Connections and Relationships

Contour and it's importance in the study of music

A pattern of frequency that is either increasing or decreasing, contour is psychologically important in the study of music since the ear identifies tones that are quickly sequenced with directional contours more accurately than tones that have more complex contours. Exact duplication of intervals is more important for psychological familiarity in common melodies than exact transpositions or transpositions that maintain the same contour. The ear is not as amenable to recognizing melodies that have been inverted or regressed, and the contour of the phrasing allows the ear to make that connection since the ear can perceive a pitch occurring in a fundamental even when that pitch is not being played. Long-term memory for specific pitches and phrasing is limited in most people while the short-term memory focuses more on the frequency of the specific pitch and other pitches occurring in relation.

Formal operations stage

The formal operations stage extends from 12 to teenager and includes the use of abstract thoughts to solve problems.

Using props for synchronized movement

Using props during synchronized movement helps children to focus more on the movements as they relate to the music and create them with greater confidence. These props can include such items as scarves, streamers, and ribbons and can show children how freedom of movement can be combined with continuous flow. A parachute is an increasingly popular prop for teaching synchronized movement to music as each child can participate in the raising or lowering of the parachute as well as the rotating or just standing in place. The smaller items such as scarves can also be used to demonstrate slower and more deliberate movement to music, and some music educators have found success by giving the child a half-filled container of water to move slowly across the room while listening to music.

Why is exposure to music at a young age important

Comenius argued for a child's early introduction to music as music could soothe children's spirits and encourage their brain activity. He encouraged mothers to allow children time to bang pots and other objects together as this kind of exercise developed the child's musical appreciation and sense. Percussive instruments, such as drums, whistles, and rattles, allowed children to experiment with rhythm and melody and could be used in conjunction with speech development since spoken words have their own cadence and rhythm. The incorporation of nursery rhymes into the child's education aids in the appreciation for rhythm and rhyming words and assists in the cognitive development of the child. All musical and other types of learning for children should be enjoyable.

Frobel's opinion on vocal and musical instruction

Froebel argued that mothers should sing softly when working around the house, sing to children and encourage them to sing alone, and use simple songs for lullabies or allow children to help compose one. Froebel believed that children should be encouraged to recreate or reproduce a note or series of notes as sung by the teacher and to focus on sitting or standing when singing and the differences inherent in both ways. Mothers should keep the singing at a friendly and cheerful level to help children associate the act of creating music with fun. Any songs used with children should have short sections and use frequent repetitions of wording and tonal structure. Any singing done should be infused with expression and completed with distinct enunciation, and mothers should be mindful of any additional activities to be included with singing.

Cognitive developmental theory of Jean Piaget

A child psychologist and Swiss biologist, Jean Piaget hypothesized that children's cognitive development includes 4 stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operations, and formal operations. The sensorimotor stage extends from birth to 2 where young children observe their environments through sensory exploration and the development of motor skills. The preoperational stage extends from 2 to 7 years and includes problem-solving skills and language growth. At this stage, children learn to classify objects by color, size, use, or shape. The concrete operations stage extends from 7 to 11 years where children can expand their knowledge of classification and begin to recognize similarities regarding items of the same height or pitch. The formal operations stage extends from 12 to teenager and includes the use of abstract thoughts to solve problems.

Echo Singing

A good way for children to learn a new song, as well as match pitches and experiment with rhythm, is by echo singing. Young children are able to learn songs through the repetition of small segments, and echo songs are usually made up of small segments or vocal snippets that are repeated, such as "Frere Jacques." Echo songs help children learn about changes in intervals and how to correctly pronounce words, and echo songs can be used as a good transition between topics or activities. The songs can be made up on the spot and could consist of 3 or 4 notes used in various rhythmic patterns. Echo songs allow children to progress in their musical abilities toward improvisation.

Absolute pitch

Absolute pitch describes the person who can identify a pitch or produce a designated pitch without regard to any reference point or standard. Absolute pitch differs from perfect pitch as there are many different facets of skill or ability involved in absolute pitch that are not pertinent in perfect pitch. While musicians with absolute pitch are fewer than those with relative pitch, they are able to teach others how to identify tones accurately through training so that absolute pitch may be a learned trait. Some researchers feel that absolute pitch occurs in people with an internal base pitch grounded in long-term memory, while other researchers believe that the ability is innate. Absolute pitch is more easily developed or acquired in childhood, and research is still ongoing.

Music educator's role

Any educator of children is in a position to exert remarkable control and influence over these young lives. As such, educators are responsible in making that influence a positive one so the child can reach his or her fullest potential. All teachers should seek out ways to prepare for curriculum planning and designing instructions that are appropriate for the child's particular educational level. Music combines with all developmental, cognitive, language, physical, emotional, and social arenas of education and makes the music educator one of the most fundamental of teachers. Training is necessary for any teacher dealing with children and especially children who are young enough to still be in the most influential age ranges. Music educators should be able to guide children in their musical experiences and encourage their progress as it occurs.

Early childhood education viewed by Johann AMos Comenius

As an educator in the Moravian church of the 1600s, Johann Amos Comenius believed that the education of children should begin immediately so that the child can learn about faith, cognizance of moral actions, and familiarity with arts and language. His instructions were written to mothers, detailing the importance of early education as a basis for later education and that all learning begins immediately. He argued that children learn at an individual rate of awareness and realization through playing and working hands-on. While the physical development of a child affects the intellectual development, Comenius felt that music education was instinctual for children who first learn to make sounds through vocalizations.

Importance of listening to music and perceptive listening

As art of sound, music is best appreciated by listeners who are attentive, and music educators can help students learn how to listen. Perceptive listening allows students not only to hear the notes but also to understand the structure and movement of the phrasing. This kind of listener can fathom how the elements of the piece go together and are sustained. Research has shown that even young children will cease all movement to listen or concentrate on a singer or some other instrument actively engaged in the production of music. Similar to learning a second language, the process of perceptive listening requires a period of just hearing the components of the sounds before attempting any kind of repetition or improvised creation.

How can music educators assist children in their ability to improve their motor skills while improvising or singing new songs

As children get older, their vocabulary and abilities of adding experiences and movements to their personal repertoire increases. Music educators can assist children in their ability to improve their motor skills while improvising or singing new songs. Children between 5 and 9 enjoy games that involve rhythm and rhyme, so jump rope rhymes or chants are a great way to show children that music can be fun and entertaining. The music educator can show children a simple or even age-specific complex rhyme or chant, and the children can add clapping or stomping as they become more familiar with the rhyme and feel comfortable enough to improvise. Such rhymes include "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear" and "The Lady with the Alligator Purse."

