“Soon enough, I'll have a room full of students who are singing about the glory of God!” Bethany Myers, a music education senior said.
Taylor University would be a different place without the melodies flowing from the music building, the piles of sheet music found in the practice rooms and the random statements conveyed through song from a smiling face walking down the hall.
With roughly 18 credits per semester, piano proficiency, a senior recital, two educational exams to get licensure, a semester of student teaching and each morning to evening booked with classes and rehearsals, the music education majors are in it for the long hall.
“You never know what song may touch a student's heart, and music is just one of the many ways that we can worship our Lord,” Myers said.
Music education majors impact Taylor’s campus by engaging in various music, theater and dance productions as well as community outreach activities. They receive instruction outside of textbooks and lectures through hands-on experiences.
One music lesson requires about seven hours of practice, whereas a one-credit class for another major would average 2 hours outside of class, Marcus Haynes, junior music education major said.
“Fun fact, there’s like a credit limit you can’t surpass,” Haynes said. “If you go past so many credits they’ll think you’re just like, slacking off and doing whatever. But you will guarantee [assured to] pass that limit if you’re a musician.”
Studying music education prepares students for a career in teaching music. This could be in a public, private or at-home school institution. Finding a job in music education is easier than other music degrees, Haynes said. However, the time commitment throughout the week is not for the faint of heart.
Taylor’s music education program provides a different kind of learning and skill development than other schools. Although a well-rounded degree, Myers said the major lacks some specific classes she wished could better prepare students to plunge into the real world.
She thinks the major would benefit from a class about choosing existing repertoire for various ensembles, how to arrange the voice parts or advocating for a music program. Being passionate about sharing music with the next generation while also being able to share her faith is something Myers wants to take advantage of as other education majors may not have opportunity to do.
“Make sure you want to do this and you love it,” Angelica Felix, junior music education major said. “We've had a lot of people drop out of our major because you think you like music, and you think this is what you want to do, and then you go in, and if you're not ready to give it your all, it's not going to work out, because it's such a huge course load.”
A growth mindset is essential in this career path, Dr. Kwan, the associate professor of music, said. Each student must be open to new ways of teaching and studying music.
If Taylor did not have Music Ed majors, we would be giving up the opportunity to know and share the beautiful differences of each genre of music, Dr. Kwan said.
“You’ve never been in a class where you had to learn the bucket drum and Buchla, and you’re trying to teach them [Taylor students], and they’re acting like third graders for you,” Felix said. “We take it very seriously when we say you’re the role of a third grader.”
Because of Taylor campus’ smaller size, music education students receive more personalized training and experience combining what most Universities consider a double major into one degree.
Although a rewarding degree, learning to teach music is intense, Haynes said. Apart from learning music theory and a variety of instruments, students must write a lesson plan they could teach and be capable of modeling the passion they have for their music.
“We …spread the love of music to the community and right to the students as well,” Dr. Kwan said.
