Teaching music as a non specialist.

Jackie SchneiderJune 2011

The future of music education

Why teach music?

• It has the power to transform• It is a fundamental part of being human• It can prime children’s brains for pattern and

order• Developing aural memory is vital• It brings new experiences to children and can

open up new avenues for them• Like language learning – needs to start early!

“But I’m not musical!.....”Are you • A poet• An historian• An athlete• Published author• Statistician• Physicist• Mathematician• Artist??????????????????????????????????????????????????

Busting the myth

Musical Non

musical

“Excellence is not reserved for the lucky few but could be achieved by almost ALL of us.”

What can I do?

• Help your children find their voice• Help them develop a “thinking” (internal)

voice• Teach the elements ( DON’T PANIC! This is

simpler than you think!)

The elements

• Pulse• Rhythm• Dynamics• Pitch• Tempo• Timbre• Duration• Texture

In this staff meeting I am going to demonstrate using a simple song

Let’s look at :Singing voiceThinking voicePulse Rhythm

Singing voice Thinking voice

Pulse Rhythm

Singing• Any note is the right note!

• Start slightly higher than you think (Tip – think of starting note then sing 123 up the scale & then start on 3)

• Call and responseYou sing – they listenThey sing - you listen

Use the singing gesture

Thinking voice

• Need lots of practise• Strong internal

monologue is associated with high achievers

• Use thinking voice gesture everytime to signal to children

Rhythm

• Pattern of rests and notes• Tap the rhythm on your

palm• Always use this gesture –

will help to distinguish from pulse

Pulse

• Heartbeat of the music• Mark it by tapping

knees or chest silently• Felt, rather than heard

Your challenge!

• Listen to the CD for your key stage• Choose one of the songs to teach your class by

call & response method• Break it into phrases for your class to mark

pulse, clap rhythm, sing with “thinking voice” and sing out loud

• Record and get class to evaluate. When you are happy put on fronter.

Sharing learning

For my own personal development I am keeping a blog about music teaching in primary schools where I can keep a record of interesting ideas and examples of classwork. You can find it at

• Mrs Schneider’s Musical dayhttp://poplarday.blogspot.com/

Useful tools

• Audioboo• Sing up• TES resources• Guardian• Musical blob game• Sing up

“Teach music and singing at school in such a way that it is not torture but a joy for the pupil; instil a thirst for finer music in him, a thirst which will last a lifetime. Music must not be approached from its intellectual, rational side nor should it be conveyed to the child as a system of algebraic symbols or as a secret language with which he has no connection…. If the child is not filled at least once by the life giving stream of music during the most susceptible period between 6 and 16 – it will hardly be of any use later on”Zoltan Kodaly (composer and educator)

Thank you for listening!

washes away from the soul the dust of everyday lifeRed Auerbach