Long range strategy for kids with young voices

As children move through the age-appropriate choirs of their different schools, they learn more about how to sing and can enjoy a wider range of notes that are comfortable and pleasing to hear. Music educators should consider a long-range strategy for these children with young voices to sing in the low and high registers and sing properly. Many vocal pieces that include a wider range of notes for young singers require that students move from their chest to head voices to reach the higher notes. This transition between chest and head voice requires patience and consistent practice so that it will become more habitual than forced. If the range is too high for some students, then the music educator should encourage them to learn the words and eventually work up to the melody or try to master the harmony.

Define acculturation of preparatory audiation

As the first type of preparatory audiation, acculturation as the readiness period involves absorption, random response, and purposeful response where children learn from the sounds and music heard around them. Absorption lasts for the first 18months of a child's life and includes listening. The second stage, random response occurs between 1 and 3 years where the child can participate in music through listening as well as creating and dancing. Purposeful response occurs between 18 months and 3 years so that the child can attempt to contribute to the music by copying movements or singing along. During this time, parents and teachers should play different styles of music and try to encourage any babbling or moving done by the child in response to the music. Children should be persuaded to create their own songs and should be introduced to the tonal and rhythmic patterns in music.

Early childhood education viewed by Maria Montessori

As the founder of the Montessori school format, Maria Montessori argued that children learned best through a combination of sensory experiences and hands-on work and believed that any scholastic environment should be designed to match a child's degree or level of growth and development. Believing that children learn differently than adults, Montessori collaborated with pianist Maria Maccheroni to create a music program that involved children's ability to listen, play instruments, and dance. All participation was at will, and children were encouraged to explore sounds created by instruments and voices and to differentiate between sound and noise. The Montessori principle focused on the child learning how to create music and recognize rhythm before learning how to read music and musical notation.

Early childhood education viewed by Friedrich Froebel

As the founder of what is currently called Kindergarten, Friedrich Froebel strongly advocated children's inclusion of dance and music as they learned their lessons outdoors in regards to nature and occupations. His music provided an easy transition for children to practice hands-on the lesson being taught, such as the creation of a circle. Children were encouraged to improvise in musical form and phrasing and to participate in call-backs with each other and as a group. Froebel's analysis of early childhood education starting very early, such as 4 months, was described in his 1844 Mother-Play and Nursery Songs where mothers would sing to their children. The work included pictures and instructions for the mother in the teaching, and the songs provided the basis for such songs as "Ring-Around-the-Rosies" and "If You're Happy."

And discuss software and materials for the high school music classroom

Aside from the computer centers and workstations, the technological music classroom for high school should contain at least 6 different software programs that deal with listening, analyzing, reading, and describing various types of music. Other software programs should be dedicated to the discussion of music and its interconnectivity with history and culture as well as the other arts. Creation, improvisation, and composition software should also be available for students, and Internet access should be available with understood supervision. Students should be encouraged to utilize the technology for practice and performance, while music educators can access different programs for such things as grading and instrument inventory. Other software programs should be considered for students to work at researching music styles and changes over time or by region. These software tools should be updated as required.

Philosophy statement and its purpose

Before beginning in a new classroom or in a new region, music educators should create a philosophy statement to help them keep their instructions organized and assist them in maintaining a goal for the children to learn about music and education within a year or semester. The music educator should write down what music nurturing is and how children can learn and be nurtured by music. The desired environment for this nurturing should then be described, along with all the planned activities and possible options for educational focus in which the music educator believes that children should be involved. Once this has been completed, the music educator should write down what future growth and development expectations he or she has for the children.

Methods for teaching instruments piece

Beginner musicians may be hesitant to practice music away from the music classroom as they are unfamiliar with how the notes should sound. An easy way to maintain an idea of pitch is to use a recorder or pitch pipe to produce the note and then the musician can imitate it. Some children need a visual for their understanding of how the note will sound, so music educators can show the different notes from Solfège that can call back the familiar though basic music and tonal relationship lesson of Disney's "Do—A Deer." Pianos and other percussion instruments like the marimba or xylophone can also be used to spot-check a tone for practice purposes.

Bruner's 4 feautures of learning

Bruner believed that the education and instruction of children should include 4 separate features. First, children should be encouraged to explore and learn about their world, and teachers should seek out how to foster that curiosity. Second, information should be easily accessible and comprehensible, so teachers should research the most effective way to present new information. Third, the order or sequence should be logical and orderly so that children can follow along with the development of an idea or way of thinking. Fourth, a method of reward should be installed so that children can be encouraged and feel like their participation and response is good. Verbal praise is an extrinsic reward while the child's pride in figuring out the concept or puzzle is an intrinsic reward.

Synchronized movement

By following a pre-set order of movements to music, children are able to begin to understand a connection between feeling and hearing the music. By understanding this connection, children can later apply this connection and develop a steady beat or pulse. As the most fundamental of all music skills, the ability to understand and react to the beat of music has 4 stages for young children. The child is first unable to show or respond to the beat, and then the child responds with too much movement and whole body exercises and expressions for the beat. Eventually children narrow down the bodily response to the beat by tapping a toe in response, and finally children are able to clap or step to the beat of the music with the correct emphasis.

Teaching creative movement

Children can move creatively to music if they are encouraged to do so by the teacher and have a repertoire of movements they are comfortable using. Music educators can show children how to move faster through the faster pieces of music or slower through slower pieces. Children can also be introduced to musical dynamics when the music educator combines such movements as loud marching through the louder music and tiptoeing through the softer music. This kind of exercise also helps students actively listen and focus on the type of music being played. The music educator can also teach children about changes in the phrasing of sections when the direction of movement is changed at the end of the phrase.

Listening with no movement

Children should also be involved in activities where no movement is incorporated while listening to music because the absence of movement will force the child to concentrate on the music being played. The musical mind of the child is dependent on learning how to incorporate movements to music while maintaining an observance of the beat but also on listening to the music as an activity in itself. Nap time can be an excellent opportunity for children to listen to music without combining any physical movements to the beat, and the incorporation of playing the slower, soothing music can also help direct children toward a restful state of mind. This can also provide an avenue for the music educator to introduce a new musical passage that will be used for synchronized movement later.

