"Real art is one of the most powerful forces in the rise of mankind, and he who renders it accessible to as many people as possible is a benefactor of humanity." "Let us take our children seriously! Everything else follows from this... only the best is good enough for a child."
- Zoltan Kodály (1882‑1967)
"Tell me, I forget, show me, I remember, Involve me, I understand"
- Carl Orff (1895-1982)
GOALS
Music educator, Dr. John M. Feierabend, has said, "In The Republic, Plato speaks about music as an art form, in that music has the potential to deliver a message 'below the surface.'"
As an elementary music teacher, I teach my students based on standards put before me. These national music standards are the wonderful guidelines I use to teach skills and concepts students need to know. Singing alone and with others, performing on an instrument, improvising melodies, composing and arranging, reading and notating music, listening and describing music, evaluating music and music performances, understanding relationships between music and other disciplines, and understanding music as it relates to history and culture is the framework of what I do. My overall emphasis is on developing the aesthetics in the individual. I want my students to get "below the surface."
Music education at the elementary level can lay the groundwork for music literacy through a balance of activities in singing, instrument playing, note reading, improvisation, composition, music listening, music history, movement and dance. Just as children first learn to speak before they begin to read, it is my belief that youngsters should first acquire a repertoire of music, before music literacy and note reading takes place. Through singing and listening to developmentally appropriate works that represent examples of classic, quality repertoire from both their own culture and diverse peoples, children collect a store of familiar musical information from which they can later draw upon when they study notation.
As a result, participation is fundamental to learning.
In my elementary classroom, the student is an active participant in his or her music education. Children learn first by “doing music” not only by reading or talking about it. They grow as musicians through trying unfamiliar activities, refining skills through practice, and reflecting on areas of growth and finally supplementing understanding with deeper study.
While active music making is the primary goal of early music education, as children mature, they will also use this base of experience and performance to draw from and move to a focus on music literacy and critical response to music. In my general music classroom, the abilities to read, discuss, evaluate and create music become key components in the development of future independent musicians, as students enter into upper elementary school. With a focus on active music making, student inquiry, and essential questions, I aim to engage the whole child and optimize learning.
It is my belief that all children are capable of musical learning, regardless of their diverse abilities. All students are encouraged to enter into the music creating and learning process, regardless of physical, cognitive and/or behavioral limitations, with the help of adaptions and modifications to instruction, as well as opportunities for students to make choices in how they will show their learning in performance assessments. Likewise my elementary students are encouraged to value the unique talents of each individual and build upon personal talents, through self-reflection and peer coaching.
Ken Grebe - Music Specialist
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