Strategies for the Development of Music Education Philosophy for Preservice Music Teachers

Without a doubt, music educators and scholars have long believed that developing a music education philosophy is vital for preservice music educators (Austin & Reinhardt, 1999; Bowman, 2012; Ervin, Edwards, Kerchner, and Knight, 2002; Hodges, 2017; Reimer, 1970; Townsend, 2011). Philosophy in music education often offers guidance for curriculum design and a lesson plan for decision-making (Abeles, Hoffer, & Klotman, 1995; Hodges, 2017), and it promotes both effective teaching and a positive musical learning environment in the music classroom (Elliott, 1995; Elliott & Silverman, 2015; Shulman, 1987; West, 2015). Furthermore, developing a philosophy in music education can enhance music teachers’ critical thinking (Jorgensen,1990; Raiber & Teachout 2014; Tutt & Townley, 2010) and self-reflection (Allsup, 2010; Blackburn, 1999; Cholbi, 2007; Concepcion, 2004). Despite those advantages, preservice music teachers often confront challenges in developing their philosophical ideas due to a high level of academic abstraction or ambiguous applications in the classroom (Beck, 1974; Cholbi, 2007). As a result, preservice music teachers tend to be disinterested in developing philosophical ideas in music education (Beck, 1974; Cholbi, 2007). Nonetheless, the discussion on how to develop music education philosophy seems to occur relatively little in recent years. The purpose of this review of the literature was to analyze and synthesize pedagogical approaches related to the development of a personal philosophy in music education. The literature derived from procedures and strategies that preservice music teachers could apply it in their practice. In this poster, the four-stage process and practical applications of developing a philosophy in music education will be presented. The four-stage process consists of discovery, articulation, application, and reflection. The practical applications may include the use of tools such as dialogues, reading, writing, constructive feedback, and more in each stage. Implications for pre- and in-service music teacher education will be provided. An understanding of how to develop music education philosophy may help bring philosophical ideas into the classroom for preservice music teachers and in-service teachers. Ultimately, preservice music teachers may enhance their confidence in the transition into their professional careers and optimize the benefits of their music education programs.