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Teaching general music: Approaches, issues, and viewpoints

The feelings and perspectives that surround “general music” in music education range from the excitement of those who teach or experience it to curiosity or puzzlement from those who do not. Many people frame general music as an elementary school phenomenon that features recorders, Orff instruments, singing, and teaching approaches such as Orff, Kodaly, and Dalcroze. Others are at a loss when trying to figure out what they might do in a general music setting.

The newly published book (affiliate links included) Teaching General Music: Approaches, Issues, and Viewpoints, edited by Carlos R. Abril and Brent M. Gault is an excellent starting point for deepening and expanding one’s understanding of what General Music can be and how to go about teaching this type of music course. Teaching General Music is sure to serve as a foundational text for anyone who teaches or might eventually teach general music.

teachinggeneralmusic

In full disclosure, I have a chapter in the book. This is currently the most comprehensive and up to date look at general music in music education. Many of those who read Teaching General Music will benefit by expanding their understanding of general music, the variety of approaches to facilitate musical engagement and learning in the context of general music, and the possibilities for young people across elementary and secondary settings. 
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Christmas concerts on Chanukah and considering issues of cultural sensitivity. . .

Around this time of year, the Music Teachers Facebook Group is full of posts about Christmas concerts, religion and music education, sacred music in schools, and associated issues. The majority of the posts often position Christmas as the default holiday during wintertime and focus of concerts that occur this time of year. Some posts or comments even dismiss perspectives that question this focus or admonish students who are uncomfortable with foci on Christmas and related music. I’m left wondering how well music education is doing at addressing issues of understanding, cultural sensitivity, and meaning making in relation to these types of conversations.Read More »Christmas concerts on Chanukah and considering issues of cultural sensitivity. . .

Bringing curriculum to life: Enacting project-based learning in music programs

Tobias, E. S., Campbell, M. R., & Greco, P. (2015). Bringing curriculum to life: Enacting project-based learning in music programs. Music Educators Journal, 102(2), 39-47. doi:10.1177/0027432115607602

My co-authored article Bringing curriculum to life: Enacting project-based learning in music programs is now published in the Music Educators Journal. I really like how the principles and practical suggestions can be applied in pretty much any music teaching and learning context. The abstract of the article is as follows: 

At its core, project-based learning is based on the idea that real-life problems capture student interest, provoke critical thinking, and develop skills as they engage in and complete complex undertakings that typically result in a realistic product, event, or presentation to an audience. This article offers a starting point for music teachers who might be interested in using project-based learning as a teaching strategy and also interested in “building” student competency and “bringing to life” student engagement in the music curriculum. To help music educators enact project-based learning in their classes and ensembles, we outline a process for designing and facilitating projects, provide vignettes that situate theory in practice, and discuss projects in relation to curriculum, standards, assessment, and teacher evaluation.

 

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Reflecting on changes in practice through integrating participatory culture in our classrooms

Tobias, E. S., VanKlompenberg, A., & Reid, C. (2015). Reflecting on changes in practice through integrating participatory culture in our classrooms. Mountain Lake Reader: Conversations On the Study and Practice of Music Teaching, 6, 94-110. My co-authored article with Abigail VanKlompenberg and Catherine Reid  Reflecting on Changes in Practice Through Integrating Participatory Culture in Our Classrooms is published in The Mountain Lake Reader (in varied formats thanks to the work of Janet Cape). The article is a result of a… Read More »Reflecting on changes in practice through integrating participatory culture in our classrooms

Re-imagining Sondheim as a Means of Considering Curricular Possibilities and Limitations

I am often inspired by news items to imagine musical possibilities that could play out in varied teaching and learning contexts. A recent NPR story on pianist Anthony de Mare’s commissioning 36 composers to re-work songs by  Steven Sondheim caught my attention in this way. Rather than focus on the story (which is fabulous by the way) or the Liaisons project itself, I’m more interested here in making a larger point about curriculum and the ways we do or do… Read More »Re-imagining Sondheim as a Means of Considering Curricular Possibilities and Limitations