1) Changing role of public schools-
2) From teaching information to parental role
In recent years, the role of schools has been dramatically transformed. Increasingly, society has charged educational institutions with responsibilities that, in former times, were jealously guarded by parents and families. With the accompanying decay of our social fabric, the school of today faces challenges that were beyond imagination fifty years age.
Educators are now charged with the socialization of students. Morality, ethics and social responsibility are taught explicitly in courses as diverse as government, English and the Arts. Many music educators recognize the role that arts education can play in building values and ideals into our students.
As our society changes, institutions are increasingly taking up responsibilities that have belonged to parents in the past. Whether or not this is a good idea is another topic but it is happening. As directors of choral groups, leaders of people, we are powerful role models for the people we are fortunate to lead in rehearsal, be they 6 years old or 60 years young. What will we do with this responsibility? The answer is complex. In future blogs we will explore ways that music educators/ministers/professional conductors can embrace and accomplish this difficult task in our musical undertakings.
