Small instrumental ensembles in the elementary school

• Main Author: Murphy, John "Jack" William
• Format: Others
• Published: Scholarly Commons 1947
• Subjects: Instrumental music; Instruction and study; Education; Elementary Education; Music; Music Education
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/1062; https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2061&context=uop_etds

The music teacher of today has only to look back as far as his own experiences as a music student to become aware that rapid and significant changes in the underlying philosophy of music teaching have occurred at all school levels. In general the emphasis has shifted from the development of mechanical skills through repetitive drill on formalized exercises, to the development of the whole child through participation in a broad field of pleasurable musical experiences. Carried further, the newer concept implies that these musical experiences will not be limited to the confines of the music department, but will carry over into many other subject matter fields of the school; and, in addition, into the home and the community. In other words, music should be regarded no longer as a specialized and isolated segment of the school curriculum, but as an integral part of the whole educative process. Such a concept makes it necessary for the music teacher to acquaint himself, at least in a general way with a broad field of knowledge over and above his specialized subject matter. Certainly he should have much more than a nodding acquaintance with modern educational ideals for his primary objective is identical with the democratic ideal of public school education based upon Dr. John Dewey's idea of the fullest possible development of an integrated and well-rounded individual who functions in a socially useful manner. It seems obvious that if we, as teachers, are to achieve this aim, we must first of all understand our students as human beings whose individual personalities are continuously evolving. This last point carries the implication that any program which is set up in advance is subject to change in order that it may be adapted to the needs and interests of particular groups (or of particular individuals) as these needs and interests arise. The teacher, in his role as a counselor, should see to it that this individual development is along lines consistent with the beet interests of society as a whole.