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Caleb Warnar
Music 1800
Professor Kari K Veblen
Due September 20, 2015


Kratus, J. (2007). Music education at the tipping point. Music Educators Journal, 94(2), 42-48.
doi:10.1177/002743210709400209




In this article, Kratus stresses the importance of advancing music education in order for
music to remain relevant in todays society. He also suggests that music education should be
perceived to be attractive by students, and that students should ultimately find a sense of
accomplishment and satisfaction in their music.
I found the concept of sticky music education very interesting, because the focus is to
make music education desirable and fun. Additionally, this form of music education appears to
be reflective, since it is based on how music is used in the world rather than the way it is
present in schools. Examples such as the ukulele movement in New Zealand schools and the
Vermont MIDI Project are forms of music education that are contagious and appealing to
people of all ages. I think that by encouraging these abstract programs, hopefully more young
people will choose to pursue music education.
According to the May 2005 report for the Coalition for Music Education Canada, at least
one music teacher in one-half of the surveyed schools did not have a provincial teaching
certificate in music. This shocked me, because this means that many students may have been
deprived of in-depth and thorough music instruction while in high school, and as a result they
may have formed a negative opinion of music education if they were poorly educated.

Additionally, when unqualified music teachers are allowed to teach music, qualified music
teachers may struggle to find employment. I find this frustrating since I am considering to
become a music teacher, and as a music teacher I would like to be able to find employment
opportunities, rather than an unqualified teacher taking my position.
As a comment to the author, I thoroughly enjoyed the emphasis that is placed on
advancing music education, as well as allowing music education to evolve. As Kratus comments,
For music education to remain relevant and provide value, it too must change with the times
or experience the fate of the stationary shark.