In beginning classes, it’s nice to have all three, but as students get older, it’s most ideal to create classes that slowly being to specialize in one of the three. I wouldn’t completely specialize solely on any till college, but high school and middle school show have classes with most of the focus on each of the three.

Personally, I believe that music is natural to all of us, whether we realize it or not, and therefore it’s a tremendous thing to use to teach how to think, develop, and problem solve. Students come in with hopes and dreams, and we find ways to realize those hopes and dreams. They learn process and goals, and how to take little steps to achieve things. They learn how to learn. That’s why I teach it.

A good basic music education teacher should be focused on fostering appreciation, good practice habits, and basic theory.