for them to be able to find a vehicle through which they could express themselves,
though which they could be understood and feel proud of.

I am singer, and being the voice my vehicle through which I express my music, I would like to be
a choir conductor or direct a vocal technique workshop at a public school. I like to be a very
organized person and to plan my schedule for my practicing routines. But, as the state of the
voice varies according to your physical and mental condition, I pay extra attention at how do I
feel and whether it is necessary to stretch and vocalize for a few minutes or more. If I were to
teach a choir, I would like to create an environment of joy, because singing must come from
heart, and especially if the purpose of the choir is to create on strong single voice from all voice
together.

In general, when teaching music I believe that it is very important that all students have the
same equal opportunities to participate, and to facilitate the way through which they can
demonstrate their musical progress. Depending on the grade and/or topic of discussion, the
teaching of music can be very physical or intellectual, my goal as a teacher is to find the way to
relate to the students personality and to deliver a music that is understandable and applicable
for them. Though talent is always recognized and praise, I will always emphasize effort and
persistence. The goal of the teacher as a music educator but also the goal of the class as
musicians, is to learn and ultimately perform music that will help up achieve high standards and
to keep inspiring others.