Improvised singing

Children will begin to improvise music when they have been exposed to a musical setting or environment in which experimentation has been encouraged. Children may sing to themselves during the completion of a task or during their play, and children may even sing to each other. Improvisation cannot be taught, even by the best music educators, but should be encouraged with students who are experimenting with rhythm and melody on their own. Music educators can encourage this kind of improvisation by having the children create their own songs about what they are doing and even consider setting up a small, low-powered microphone for children to serenade each other and the class. Karaoke is a good way to let young children practice performing in front of each other and improvising.

Why should music educators model movement

Children will often watch the movements of those around them, like older children and adults. Music educators can show their students how to do a particular movement to a song or section of a song and then let the children copy what they see being done. Any of these types of movements should be geared toward the developmental abilities of the children as any kind of movement that is too complex or too involved for children may affect their self-esteem when they are unable to replicate that movement. The child's particular stage of development is based on the kind of activity and movement ability he or she has experienced. Young girls are often more coordinated than young boys.

Creative movement

Creative movement involves a child's interpretation of the song without being mindful of the beat. Before a child can be expected to move freely, he or she must have a repertoire of movements already learned and feel comfortable choosing from that list. Before being let loose to move creatively, children should be familiar with walking, marching, running, galloping, dancing, clapping, hopping, sliding, and jumping to music. Music educators can help children expand their basis even more by suggesting imagery exercises, such as asking children to show how an ice cube melts or how a wind-up doll moves. Young children can also watch how older children and adults move and then attempt to duplicate those movements.

Some options for movements for children with special needs, cognitive or behavioral disabilities

Depending on the kind of disability, children may be able to respond to music with movements unique to that child in his or her response. The music educator should verify that any wheelchair-bound children have ample room for movement and are either moved in the chair or allowed to move their arms or hands in the chair. In fact, specific movements with just the head, neck, hands, or arms can be assigned to the child when the other children are moving legs and feet. Small percussion instruments can be modified with larger knobs and pieces, and bells could be adjusted to encircle the wrist to be worn as a bracelet. Instruments can be given to children who cannot sing, and the vibrations created can be just as effective for children who cannot hear the sound. Partners can be assigned so other children can help play with the instrument. Some options for movements for children with cognitive or behavioral disabilities Children can become easily frustrated when they are unable to participate in the musical exercises and games because the movements or responses are too complex for them. Music offers better opportunities to join in since there are no right or wrong ways to create music. Any instructions for these children should be simplified and broken down into small steps, and children should not be expected to combine a series of steps or responses at one time. Even children who have no cognitive disabilities require simplicity in new exercises. All songs used should have repeated parts, and pictures can be incorporated since children remember the words or phrasing better when pictures are included in the music. Music educators should work with children with behavioral disabilities and provide them a chance to see, hear, move, or touch instruments without any stress on the child to perform.

Music aptitude in very young children

Edwin Gordon works as a researcher in music and music psychology and has postulated that all children have a natural inclination toward and appreciation for music. As with all personality types, some children may be more or less inclined to excel at music than others. Without the continued stimulation and exposure to music, young children may lose their affinity or experience a diminishing ability or performance in regards to music. Gordon's research shows that a child has a greater increase or decrease in aptitude toward music between ages 5 and 6 regardless of whether the child's environment included musical stimulation or not. As the child progressed each year over the next 3 years, that aptitude decreased or increased at a lesser degree than during that specific year. After age 9, the child's musical aptitude is established and remains at the same level.

Theories of Musical Education

Erik Erikson studied Freudian psychology and believed that each stage of children's development offers tasks for that child where they will be challenged to perform with the possibility of failure. Teachers should recognize that children's self-worth is wrapped in their own definition of success and failure, and music could be the avenue to express that personal sense of success. Lev Vygotsky advocated the importance of culture in a child's development with an awareness that parents and older children affect a child's behavior. The teacher or parent can assist a child in defining the problem to be solved and then dividing it into workable sections using verbal instruction and encouragement. Jerome Bruner argued that children construct their own facts so that learning is an active ongoing process. The 3 different modes of fact-gathering include physical manipulation, pictorial representation, and symbolic understanding.

Importance of audiation

Gordon's music learning theory for newborn and young children offers the idea that audiation, or the cognitive steps taken in the brain when music is heard or remembered not as the result of outside stimuli, is imperative for a child to understand music and subsequently to perform or compose music. Aural perception differs from audiation in that aural perception occurs when a person hears the music that is being played. Musicians are special in that they can audiate with no outside reference points, which allows them to read, remember, write, improvise, and compose music. Children can develop rhythmic and tonal audiation which will allow them a better understanding of how to read music. Preparatory audiation involves acculturation, imitation, and assimilation.

How to apply philosophy to classrooms

How can the environment be most effectively set up to help children experiment with different sounds, learn to sing on pitch, move expressively and rhythmically, and experience instruments? How can students be taught to listen perceptively and attentively? What is the most appropriate manner in which to teach children how to develop an appreciation for musical concepts? How can music best be shown to enhance the children's self-esteem so they determine that music is important for daily life? How should the schedule be arranged so that creativity and exploration of children are accommodated? Can music be added to the regular schedule without interrupting the flow? How can music be incorporated into the transitions during the day? Does the schedule allow for small-group or individual focus?

Types of exercises allow children to match and increase their vocal pitches

If children are not continually encouraged to match pitches from toddlers through their preschool and elementary school age, they can lose the ability to replicate or imitate a pitch. Pitch-matching and imitation games allow children to continue this practice and expand their own range of notes whenever engaging in glissandos or siren sounds when singing along with certain songs or creating those sounds at the direction of the music educator. These types of exercises also increase the child's self-confidence in his or her ability to make music. While young children are able to sing whole songs, they often modulate pitch during the course of the song. Music educators can help retune those singing voices by having students sing using the syllable "loo" at the correct pitch to the tune of familiar songs. The syllable is used because the "oo" sound is the easiest vowel to sing on pitch.

Early childhood education viewed by Jacque Rousseau

In his 1762 work Emile, Jean Jacques Rousseau hypothesized that children should learn the simple joy of true vocal sound to understand about harmony and vocal resonance. The music created and exercised with children should be simple and within a narrower range than that for an adult or older child who would have a broader range of flexibility. Rousseau argued that real words should not be used in the exercises and songs as children will focus on the word and its meaning more than the sound created. Musical notation should not pushed on to children who are striving to learn to read since music learned by feel first is better understood in notation learned later. He recommended children be encouraged to compose their own simple songs about their interests and with some dance steps included.

