Music holds an integral place in contemporary society. The growth of children can be advanced in many ways through integrating the physical, mental, cognitive, and emotional dimensions. The power which music holds can be harnessed to guarantee that all these spheres of growth are taken care of. Because of this, one can study music with the end goal of attaining transferable skills which can stimulate the brains of young children. With the inculcation of such dimensions, one can achieve fulfillment in life.
There have been numerous advances in studies related to the functioning of the human mind and factors which may affect it. Hallam (2020), in her article, examines the impact of music on the human brain and notes that both music and speech are functions that are processed in one part of the brain. This infers that active engagement with music is most likely to lead to the sharpening of the brain to different perceptions. As Hallam(2020) outlines, consistent engagement with music results in the sharpening of skills in terms of literacy, language, numeracy, attainment, and social development. This means that imparting these skills to young children will allow them to lead a more holistic life. To quantify this further, an examination by Harris (2010) focuses on the understanding of the needs of students which has mostly been underscored by research. He boldly puts forward pertinent questions on why people become music teachers and quantifies it with his views. Harris (2010) notes that music is a modality that enhances life and should be shared with others. His views are directed towards teaching music to the young as a way of boosting their self-esteem and a modality of enhancing learning through active engagement.
Predisposition and motivation to become music teachers is still a nascent area. To remedy this, scholars such as Haddon (2009) conducted a survey on music students in their final year examining the factors which drove them to teach music. This qualitative study revealed that although most of the respondents were involved in teaching as a way of leisure and enjoyment, one outstanding dynamic was the way in which music allowed the learners to be proactive (Haddon, 2009). Although most of the respondents were not aware at the time, their teaching skills were imparting the necessary skills to their learners. Another similar study was conducted by Mills (2004) examining a similar dynamic of assessing undergraduate students as music teachers. However, this was more of a quantitative study which notes that most of the respondents actively engage as teachers as a way to advance themselves, further their skills and guarantee more intellectual development. The beliefs and preferences of the students that they would like to engage varied immensely. Although their contribution is often underscored, it is significant as it can bring up progressive students.
In summary, the factor which pushes individuals to become music teachers has received a little examination in research. Limited studies have examined different motivations. The virtue that music can guarantee more brain growth and function has acted as a key motivator to pursue music teaching. Pursuing this path will ensure that more lives are impacted positively.
References
Haddon, E. (2009). Instrumental and vocal teaching: how do music students learn to teach? British Journal of Music Education, 26(1), 57–70. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0265051708008279
Hallam, S. (2010). The power of music: Its impact on the intellectual, social and personal development of children and young people. International Journal of Music Education, 28(3), 269–289. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761410370658
Harris, P. (2010). Why am I a music teacher? Paul Harris. Retrieved 8 November 2020, from https://www.paulharristeaching.co.uk/blog/2016/7/7/why-am-i-a-music-teacher
Mills, J. (2004). Conservatoire students as instrumental teachers. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 145-153.
