Philosophy+for+Your+Program


 * BACK to Young Band Workshop Home] **

A district’s, music department’s or teacher’s philosophy for the instrumental music program will impact related decisions, actions, attitudes, and allocation of resources. Your philosophy works like a funnel into which a variety of programmatic considerations are focused into tangible decisions and actions (and remember, “no decision” is a decision too!). It is important to think through what is most important to accomplish at each level of a program in order to focus one’s efforts on achieving those goals. To this end, some district music departments craft a “mission statement” to encapulate these major goals in a concise way. At times such a mission statement might even aid you in articulating to district administrators why you are doing what you are doing, or requesting what you are requesting.
 * Philosophy for Your Program **



Get together with one (or two) others who teach at your level, or who teach with you in your district or program. Discuss the major goals of the band program in each of your districts at the level you teach. Work together to formulate a concise “mission statement” to reflect these for each.
 * ACTIVITY **

Reconvene and report out, sharing a few of the mission statements.


 * Would you be willing to SHARE your mission statement so others may be inspired? CLICK HERE to do so. **

Listen to the WMM2M podcast, “Things That Truly Satisfy Are Greater Than Ourselves”
 * RELATED TOPIC: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MUSIC? WHY PERFORM? **

YOUR THOUGHTS?

QUESTION: Is it appropriate that our larger philosophy of teaching include the goal of helping young students connect music to, and develop in the non-content areas of, character and values?