Vocal exploration describe voices of children

Most children are not comfortable making the transition from speaking voice to singing voice and require some time to experiment on how to make that change. This experimentation is referred to as vocal exploration. The singing voice of young children is usually light and airy without much volume. The music educator should make a point to differentiate between singing loud and shouting as these sounds do not produce the same desired result and should not be confused. Any shouting done by children can strain their voices and further hamper them from finding their singing voice. When they do sing, young children have a limited range of about an octave, from middle C or D to A or the next D.

Importance of attentive listening

Most people are able to block out any kinds of usual sounds that are not related to their immediate environment, such as honking horns or conversations of others. Many rooms for public or group access also perpetuate this containment of sound with soundproofing created by walls or other barriers to the outside world. Being so removed from natural sounds, people will tune them out when they occur. Music educators work to keep the attention of children riveted on the sounds being played. Perceptive listening requires the child to develop an attitude or persona of attentive listening, or focused listening. Attentive listening is necessary in musical exercises as well as other areas of education and experience. Music educators should provide a time of specific music listening and focus so that children can pay attention to what is being played and learn from it.

Learning to analyze music

Most students only hear music without paying attention when they should be listening to the structure and form of the work. Music educators can direct students to sing such patriotic songs as "America the Beautiful" and "America" and then ask them to describe the song style, the rhythm, the pulse of the accents, and the range. Once each song has been analyzed, the class can begin to compare the styles of the 2 pieces and how they correlate. Holiday songs can be used in a similar way so that the melancholy of the end of the semester does not interfere. Once the comparison of the songs and styles is made, the class can discuss why one song is brighter and if there is a way to classify one as better. Similarly, comparing different recordings of the same song is a critical thinking skill and also an exercise in music analysis.

Define creative and synchronized music

Movements performed as dance or exercise for young children that are associated with music are classified as either creative movement or synchronized movement. Creative movement gives children a freer avenue for expression and allows them to improvise and enjoy the physical act itself. Synchronized movement follows an established routine and is choreographed to the rhythm and beat of the selected music. Synchronized movement helps children work as a group and see the importance of teamwork, while creative movement allows children to freely express themselves to song. Both types of movement allow children to develop their listening skills and focus on what they are hearing. Focused listening is also considered perceptive or active listening.

Equipment found in music classroom

Music classrooms for children of all ages include different types of materials that are appropriate for the development of the children. Besides large instruments such as pianos and large or small keyboards, the music classroom will also include rhythm instruments, percussion instruments, string instruments, Orff instruments, Montessori sound cylinders and bells, guitar, and autoharp. Optional hardware includes tape recorders, headphones, tapes, CDs, players, and a karaoke machine. Some music educators like to provide specific furniture for the classroom, such as containers or shelving systems for storage, tables, tents, and rocking chairs. Music boxes are a nice addition to smaller sections, and computer software may be more appropriate for older children. Music-related pictures can be hung around the room as well as unbreakable mirrors for children to watch their own movements.

How can music educators encourage perceptive listening

Music educators can create listening games for children to verify they are actively or perceptively listening to the music being played and not just hearing the notes or focusing on the words. Some music educators create a music detectives club where children are encouraged to select a piece of music and identify the different portions as listed on a card. Children can listen to the piece, such as Haydn's Toy Symphony, and check space on the card next to the trumpet or bird whistle or ratchet as it is played. Once several students have completed this exercise, the music educator can group them together to discuss what was heard. The group can then listen to the piece again and point out the different voices that some of the others may have missed.

Rhythm and time signatures

Music educators can show children how each measure contains a specific number of beats and how that is indicated at the beginning of the first measure with the time signature. Music educators can show students that the top note of the time signature tells how many beats occur in the measure and the bottom note shows which note gets 1 beat. The music educator can explain how a 4/4 time signature shows that there are 4 beats in each measure, counted as 1, 2, 3, 4. Contrasting that with a 3/4 time signature, the music educator can show that there are only 3 beats in each measure and then ask students what other time signatures would show. Eventually, music educators can show students about the mathematical relationship between quarter notes and half notes, whole notes, and sixteenth notes.

Best way to teach songs to children

Music educators have to figure out the best way to teach young children the words of songs, especially when those children cannot read yet or not very well and often learn songs by rote. The music educator can sing the same song repeatedly or incorporate different methods of participation for the children to take part. Folk songs and nursery rhymes are easy to teach children since they are usually written in that limited vocal range of children and are composed of small segments. Parents may also be able to sing these songs with their children. Folk songs are usually specific to a culture or area and would probably be shared with each generation. Music educators can also sing to children to teach them a new song that may be too complex for their abilities as yet or to show them how much fun music is.

Materials found in music classroom

Music educators may have to create simple instruments or may find the children are creative enough to benefit from a more hands-on experience so as to appreciate this part of the work. The construction materials used in a music classroom may include paper, glue, and paint, as well as rubber bands, shoe boxes, and milk cartons of different sizes. Regular household items such as paper or disposable plastic plates, cans with lids, plastic bottles, toilet paper tubes, mailing tubes, and wrapping paper tubes act as containers and can be filled with such items as rocks, rice, beans, sand, or seeds. The containers can be further enhanced with guitar strings, bells, or brass pipes in different lengths. Scarves and ribbons can help with movement visualization, and drum heads and sandpaper samples can introduce different textures. As always, music educators can employ whatever materials imaginable to teach children about sound.

Staffing requirements for technology in middle school and high school classrooms

Music educators of the middle school music classrooms can continue to expand on the technological education of the elementary school music educators by receiving a day to complete training for new trends in the music technology education at a level of proficiency to match the classroom and the music educator. Music educators should be allowed to confer with other music educators through the Internet and email regarding the use of technology in the classroom, and technical support for the music hardware and software should be available. Music educators should be encouraged to develop new curriculum materials for incorporating music technology in the classroom and should supervise student work on sequencing, notation, and digital or audio multimedia work. An appropriate student/music educator ratio is required for lab work, and aides and teaching assistants can facilitate this format.

Why is the right attitude of the music educator paramount to the children's success?

Music educators should always approach any musical assignment or practice with children the right attitude of patience and exploration for the children to get the most out of their musical experience. The best equipment and the most up-to-date books will not guarantee that children have a good experience with musical instruments and music appreciation in general, so the attitude of the music educator is paramount to the children's success. Children learn best in a classroom and musical environment that includes structure even while fostering an individualized, creative movement format of learning. Music educators should adopt a philosophy based on core values and life experiences about how to introduce children to music and how to make it successful.

