The next time you walk into your music room, take a good look. What can your students learn just from looking around the room? What can they find to ask questions about? What answers can they find? As I am writing this post, I am surveying my room today with these questions in mind. I … Continue reading How Often Does Your Music Room Teach Music?
music education
Why Do Music Teachers Teach What They Teach?
Motivation is important to everyone and to everything we do. Motivation is not about what we do, but about why we do it. People do what they do for a reason. There is always something that drives a person's motivation. Today, I want to ask the question, “what motivates music teachers to teach what they teach?” … Continue reading Why Do Music Teachers Teach What They Teach?
How Can Symphony Orchestras Attract Young Audiences?
Many have considered the problem of how to cause classical music to become more popular, especially with younger audiences. Data indicating a shrinking audience for live concerts, particularly among younger people, have worried arts organizations and educators for some time. It has also been noted that while attendance at live classical concerts has often decreased, … Continue reading How Can Symphony Orchestras Attract Young Audiences?
What Are Questions Students Ask About Music Reading?
During my classes the last two days, students have asked me several questions about musical notation. I thought I might share these questions and the answers I gave to them. I think it is helpful to know what is going on in the minds of students while we are teaching them. Sometimes, lines of thinking, … Continue reading What Are Questions Students Ask About Music Reading?
Does That Instrument Always Sound Like That?
Tomorrow, my fourth grade students will attend a young peoples concert, put on by the local symphony orchestra. This is an annual event, and is by no means the same program each year; however this year, the concert will focus on introducing the audience to the various instruments and instrument families of the orchestra. One … Continue reading Does That Instrument Always Sound Like That?
What Are Some Effective Ways to Teach Dotted Rhythms?
In music, there are three kinds of durations: beat elongations, beat divisions, and beat equivalents. The beat being elongated, divided, or equaled is called the tactus; it is the one being tracked as the pulse or "heartbeat" of the music. Beat elongations are durations longer than the tactus, beat divisions are durations that are shorter … Continue reading What Are Some Effective Ways to Teach Dotted Rhythms?
Overcoming Confusion When Teaching Music Reading
Teaching children to read music can be challenging, particularly if formal instruction in it is not started until the children are 9 or 10 years old. Elsewhere, I have written about the importance of teaching "sound before sight" when teaching students to read music. Like language, musical patterns must be learned aurally and orally before … Continue reading Overcoming Confusion When Teaching Music Reading
The Tricky Business of Musical Potential
I've heard it said by educators many times over the years that we are in the business of helping our students develop to their full potential. This sounds like a noble goal, and indeed it is. But what is a student’s full potential? How do we know when a student has achieved as much as … Continue reading The Tricky Business of Musical Potential
Performing Music Alone–Why It’s Important
Recently, I wrote a post on lesson planning. In it I laid out a three-part method of teaching: the teacher does, the students do with the teacher, and the students do independently. The first two steps are part of the teaching cycle, the last step is an opportunity for the student to show what they … Continue reading Performing Music Alone–Why It’s Important
Why Music is More Than Fun
Amidst the process of teaching and practicing musical works and concepts, it is worthwhile from time to time to remember why music is important to our lives. We who are music teachers enjoy teaching music, and our students have fun in our classes and ensembles, but it is important that music classes and rehearsals be more … Continue reading Why Music is More Than Fun
mister a music place 
You must be logged in to post a comment.