Music as a Tool for Shaping the Growing Individual: A Review

Abstract

The paper is directed at contributing to the awareness of the need to emphasize the need for music education in schools. Music has largely been touted as a tool for training, however, it is practically being employed as a source of entertainment and a means of engaging learners in the classroom, thereby paying less attention to its evolving effect on the individual. Consequently, a number of literature emphasizing the importance of music as an instrument for the total development of the learner, has been thoroughly reviewed in this paper. This is to expose stakeholders of education particularly educators, policymakers, parents and heads of educational institutions to the inseparable benefits of music in the general education of the learner. It is therefore crucial for teachers and heads of schools to liaise with Parent-teacher associations, non-governmental organizations, School management boards and the Ministry of Education to help furnish schools with appropriate musical instruments and facilities such as sound laboratories, secluded rooms for audio-visuals to aid teachers and learners in the teaching and learning endeavour. Keywords: Music education, Philosophy of music, Interpretation of music education