How music educators should be taught to introduce children to music

Music educators should be instructed in how to watch children and learn the best and most effective ways to combine their natural inclinations towards music with lessons learned in the classroom. All instruction should be deliberate, and music educators can assist with other teachers who may have little to no musical background but also want to incorporate music instruction in their classrooms. All educators should continue to seek out songs and chants to supplement their own repertoire for musical instruction, and all music educators should learn how to sing and how to play simple rhythmic instruments. Movements to music should be practiced by any adult who will be instructing children in musical performance and expression.

Music projects for children

Music educators should have projects for children that can be enjoyed whenever there is a down-time. Small groups can form a rhythm band with small percussion instruments or improvised ones and record their "jam" sessions. Recorders and headphones can be set aside for children to listen to different music styles while following along with sheet music or trying to match pitches. Different examples of composers' works can be available for children to listen to so that they can become familiar with the different styles of music as it occurred at different times. The computer can also be included so that children can use certain programs, like Finale's Print Music, so that children can hear the music they compose. Karaoke machines are always popular and should be used with musical selections that are appropriate for the vocal ranges.

How music educators should introduce musical instruments to children

Music educators should not just hand over rhythm or simple instruments to young children and expect them to figure out on their own the required technique or style to create a certain sound. The music educator should give instruction in how to use the instrument and then allow the child to replicate that instruction and eventually improvise from there. Music educators should comment on a child's production of sound with positive and supportive comments, asking that child to make a louder or softer sound or to change the beat from fast to slow. By educating the child on how to make different sounds on the instrument with different mallets or ways of playing, the music educator can keep the exercise fresh and challenging for the child.

Concepts of rests and how to teach to kids

Music is an important skill for music educators and parents to teach, and different children will be focused on certain sounds or the volume of those sounds. Silences or rests within the music can be the most difficult to teach young children who are interested in playing or singing continuously. Based on the same concept as the whole, half, quarter and eighth note beats, rests are set up with a corresponding count and also adhere to the restrictions put in place by the time signature. Children should be introduced to the symbols used to indicate rests and instructed how to count each rest. When interspersing beats with rests, some music educators find that clapping the beat and then turning the palms out for the rest is an easy way to show children how the rests function in relation to the beat.

Instructing young children to read measures

Music is written in measures within the staff. To introduce young children to understanding the concept of the measure, the music educator should have the children count the measures or sections separated by bar lines. Much of today's sheet music will provide a count for the measure so that professional musicians can follow along when they are not playing or so the conductor can call attention to a particular part of the music. Music educators can ask children to count the measures and to locate a specific measure of the music. Once children are comfortable with the basic format for musical notation, they can be instructed more effectively on how to interpret other musical notations, such as the time signature or the rhythm.

Some ways to accommodate children who are self-concsious

Not all children between 6 and 9 are comfortable dancing and moving in front of other children or the music educator unless they have been doing so since they were much younger. One of the easiest ways to foster an environment of acceptability is to sing and dance alongside the children so that they can see others behaving in a particular way without being ostracized or ridiculed. Music educators could also provide areas for creative movement that have higher walls or are separated and somewhat shielded from the rest of the room. The music center can include headphones so that children do not feel they are encroaching on others' quiet time for homework. Room dividers combined with rugs and drapes can also provide some basic soundproofing.

How can music education be modified to children with special needs

Not all music educators will have an opportunity to incorporate the teaching requirements for children with special needs into their teaching practices, but all music educators should be prepared for any kind of modification that needs to be included when dealing with a child that has different realistic expectations for responding to and participating in musical education activities. Music educators should begin by talking with the child's parents and former teachers and learning about what strengths and weaknesses the child possesses. By learning if the disability affects a domain or several domains of development, the music educator can tailor the classroom activities toward that end without alienating the child or providing a less effective lesson.

Components of learning to compose and arrange

Occasionally students will be required to arrange pieces for a small ensemble of selected instruments or a fuller instrumental sound at church or religious worship or for solo and ensemble performances or features. Music educators can begin this kind of practice with students by using "This Land is Your Land" in its articulated 4/4 time. Focus should be placed on the simple structure. Students should be encouraged to listen to the melodic and harmonic structure of the music and try to feel how other words would sound in the same stressed and unstressed portions of the song. Music educators can even accompany the students and try to fit in the harmonic progressions vocally and instrumentally so the students can see how both parts work together.

Recognize rhythm of familiar songs

Once young children have grasped the concept of reading the rhythm and are comfortable with the musical notation, the music educator should lead them in the clapping of the beats for songs that are familiar, such as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." This exercise will allow children to associate their lesson on rhythm with music they know. Music educators can also clap a measure or phrase and have the children clap the same pattern back. This will involve the children in the motor skills exercise of clapping with the perceptive listening of the rhythm and the particular emphasis as it is placed on the first note or another accented note within the phrase.

How can music educators teach students to learn words of songs

One of the easiest ways to teach a song to students is through repetition. Children have the ability to build on what is learned, so the same song taught to first graders will be well remembered by those children when they are fifth graders if that song has been practiced each year. A listing of several songs, such as the National Anthem or other patriotic or seasonal songs, can be displayed at the front of the music center. As each song is learned and mastered, the music educator can check off that song from the list. Young children feel a sense of accomplishment as more songs are checked off the list. Music educators should encourage students to teach any new or modified song to their parents, who can help students with their pronunciation of words and support their children's enjoyment of music.

Why is involvement of parents important?

Parents should always be encouraged to become more actively involved in their child's education and musical development starting with early education. Music educators should make a special effort to include parents in any discussions of instruments or musical practice as this will not only improve the child's success in this and other avenues of study but also allow the parents to take a more influential role in the child's pursuit of education and age-appropriate experiences. Parents are teachers first, of course, and a full support from them for the study of music and other subjects will help the child learn the importance of education and maintaining good study and practice habits. Music educators should always seek out ways to keep parents involved, such as through band support programs or fund-raising.

Music sequencing and its effects on music education

Random musical sequences are not as easily remembered as tonal melodic and harmonic sequences, and nondiatonic components in sequences are often confused with the diatonic components. Tonal functions with an established foundation define the relationship between tones and chords, and the ear is more adverse to processing modulations and transpositions to distant keys than to related keys. Music sequencing is similar to linguistic structuring as it relates to the audience member: patterns of melody, harmony, and rhythm work together better with appropriately defined tone, key, and chord structures. Infants are able to approximate a tone and distinguish between transposed phrasings, and young children can reproduce short or limited contours with some discrepancy in pitch. Early childhood musical education provides opportunities for children to learn to produce pitches accurately and distinguish between scale and key structure.

