Bridget’s Blog: What is our ‘Why’?

My blog has been running for quite a long time now, so I’m beginning to worry that what I write about will be a rehash of a previous one… but sometimes, perhaps it’s worth saying something more than once. 

I’m almost certain that I’ve written about the importance of reminding ourselves why we do what we do! It’s so easy to get caught up in the ‘high-level stuff’ – the conversations about policy, accountability, funding and staff management – that we lose sight of the why. What is it that we’re all trying to do?   

At Music Mark, we are perhaps one step away from the ‘why’. Much of the support we provide, the connections we help to facilitate, and the influence we try to have is for those who deliver music education to children and young people. It’s easy for us to forget that those children and young people are why we do what we do.   

There are quite a lot of plates spinning at the moment; key consultations and decisions are being made which are or will have an impact on music and broader arts education across the UK. Of course I, with the support of the team, the Trustees and our Advisory Committee, need to focus on those plates. I need to do what I can to champion our membership and the wider sector, to influence what is being discussed. However, it is also important to stop occasionally and remember that I’m actually advocating for the children and young people that I pass heading to school, as I’m on my way to London to meet with the Department for Education!

Whilst many of my meetings are discussing that ‘high-level stuff’, I do get to talk to individuals who provide me with inspiring examples of the power of music. I also love hearing the stories the team is uncovering – from the changes teachers are making to their practice uncovered and shared within Sarah’s great Research Shorts, which are transforming delivery and engagement, to the examples of programmes and projects focused on supporting neurodiversity and disability highlighted in our two latest podcast episodes. 

I particularly love to hear about individual children who have been transformed by a music learning opportunity. It might be something which has inspired them to progress their musical skill and consider a career in the industry, or it might be the catalyst which unlocks their interest in wider learning. Whatever the result, the reminder that music education in and out of the classroom is transforming pupils’ lives is always welcome.

We all need to hear these stories, first or second hand. They can feed our souls and remind us of why we do what we do. Yes, the plates are spinning, and how they land will have an impact on the future of music education, but I try to remember that if I stay focused on children and young people as the ‘why’, I can remain passionate and focused in any and all ‘high-level’ discussions!