A PHILOSOPHICAL BASIS FOR MUSIC IN TEACHER EDUCATION

A paper dealing with a philosophy of education, or of basic education in particular, invariably conjures in the minds of audiences or readers lengthy presentations of scholarly opinions on the meaning of music, aesthetics, aesthetic education and the like. Indeed, volumes have been written on the subject by such authorities as Suzanne Langer, Bennet Reimer, Charles Leonhard, Abraham Schwadron, etc. Yet from my own contacts with fellow music educators here and abroad I know this is a topic people shy away from because it is usually regarded as something too abstract and perplexing. Thus, its true meaning often eludes many people. This afternoon I will try to deal with the subject as simply and briefly as possible, in a manner I hope you will all understand, and hopefully, put into practice. First of all, I would like to think of a philosophy of music education simply as an articulation of the values, role and place of music in education and in life as a whole. In the Preface of the PSME Curriculum Guide, “Enhancing Musical Growth in the Elementary School,” which some of you are probably familiar with, we stated that the underlying philosophy of our music education program is that it is ’”primarily aesthetic education, aimed at helping the learner develop a sensitivity to the expressive qualities of music… but also recognizing the social, ethical, psychological, physical and other values of music.” (This, I will explain at greater length later). This is in keeping with the basic philosophy of music education articulated in the PSME Workshop on “The Goals of Music Education” which was held in the Development Academy of the Philippines on November 7-9, 1975. The place and role of music education in the curriculum are expressed in the following tenets: (1) music fulfills the human need for aesthetic and spiritual experience; (2) music is part of our cultural heritage; (3) music is an avenue for creativity and self-expression; (4) music is an academic discipline and must be recognized as such; (5) every individual must be given the opportunity to fully develop his potential in music; (6) education in music is most contributory to national development by being concerned primarily with musical rather than extra-musical values; These tenets in turn served as a basis for the general goals of music education throughout the Philippines in all educational levels, namely: (1) a progressive program for music literacy; (2) a varied and wide opportunity for the creation, recreation and meaningful appreciation of music for all; (3) the comprehensive and effective training of music teachers; and (4) a genuine appreciation for Philippine music as well as musics of other cultures and eras. Now the question is, how do we reconcile the aforementioned philosophy and objectives to the current thrust in education. “The development of a sense of humanism and nationhood.” Our task in music education is to consider how we can help achieve these goals. Actually, the matter of “humanism” should pose no problem for us because music, as well as the other arts, has always been identified with the branch of education called the “humanities”. On the other hand, the idea of “Nationhood” is rather removed from the province of music. One can learn about responsible citizenship, love of country, etc., more directly from social studies, history, or civics and government. However, music is one of the most important means for the transmission of cultural heritage. It also serves certain social, religious and ethical needs, to say nothing of its value in the worthwhile use of leisure. Furthermore, it can be an instrument for the development of sound human values, aesthetic, moral and/or spiritual. All of these are definitely contributory to the development of a sense of humanism and nationhood. Indeed, it has been said, and rightly so, that “man is truly human when he enjoys great art.” A study of the history of mankind confirms the fact that the arts are the oldest and most important means of self-expressions developed by man. But just what does humanism mean? It has been defined as a system of thought or action devoted to human interests and ideals. It focuses on cultural and practical considerations rather than on the theological or metaphysical. It can also mean the study of the humanities (literature, arts, music, etc.). This is by no means new. Humanism in education is a movement that dates back to the Renaissance in Europe (15th-16th cs.) or even earlier during the time of the ancient Greeks. What has happened, of course, is that as the individual revolution in the West took its course, from the mid 18th c. through the present, humanistic considerations often took the backseat to scientific and technological interests. The present emphasis on science and technology at the expense of the humanities has created an imbalance in education. Certain political, social and economic changes have also spawned conditions which bear serious implications for education. The shortening of work hours has given man an unprecedented amount of leisure hours, the mass media have made the products of art and music easily accessible to the public. We see art works all around us – in schools, churches, parks, etc. All these point to the relevance and importance of the humanities in effective daily living, and the need to educate the consumer of art products. The young must be provided with the tools necessary for making value judgments. I am therefore happy that our curriculum experts in the MEC have seen it fit to underscore the importance of humanism in education, for if education is to upload the dignity of the individual person, the balance between the academic, technical, moral and aesthetic must be restored. The matter of “nationhood” which has to do with having a national identity, national unity and national loyalty, has been a bone of contention and concern in educational and intellectual circles in our country ever since we achieved our independence from the U.S. Lack of cultural identity, lack of a distinctive Filipino national culture, and lack of cultural integration have been regarded by many as the deterrents towards the achievement of nationhood. What is the root of this problem? Our history as a nation has been marked by centuries of exposure to varying foreign influences – Asian, Spanish, American – which has resulted in a hybrid Filipino culture. To be sure, the byproducts of the confrontation of Eastern and Western ideologies have in many ways been beneficial. On the other hand, they have also created certain problems. More often than not, Western influence manifests itself at its lower levels, in popular music, vulgar advertising and obscene movies. We all know what this has done to our values – moral, ethical and cultural or for that matter to our sense of nationhood. Of this dilemna, Minister Corpus in his book, The Philippines, had this to say: Many young Filipino intellectuals have come to be alienated from their national culture. They have either been led to believe that there is no such thing as Filipino culture, or that what does exist is merely an imperfect or distorted version of alien cultural