Tuesday, July 9, 2024
“Rewriting my philosophy of music education has become an evolving exercise of continuous growth, rather than a final definition.”
Longy Assistant Director of Teacher Education Jamie Gunther’s article, “Revisiting our Philosophies: Who We Are and Why We Teach,” was published in the Summer 2024 issue of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) Journal.
In his article, Jamie reframes the Philosophy of Music Education as a living document that will accompany pre-service music educators from graduate school to the classroom, rather than an assignment to be turned in.
While a philosophy is something all pre-service educators are required to write, Jamie argues for the importance of current teachers building regular blocks of time into their schedules to revisit this philosophy, too.
Jamie Gunther
As an in-service teacher, Jamie experienced a shift in identity after a few years of teaching, finding that he was not the same educator he entered the classroom as.
“A few years into K-12 teaching, having experienced spectacular successes and epic failures of teaching and learning, I found my previous beliefs about music education had been challenged and changed…”
Rather than waiting until the new year to form new habits, Jamie argues that it is always the right time to recommit to being the best educator you can be.
Whether you are still in graduate school or have been in the classroom for 20 years, Jamie invites all teachers to begin an annual practice of evaluating and thinking critically about their roles as educators.
You can read Jamie’s full article at https://online.fliphtml5.com/mlkuf/igwl/#p=49.
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If you’re a music educator who wants to earn a master’s degree in a flexible, innovative virtual environment designed for the working teacher, Longy’s Online Master of Music in Music Education program is for you! The deadline for Fall 2024 program applications has just been extended—apply now at https://longy.edu/study/master-of-music-in-music-education-online/.