Learning Songs vs. Learning Music

I was talking with someone recently and he asked me if I just teach through books and songs or if I teach theory. I do both, I do teach the skills and concepts through the method books, but I also teach theory beyond what the books teach. I realized in that conversation why I get really frustrated when students have learned some songs through an app or can play songs in the book but not answer any questions about how to figure out a song or need to be given finger numbers for every note when they have been playing for several years...they have just been learning songs not learning music. Yes, the point of learning music is to be able to play songs, but how many people know how to play "Chopsticks" or "Heart and Soul" but really have no idea what are playing. Do they really play the piano? Or do they just know how to play a couple of songs? Though it's fine to learn songs, the problem is that doesn't translate to actual skills or any ability to play anything else. If you don't learn to read music or understand chord charts or lead sheets, you will be limited to only the songs you can be taught to play. If you understand how to translate what is on the page to enacting it on the keyboard, you will be able to play anything that is written down. How freeing is that? This is the benefit of learning music. You gain independence and can continue to build skill and technique to be able to keep up with the music you can understand cognitively how to play. You also can learn to modify, adapt, simplify pieces for yourself if you can understand what the page is saying and identify the most important notes and harmonies. The freedom to continue learning and be independent as a musician is the benefit of learning music not just learning songs.