Psychology relates to music

Researchers study how people respond psychologically to music through perception and production in such fields as psychophysics, cognitive psychology, and neuropsychology. Psychophysics, or psychoacoustics, analyzes the sensory structures that respond to the pitch, volume, and timbre of the music or sounds. Cognitive psychology studies the characterization of bits of information and processes in the perceptual organization and memory. Neuropsychology studies any neurophysiological basis for the performance and perception of music as observed through clinical study of people with damage to the brain cortex. The pitch, when perceived, is encoded through the position of the basilar membrane in the cochlea and the more advanced neural analysis of patterns in the acoustic format. Both studies of the perception of pitch are called Place Theory and Volley Theory respectively.

How is working with rhythm instruments incorporated in the classroom?

Rhythm instruments such as shakers, cowbells, tambourines, and drums are the easiest to work with when instructing children about rhythm, beat, and tempo as they are small and easy to teach children how to use correctly. Whether using these instruments to indicate each syllable or to set up a tempo for the singing of the song, such as "Hot Cross Buns" or "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," children should have already been introduced to these instruments and how they work and produce sound; otherwise, the children will focus entirely on how the instrument works and not use it in the way being directed by the music educator. This will prohibit any kind of attentive listening to the structure of the music and possibly create noisy pandemonium. Once students are familiar with how sounds are produced, they can be instructed to incorporate those sounds in their exercises.

How can rhythm, beat, and tempo be explored

Rhythm is the pattern of long and short sounds. Music educators could begin a discussion about beat by taking a simple song like "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and clapping each syllable. The rhythm associated with the syllables will be more obvious when children can focus on the clapping instead of the words. Beat is the pulse of the music which might speed up or slow down during the course of the music. Music educators should have students practice grouping beats together so that the first of 3 or 4 beats receives the emphasis. While chanting out the specific beat pattern, the students could march. This exercise will demonstrate more fully how music is grouped together in musical notation. Tempo is the speed of the music. Music educators should help students learn the distinction between slow, moderate, and fast tempos by speeding up or slowing down their students' recitation.

Rhythmic chants an their usefulness

Rhythmic chants can be described as songs that have no melody. The chants or rhymes sung or spoken can expand a child's vocabulary and provide a basis for future improvisation. Rhythmic chants can also be used by the music educator to transition between tasks in a way that is fun and interesting. The chants also allow the child to memorize certain words and the rhythm or cadence of those words as they fit in the chant or song. When the music educator reintroduces chants or songs that might be used just before a specific activity, such as naptime, he or she can help children get in the right frame of mind just before the change in activity. Softer, freer music should always be used just before naptime while more energetic songs or chants can be incorporated just before recess or physical education classes.

Benefits of stringed instruments in school practice

Several studies over a span of 30 years have been completed regarding the effects on students' knowledge and proficiency in different subjects when those students were allowed to miss classroom time in the elementary school to participate in stringed instrument practice. The biggest concern was that these students would perform lower in math and reading than other students who were able to remain in the class the whole period. All studies show that there was no regression of the child's abilities in these subjects. In some cases, students' test scores improved by 10 to 20 points on standardized tests after the musical instruction, and those students who had been practicing music longer showed an even greater degree of improvement.

Appropriate singing ranges for young children

Since young children have a limited range of notes, the songs chosen by the music educators should be appropriate for that range and allow children to sing in their head voice. Many adults will sing in a range that is too low for children, so music educators should consider using a pitch pipe to help children hear the note in its appropriate octave and to help music educators focus their own singing to a range that is acceptable for young voices. However good the intentions of music educators and adults are, however, children may still try to sing too low after listening to popular music. By singing this low, children end up singing in their chest voice. This type of singing may cause vocal damage in severe cases but is always too low for young children.

Self Listening

Singing involves children listening to themselves and others sing and is considered a self-listening activity. This activity allows children to define their own projection of voice and to find their most comfortable singing voice. Children can sing in tune when they can hear the song and the information is transmitted to their brain for them to audiate. Once children can audiate or think the musical sound, they are better able to reproduce that sound. The audiated sound is transmitted to the larynx and projected. Children must be able to hear themselves to sing in tune and so must listen to themselves to sing a song. Music educators should encourage children and parents to allow children to sing by themselves into a tape recorder and then play that recording back so they can hear what they sound like. Music educators should model good singing technique and allow children to sing often.

Expand improvisational abilities of students

Some students naturally enjoy performing and improvising because of their personalities and confidence in their playing abilities while other students may be more reticent to assume the part of the soloist in vocal or instrumental practice and performance. Music educators can work with students on how to expand their improvisational abilities by starting them off with 2 notes, such as D and E. Once the student is comfortable with these notes, the music educator can add A and B. Once the students have figured out how to play with these notes and create an original sound, the music educator can add the F# for the full pentatonic or other appropriate notes of the scale. Some musical pieces require a soloist to improvise, so all musicians should be familiar enough with how the process works to try to perform the required improvisation with confidence.

Reasons that students may not be utilizing their vocal projection abilities

Students may not be utilizing their vocal projection abilities because of various reasons. Some students are shy and do not want to stand out, while some students are uncertain about how their part should sound. Most students who are hesitant to sing with full vocal projection usually do not know how to do so properly and have unsupported tone. Some vocalists will warm to the idea of solo pieces while some will reject the possibility altogether. Singing should be a daily activity for students, even for band students who should practice audiation in addition to their playing. Daily or consistent practice of a song allows the musician to become more comfortable with how the sounds should be formed and how correct vocalization should feel inside the head and throat. Once the singer is comfortable with how the music sounds, he or she can focus on correct vocal projection and quality.

How computer centers improve the classrtoom

Technology is becoming a greater component of today's classroom for all subjects, from science to composition to arts. The music classroom can also be improved by computers and computer-related software and hardware. As young children become more computer literate, they will discover that more companies are creating computer programs for their level of intelligence and musical development. Music educators should consider including the computer in the music classroom so that children can compose their own music, have it notated on music paper, and played aloud. Headphones can also be combined so that children will not bother others with their compositions. Older children can be allowed to use the Internet for music-related searches and information about current trends in instruments and performing styles.

