Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: question from a non-tubist


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Posted by Jay Bertolet on August 12, 2001 at 07:48:27:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: question from a non-tubist posted by eric on August 11, 2001 at 10:35:09:

I respect your right to your opinion, I just disagree with some of what you said.

I don't agree that music education in a regular school (not an arts magnet type school) should be any different in purpose than in an arts magnet school. The major difference is that those students not in the magnet school will probably not go on to be career musicians. All that means is that the level of accomplishment MAY not remain as high as in the magnet school but the fundamentals of the training should be very similar, if not identical. What it takes to be a good musician, at any level, is remarkably similar. I still believe the primary goal of the music teacher is to teach music. Giving music students, at any level, less than a quality music education serves nobody. No amount of substituting "character developement" will make up for a lack of skill training. I also don't believe that it is so easy to figure out which students will progress to a professional career. So much happens in the late teens and in college that certain students can really blossom, students who never would have appeared to be on the track to a performance career while in high school. As a result, I strive to give every one of my students the skills that could make them a performer. How they choose to use those skills is entirely up to them. At least I've maintained the integrity of my own teaching while giving them the options to do with their life as they see fit.

I do agree that teachers should also produce "better functioning members of society" but this is not specific to music teachers. Every teacher should (and almost all are) do this just as a matter of course. This is one of the responsibilities that teachers are charged with as part of having access to young minds. To do otherwise is irresponsible. But this is by no means a priority that I think about as a teacher. It is something that all good teachers do by example.

My opinion for what it's worth...


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