Evaluation of parental opinions on amateur piano eduation in public education centers Ortaca Şehit Mehmet Kaya Community Education Center example

Music, an indispensable part of human life, appeals to all ages. Every person has an instrument they wished to play when they were young. Some have had the opportunity to play their desired instrument, while for others, it remains an unfulfilled dream. Today's parents want their children to engage in any form of art. This is because it contributes to the development of their body, brain, eyes, and limbs. Parents are more concerned with what instrument their children want to play rather than their own preferences, so they make decisions together with their children. The child, in turn, develops themselves by attending the course for the instrument they wish to learn. There is a high demand for piano lessons, which are said to contribute to brain development. Class teachers often direct students to piano lessons because they believe it supports brain development. In the Ortaca district of Muğla province, there are piano lessons available for children at the Şehit Mehmet Kaya Public Education Center. At Şehit Mehmet Kaya Public Education Center, there are many courses available for children and adults. Courses that provide hand and eye coordination for individuals with special educational needs, traditional art courses for adults that are at risk of being forgotten, and courses such as music and painting for children are offered. Courses continue almost every day of the year, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The community education center holds an exhibition once a year. There are presentations showcasing the courses learned, as well as music-related performances, but due to time constraints, not every student has the opportunity to display what they have learned in piano lessons. For this reason, only one or two of the better students showcase their skills. Based on this, the aim of this thesis is to determine the opinions of parents, their expectations from the lessons, and the psychological and social aspects of the children. In the study, data was collected through structured interviews with the families of fifty-two students receiving amateur piano education, and the data was analyzed according to qualitative research methods.