Grace Templeton

3 November 2020

EDUC 300

The sun was beginning to set over the mountains as I trudged into my geography class’

200-seat lecture hall to settle in for an hour-and-a-half long lecture about dirt and rocks. This is

where I sat every Monday and Wednesday night to fall asleep and wake myself up, over and over

again, doing well on exams but retaining nothing afterwards. The topic of the class itself had

little to do with my reality; it was hard to apply textbook information about magma and

earthquakes to my day-to-day life as a music major. This is just one example of why I believe in

experience-based learning that is practical and applicable to the lives of students. For this reason,

the philosophy I adhere to the most is ​progressivism.

Progressivism is a student-centered philosophy “organized around the concerns,

curiosity, and real-world experiences of students” (Sadker & Zittleman, 2018). John Dewey, a

professor at the University of Chicago, played a large role in the beginning of the progressivist

movement by establishing the Laboratory School, where students’ education came mainly from

social learning and experience-based learning. Progressivism quickly gained supporters up until

the beginning of the space race, when textbook learning quickly became more desirable for a

period of time to “catch up” with other countries. However, progressivism is still alive and well

today and practiced in many classrooms around the world.

Purpose of Education

In discussing the expectations that families have for educational systems, one of the most

prominent expectations I could think of was to prepare students for higher education or for the

workplace. Education at the elementary, middle, and high school levels is often seen as a

gateway to opportunities in the post-formal-education world. In many areas within the United

States, children are commonly and jokingly advised to “stay in school” to avoid delinquency.
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For this reason, I believe that the purpose of education is to give students an opportunity

to build “soft skills,” such as communication skills and teamwork, as well as learn practical

knowledge that could assist them in having a career to support themselves.The best way to build

these skills is to give students experiences to practice those skills. In relation to the progressivist

philosophy, this application to the real world is called “pragmatism,” which asserts that the best

way to see if something works is to test it in the real world (Sadker & Zittleman, 2018).

What Should be Taught and Why

I believe that it is most important to empower students to survive in the society that we

live in through education. Students should have the opportunity to learn this practical knowledge

through experiential and social learning. However, this knowledge cannot simply be learned

without developing the whole person to be a caring, empathetic member of society. This is where

I sometimes lean towards essentialism, especially as a music educator, because of the holistic

learning that this development requires. Music education is an efficient way to foster not only a

life-long love of music, but also empathy, compassion, teamwork, and responsibility; all “soft

skills” that are crucial to every relationship and career the student will have in their lives.

A “well-educated” student is a student who is prepared to enter the real world with not

only empathy and compassion, but also the ability to think critically. John Dewey was a key

figure in the idea of the “scientific method,” which allows students to make informed decisions

using critical thinking tools. This critical thinking empowers students to engage responsibly in

society and everything that comes with it.

As a student in a public middle school music program, the most impactful educational

moments I experienced came during class discussions about material that allowed us to think
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EDUC 300

deeply about topics that were uncomfortable to us. This practice in thinking critically helped me

to prepare myself for a lifetime of tough conversations and critical thinking. In my future music

classroom, one way I hope to foster critical thinking and “soft skills” is by selecting repertoire

that allows students to think critically about themselves and the world around them, just as my

music teachers did for me. Selecting this type of repertoire allows students to discuss and build

critical thinking skills while also building technical, musical, and performance skills. Giving

students the opportunity to practice these in a group of their peers aligns with progressivism's

emphasis on social learning.

The Nature of a Learner

As a student, I was a very responsible and curious learner. However, this is not the case

for every student I will teach in the future. Many students have home lives, disabilities, or other

conditions that make it difficult for them to learn in a responsible manner. With this in mind, I

will set slightly different expectations for each student based on their needs. However, I will

expect all my students to take some responsibility in their learning. The older my students are,

the more responsibility I will expect them to have. If responsibility is not present in one of my

future students, I will help them to succeed by fostering that responsibility through enforced

deadlines and goals. Even so, I hope that each interaction I have with students will be full of

grace and kindness. I will treat them as human beings with lives and responsibilities outside of

their learning.

Responsibility as a learner is important because it is a practical necessity in their adult

(and childhood) lives. This can be fostered through expecting preparedness during rehearsals and

accountability in concert attendance, though I know that the latter will be especially influenced
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3 November 2020

EDUC 300

by their home lives. My emphasis on responsibility falls into the category of progressivism

because of how pragmatic responsibility is in our society. Decades have shown that those who

are responsible tend to succeed in the real world, while those who practice irresponsibility do

not.

Teaching Methods that Should be Used & Why

My future music classroom will look different based on what I teach. My future choir

classroom will feature students split into different sections based on their voice parts. The chairs

in the room will be grouped together to allow for group work and discussion, which is a major

aspect of progressivism. My future elementary school music classroom will feature multiple

stations around the room. One station may be set apart for percussion instruments while another

is set apart for string instruments, and so on and so forth. This will also allow for students to

break into groups and learn through social interaction and experience, actually touching and

playing with the instruments instead of being instructed.

I plan to teach as a facilitator rather than a lecturer. Instead of dictating what I want

students to do, I would rather allow students to take risks in a safe classroom environment. I am a

strong supporter of “musical play” in the classroom, which once again walks the line of

essentialism. “Musical play,” as described by Natalie Sarrazin, is controlled by the child or

children and free from external rules (Sarrazin, 2016). I would like to allow space for musical

play in my future classroom.

My teaching methods would still fall under progressivism because they are rooted firmly

in allowing the children to learn via social interaction and experience. Music-making, especially

ensemble music-making, lends itself extremely well to a progressivist style of education, as it

3 November 2020

EDUC 300

cannot be separated from experiential learning but is still usually led by a teacher or conductor

rather than students.

Summary Paragraph

As a future music educator, I care about my students and want them to lead successful,

fulfilling lives, whether they continue to play music professionally or just for fun. My primary

goal is to make sure that they have the tools to thrive in today’s society, including soft skills and

practical knowledge. This desire is distinctly progressivist. However, I also want to make sure

that the students are developing their whole selves: mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. To do

this, I will use experience-based learning and social learning to allow students to practice these

skills themselves in a safe, productive classroom environment.

Sadker, D. M., & Zittleman, K. R. (2018). ​Teachers, schools, and society: A brief introduction to

education.​ New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education Create.

Sarrazin, N. (2016). ​Music and the Child.​ New York, NY: Open SUNY Textbooks.