Tech standards for middle school music class

Technology is important in the middle school music classrooms as well, and this kind of instruction just expands on what was taught in the elementary school music classroom. Music educators can use technology to teach music education in the middle schools by including computer-assisted instruction with MIDI sequencing, music software, Internet resources, and electronic instruments to educate students along the National Standards guidelines. Any selection of software or hardware should be geared toward the development of the students, and an elective course should be considered for using keyboards and MIDI controllers. Technology-based musical instruction can allow students with special needs to contribute more to the progress and performance of the class. Available technology in the high school music classroom can be used as an extension of that learned in middle school. Instruction is enhanced through MIDI sequencing, music software, Internet resources, and electronic instruments. Potential exists for technology-based ensemble practices and performances, and some programs may include an elective course for different facets of multimedia, such as authoring, composing, arranging, and digital recording. More specialized courses could be offered to show students show to incorporate technology into the creation and distribution of music as it occurs in different media. The Internet can be included for research, creating and distributing online information about music and technology, and networking with other students, teachers, and musicians. Distance-learning can also be accomplished through technological music classrooms.

The staffing requirements for technology in the 1-6 grade music classroom, middle school and high school

Technology is important in the music classroom of the first through sixth graders. Music educators should be encouraged to incorporate technology into the musical curriculum at appropriate levels of development. Music educators should be allowed a day to complete technological training to keep up with growing trends and should have access to professional services and development through Internet and email. Music educators should be allowed to interact with other music educators to discuss uses of technology, and technical support should be available. Music educators should be permitted time to develop and adapt new music technology for their classroom. An appropriate student/teacher ratio is necessary for any lab setting and can be achieved through the use of aides or teacher assistants.

Nonmusical advantages of music

The Mozart Effect refers to the improvement in a child's reasoning skills after listening to certain selections of instrumental music. Studies conducted nationwide show that students with experience in practicing a musical instrument frequently outperformed other students who spent the same amount of time working at computers in spatial and temporal lessons or tasks. Research is still inconclusive about how the exposure to Classical or instrumental music can make any kind of cognitive improvements in a child's ability to learn or apply learned knowledge to real-world circumstances; however, the research has helped to educate parents as voters on the importance of a musical program in the school system for the benefits of children's learning about arts and music as well as individual performance in other scholastic areas.

Improvise melodies and accompaniments

The National Music Education Standards as outlined for music educators instructing children in grades K-4 as they improvise melodies and accompaniments involve the following tasks: * Ability of each child to improvise responses or answers to the conductor or with other students in a style that matches the original phrase with both rhythmic and melodic similarities * Ability of each child to improvise easy rhythmic, melodic, or harmonic ostinato responses or accompaniments * Ability of each child to improvise easy rhythmic variations of existing themes or easy melodic embellishments of familiar works * Ability of each child to improvise a short song and instrumental phrase or work while using different sound sources like traditional and nontraditional sounds as can be accessed within the classroom, body sounds, and electronically produced sounds

Singing alone or with others

The National Music Education Standards as outlined for music educators instructing children in grades K-4 as they perform when singing alone or with others involve the following tasks: * Ability of each child to sing independently, in rhythm and on pitch, while following the appropriate directions for diction, timbre, and posture and maintaining a consistent tempo * Ability of each child to incorporate expressiveness into singing and use appropriate dynamics, phrasing and interpretation as directed or as indicated in the literature * Ability of each child to sing from memory songs comparable for education levels * Ability of each child to sing rounds, partner songs, and ostinatos correctly * Ability of each child to sing in groups and blend vocal timbres and dynamics while following the conductor

Instruments alone or with others

The National Music Education Standards as outlined for music educators instructing children in grades K-4 as they perform with instruments alone and with others involve the following tasks: *Ability of each child to perform with instrument in rhythm, on pitch, and with appropriate dynamics and timbre while maintaining a consistent tempo * Ability of each child to perform simple melodic, rhythmic, and chordal phrasings or patterns correctly and independently on melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic classroom instruments * Ability of each child to incorporate expressiveness while performing various musical selections of different genres * Ability of each child to echo short phrases * Ability of each child to blend instrumental sounds in groups with dynamics while following the conductor * Ability of each child to accompany other students who sing or play instruments

Compose and arrange music with specific guidelines

The National Music Education Standards as outlined for music educators instructing students in grades K-4 as they compose and arrange music within specific guidelines involve the following tasks: * Ability of each child to audiate music and then create the appropriate notation for a specific style or genre * Ability of each child to arrange music that can be used to accompany a reading or a dramatization * Ability of each child to compose and arrange short phrases or small sections of songs and instrumental works within specific guidelines * Ability of each child to include a variety of sounds and sound sources when composing or arranging music as it pertains to a particular genre within specific guidelines

Evaluate music and performances

The National Music Education Standards as outlined for music educators instructing students in grades K-4 as they evaluate music and music performances involve the following tasks: * Ability of each child to establish criteria for the evaluation of a musical performance or creation with a focus on such facets as dynamics, rhythm, pitch, and tempo * Ability of each child to explain their evaluations to classmates and the teacher while using the appropriate terminology * Ability of each child to describe musical styles and genres he or she enjoys while using the appropriate terminology * Ability of each child to constructively criticize his or her own musical performance or the performances of other classmates and professional musicians while using the appropriate terminology

Relationship b/w music, other arts , studies outside arts

The National Music Education Standards as outlined for music educators instructing students in grades K-4 as they learn about the relationship between music, other arts, and studies outside of the arts involve the following tasks: * Ability of each child to identify any similarities or comparisons as well as differences in the terminology as it is used in music, other arts, and other studies or disciplines besides arts * Ability of each child to identify the various means by which the principle tenets and subjects or topics of each discipline as it is taught in the school interrelate with music * Ability of each child to have a basic understanding of musical history

Listen to, analyze and describe music

The National Music Education Standards as outlined for music educators instructing students in grades K-4 as they listen to, analyze, and describe music involve the following tasks: * Ability of each child to identify basic musical forms upon hearing them * Ability of each child to exemplify perceptive listening skills through movement and by answering questions or describing aural examples of the different styles of music showcasing great diversity * Ability of each child to incorporate correct terminology while explaining music, musical notation, musical instruments and voices, and performances * Ability of each child to identify sounds of specific various instruments, such as orchestral and band instruments, and different voices, such as male and female * Ability of each child to respond through deliberate movement to specific musical selections