imports. In any case, there has been no lack of awareness of this problem on the part of statesmen, educators, and social scientists. Laws have been passed providing for the Filipinization of education, sociologists have conducted studies of the Filipino personality and on Philippine value, the First Lady, through the CCP Complex has been instrumental in the promotion and creation of Philippine art forms. Yet we fed that we still have to find our true identity as a nation. The truth is, cultural traits are deeply ingrained habits of thought which take time to change, and besides they cannot be legislated. We probably have to reconcile ourselves to the fact that there has to be a plurality of taste in music and art as there in all other aspects of our life today. All we can do is try to influence more people into choosing the “good” over the ??gar” and “cheap.” The question is, “how can music serve as avenue for developing a sense of humanism and nationhood? The answer lies in our basic philosophy – that music education must be primarily aesthetic education. It is through aesthetic education that man an understanding of the meaning of life and what is it for; of the values which are timeless and culturally meaningful. Experiencing music aesthetically (the other arts too) simply means perceiving, reacting to, and understanding its component elements in their discrete qualities as well as in their interrelationships – rhythm, melody, harmony, form, dynamics, timbre – for in these lie the meaning and import of music. It also means that instruction in music must involve actual experiences in singing, playing, listening, analyzing, moving, etc, not merely to entertain or keep the pupils occupied, but to help them develop a true sensitivity to and understanding of the power of music as an art. In the light of the foregoing, aesthetic experience has the following characteristics: (1) Aesthetic experience is something personal and individual. It depends on what a person is, what he has inside himself, what past experiences he has had. An individual’s experience will not be the same as that of any other person’s. (2) Aesthetic experience involves perception. There is always a sensuous element, a presentation to the senses which may be in the form of sounds, colors, shapes, movement, etc. which contain expressive qualities to be perceived and responded to. It thus involves recognizing, recalling, relating, identifying, differentiating, comparing, synthesizing, and the like. (3) Every experience will be accompanied by some form of emotional reaction. We either like or do not like a piece of music, and as we react, we say, “how beautiful,” “horrible,” “so, so,” etc. (4) A person’s taste is shaped by the quality of art or music he is exposed to, and by the quality of his experience. All men desire the good life, and because of their inherent capacity of respond to beauty, they can be attracted to what is excellent. However, because artistic life and taste are subject to social forces, quite often certain conditions beyond an individual’s control do inhibit the promotion and development of a “cultivated taste.” By cultivated or higher taste we mean a liking and appreciation for those masterpieces which have historical significance, coupled with the concept that the “high” and “good” in the aesthetic sense suggest a certain intellectual complexity and sophistication, a certain permanence in contrast to the transit, the light, and the simple, which accessible even to the unsophisticated consumer. What then are the implications of our philosophy in relation to the teacher-training program in Music Education as well as to the primary thrusts of education? The answer to this question points to a teacher-training curriculum so designed as to equip the future teachers with adequate musical knowledge and skills as well as with a philosophical orientation and attitudes attuned to the needs of the society they will serve. If teachers are to help their students gain more understanding of music, they must themselves possess these understandings. We cannot share with others what we do not have. It is in this light that I make the following recommendations: (1) The unit requirement for Music in the BEE (BSEEd) curriculum should be increased from three or six, to nine for the general student. If the number of units for Spanish and the government-required subjects is reduced this would definitely be possible. (2) Students with musical aptitudes and talents should be encouraged to take the Specialization program in Music. (3) Music curricular offerings in the tertiary level should be upgraded and standardized such that the acquisition of the basic skills and knowledge needed for music teaching as well as an understanding of the philosophical foundations and objectives of music education in our country is ensured. Students should be made to realize that music instruction involves more than just teaching the melody of a song, or of the other obvious elements. The learner should be made aware of particular concepts exemplified in the materials of instruction. Hopefully, this awareness will eventually lead to recognition, identification and greater understanding of the aesthetic qualities of music. This is not something that can be accomplished overnight. It should start from the early grades, or even preschool, and continue to grow and expand all through high school and college. (4) Music reading should have an important place in any music education program – music reading conceived as a means, not as an end – for the ability to read music is the key that can open to our young the wealth of music that has accumulated through the centuries; it is a tool that can help in the acquisition of a fuller and deeper understanding of music. (5) Music instructions in the tertiary level should be music degree holders, preferably graduates with a B.M. in Music Education. (6) To supplement the prescribed music courses, students should be required to participate in co-curricular or extra-curricular activities (e.g. choral, rondalla, recorder ensemble, etc.) (7) Criteria should be formulated for the kind of instructional materials to be used. In the interest of “humanism” and “nationhood,” only the worthwhile and relevant should have a place in the music program. Emphasis should be on values-oriented materials. Materials should be chosen on the basis of their musical and textual worth as well as on their functional value. Enough Philippine materials should be used including folk, classical, ethnic, religious and scouting songs, even popular songs of proven worth. (8) Colleges and universities should provide necessary facilities and equipment – software (e.g. music books and scores, records and tapes, classroom instruments) and hardware (e.g. pianos, recording equipment, phonograph). Finally, the focus on “humanism” and “nationhood”, in a way, puts music in a stronger position in the school curriculum. However, how effectively music education can contribute toward the achievement of the general aims of education will depend on the quality of classroom music instruction. How can we improve the quality of the teacher-training program in Music Education? That is the challenge we face.