PHILOSOPHY

After all other considerations of a teacher's credentials, there is lastly one general issue that is best addressed separately from all the above: What is your teacher's general philosophy about music education? There are typically two opposing outlooks: 1) music is not for everyone and only those with inherent ability and desire should continue study; 2) music is a gift everyone should enjoy, just like reading, because it opens the mind, heart and soul to so much more later in life. The first outlook was much more common in the last century, and is based on the assumption that teachers are the front line leaders in finding the next generation of professional musicians. Whereas this is certainly one of their functions, most teachers today believe that their role is not limited to this sole purpose in life.

The belief that everyone should learn music is NOT new, and in fact was born in the 19th century when every middle class family bought a piano and gave their children (daughters) piano lessons. However, since WWII society's focus on becoming "productive" members shifted the emphasis in education away from "good for the mind, heart and soul" to "important for my career". Therefore, many teachers began to adopt a similar attitude, that if the student does not show promise it is a waste of money to continue their lessons. More recently, research is showing yet again that a music education in fact is more important for the general development of children than ever before realized, and as a result teachers are again approaching the process as something that should be available to everyone. (See QUOTES ON MUSIC EDUCATON.)

If your teacher is not giving your child adequate attention, because she/he seems to be more of the belief that only those who have potential should continue, but you believe that your child deserves a quality music education "just because", you might want to find a teacher more in the second category. Sometimes how a student responds is more an outgrowth of the teacher's general belief about why we teach in the first place, than her/his inherent ability. When placed in a situation where learning is just "for the fun of it" rather than just "for those who are good", many students simply do better.