Music is an element everyone needs in their education but few students take full advantage of it and some school districts will even ignore it in favor of other things such as sports and computers. First of all, music and sports both provide forms of entertainment, and sometimes they go together with pep bands. Instrumental music is something different other than a traditional class featuring lectures and books and reading assignments. Music provides a hands on experience in the arts field that would be lost if there were no music programs. Textbook reading alone about music is great for improving understanding, but the hands on aspect is the vital element. There is a never ending supply of studies that shows music improves skills in other classes. Once again, it opens up more knowledge in the arts, but music also has been proven to improve scores in math and science. Music is all based on math, and sometimes music theory feels more like a study of algebraic equations than just studying music. Sometimes chord building is an algebraic equation. Science classes do study sound waves and music students would be at an advantage. Finally, without teaching music in schools, how would students be exposed to something in the arts? Few students, including myself, probably never would have been.

Then comes the question what should be taught? It is safe to say that there will never be a universally accepted answer, and disagreement will have to be accepted. A few basic things are first, both choral and instrumental music should be taught. Only a portion of music's educational value is being taken advantage of if a part of music is excluded. Schools will require both to have a fully functioning music department. Not only will some students be deprived an aesthetic education, but the instrumental ensembles would have difficulty finding vocalists for some of their pieces and vice versa.

The music that is chosen should, to start with, be good quality music. This will exclude most rock songs arranged for large school groups, and most film music as well. Those forms of music do have their time and place in a school ensemble, but neither should be used as primary repertoire. The music, like the entire music program, should present students with something different that they would not be otherwise familiar with. Pop music (as in pop culture) can be accessed at any store that sells music or even on the radio. It is important to introduce students to formal concert music from other cultures to increase understanding of other groups of people. However, at the same time, more traditional forms of formal music should not be forgotten. It is not only important to introduce music from other cultures, but also to introduce music that has been listened to for a long time too. The pop culture music does have its place in pep band, where the main purpose is to support the team and entertain the audience during an idle moment.

All students, at one time or another should be in a music course; even if at some point in time they are not voluntarily in that course. As mentioned above, music is an important part of education, and all students should be exposed to it. The drawback to this is not all students will want to be in a music class and some will absolutely hate it. Since music is different than other classes and participation is necessary, there is a point where music should no longer be required. After all students have had the chance to at least experiment with music, they all should have the opportunity to continue with music. The students in music should have some appreciation and enjoyment for music. If one student hates music, hates playing an instrument or singing, and even if they only took music for an easy class, they probably should not be in an ensemble. Music does not work if the participants do not care.

Some of the same qualities found in good music students will also be found in good music teachers. The obvious requirement is the music teacher should like and appreciate music. If the teacher hates music or any other subject they teach then the quality of their output will suffer. Any teacher will have difficulty inspiring their students to become excited over a subject if they themselves hate it. At the same time, music teachers have to remember that there are other things in life besides just music and forgetting this will lose students. Some of the least successful band programs are the strictest and hardest. The few students enrolled in any ensemble, not just band, may be very good musicians, but most students will leave music if that has to become their life. Any teacher, especially music teachers, have to recognize students have jobs and social lives and the music teacher will lose almost every time if their students have to chose between music and something else. After all, high school students have to have jobs to pay for their cars and they need cars to get to work. The simplest thing to remember is your students probably do not have to be there and if you the teacher is not understanding to their feelings, the students will quit music. Basically all teachers, and especially music teachers, have to understand their students needs.

Finally comes music beyond just school, or music in life. There are obvious things for this too, such as music for entertainment. Music has been used for its entertainment value for a very long time and can continue to be used for nothing but entertainment. Music is important as an industry. Many jobs are connected to music making and teaching. Finally, without music daily life would be just flat out bland.