Read and notate music

The National Music Education Standards as outlined for music educators instructing students in grades K-4 as they read and notate music involve the following tasks: * Ability of each child to read whole, half, dotted half, quarter, and eighth notes and rests in time signatures of 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and others * Ability of each child to incorporate the use of a system to determine basic pitch notation within the treble clef as it relates to major keys * Ability of each child to identify traditional terms and symbols and differentiate their meanings in regards to articulation, dynamics, and tempo while correctly interpreting these symbols during * Ability of each child to incorporate the use of standard symbols to indicate meter, pitch, rhythm, and dynamics in easy phrases as presented by the music educator

Music relates to history and culture

The National Music Educations Standards as outlined for music educators instructing students in grades K-4 as they learn about how music relates to history and culture involve the following tasks: * Ability of each child to identify aural examples of the different genre or style of music as shown throughout historical periods and cultures * Ability of each child to describe the use of the elements of music as shown in various selected pieces from different cultures * Ability of each child to verify how music is used in his or her culture and daily activities as well as the different types of music * Ability of each child to describe the roles of musicians in different cultures and at different historical times * Ability of each child exemplify the audience behavior as appropriate for the style of music performed and its context

Accreditation criteria for space in music education

The accreditation criteria and procedures of NAEYC require 35 to 50 square feet of space per child for any indoor activity for young children. Music educators and other early childhood education teachers have learned to be resourceful in maintaining this requirement for space by storing items in marked bins or buckets or placing specific items on the shelves in designated places. The best way to store rhythm instruments is in a bin by themselves and clearly marked on the outside with names and pictures. The same picture and name designation system can also be used on the storage systems used with shelves or cabinets. Larger instruments with straps can even be placed on hooks in certain areas. Bean bag chairs can be situated with tape machines and listening centers.

How a person realizes frequency and pitch change

The basilar membrane vibrates in response to each frequency in a position that is related to the type of frequency. The smallest frequency difference between any tones produced at the same time, or the limit of discrimination, defines when the ear barely perceives 2 distinct pitches. Below this, any pitch occurring between the 2 is combined with the sound of the 2 pitches or pulses. When a tone changes pitch, the ear can differentiate the differences in frequency. The frequency range and tonal duration also determine the resolution of sound. The roughness caused by 2 disagreeing sounds created at the same time or the canceling out of a sound by another is called critical band. The more advanced neurons will change over time in the firing rate and detect certain patterns in dissonances and poorly configured consonances.

How should the music educator instruct young children to read rhythm

The bottom number of the time signature becomes important when music educators try to teach children how to read rhythm. The bottom number shows which note gets 1 beat. In the 4/4 time signature, the quarter note gets 1 beat and is counted as 1, 2, 3, 4 within the measure. A mathematical explanation of how the bottom number relates to other notes can be incorporated into the lesson, and children can see how 2 half notes are counted as 1, 3 while 8 eighth notes are counted as 1 &, 2 &, 3&, 4&. This exercise combines a study of math with the basic fundamentals of music, and music educators can work the children toward reading combinations of the notes and playing or clapping those rhythms.

Concrete operations

The concrete operations stage extends from 7 to 11 years where children can expand their knowledge of classification and begin to recognize similarities regarding items of the same height or pitch.

How does space relate to attitude

The method of organizing the musical instruments and accoutrement shows a lot about the attitude of the music educator and the corresponding treatment of music as a topic for children to learn. Larger spaces are more inviting for children to freely express themselves to the music as it is played or created while smaller spaces that appear cramped do not offer children the same feeling that music is subjective and should be expressed. Music educators should also be familiar enough with the children to anticipate how they will view the set up of the music area since not all children will see the same room the same way. As always, the music educator should take into account the development of the children and arrange the musical instruments and specific music areas in accordance to their age and developmental abilities.

Equipment requirements for technology in 1-6, middle school and high school music class

The music classroom for first through sixth grades should contain a multimedia-ready computer with Internet and audio in/out capabilities, as well as a general MIDI keyboard, MIDI sound system with speakers, and a CD or DVD player. Music educators that travel between classrooms should have a laptop with those functions. The classroom should offer MIDI keyboards and headsets for the students use, possibly portable digital keyboards with standard-size piano keys, and a large-screen display for class assignments. A lab for additional keyboard and multimedia-ready computers with headphones should be considered. Some MIDI controllers for different voices, such as drums, winds, strings, and guitars can also be included. Scanners, digital cameras, and other multimedia equipment as used by other departments should also be made available to music educators for a full technological presentation.

The equipment requirements for technology in the middle school music classroom

The music classroom for middle school students should include a multimedia-ready computer with Internet and audio in/out capabilities as well as a general MIDI keyboard, MIDI sound system with speakers, and a CD or DVD player. Music educators that travel between classrooms should have a laptop with those functions. The classroom should offer MIDI keyboards and headsets for the students' use, possibly portable digital keyboards with standard-size piano keys, and a large-screen display for class assignments. A lab for additional keyboard and multimedia-ready computers with headphones should be considered. Some MIDI controllers for different voices, such as drums, winds, strings, and guitars can also be included. Scanners, digital cameras, and other multimedia equipment as used by other departments should also be made available to music educators for a full technological presentation.

Preoperational stage

The preoperational stage extends from 2 to 7 years and includes problem-solving skills and language growth. At this stage, children learn to classify objects by color, size, use, or shape.

Imitation of preparatory audiation, when it occurs

The second type of preparatory audiation, imitation occurs between 3 and 5 and involves the child shedding his or her egocentricity and breaking the code. Many different aspects of the environment and personality of the child will determine how quickly and easily a child moves from one step to the next in the preparatory audiation stages. As a child enters the shedding of egocentricity stage, he or she becomes cognizant of how his or her movements or sounds may differ from other children's or adults' movements or sounds. The time required for the child to reach this level of awareness is important as young musicians must be able to differentiate between correct and incorrect imitation. The breaking the code stage involves a child realizing he or she can imitate the rhythmic or tonal patterns heard. Patience is the best way to proceed with children who are entering this stage.

Sensorimotor stage

The sensorimotor stage extends from birth to 2 where young children observe their environments through sensory exploration and the development of motor skills.

Assimilation of preparaoty audiation

The third type of preparatory audiation, assimilation involves the 2 stages of introspection and coordination. Between 3 and 6, a child may develop the ability to coordinate the movements involved in moving while singing. During the introspection stage, the child should discover with no assistance from the parent or teacher how the body movements coordinate with the rhythmic pulse of the chanting or singing. Once this awareness takes place, the child can then progress to the final stage of coordination. The coordination stage involves the child actively participating in timing the movements with the musical or rhythmic pattern of the song or chant. As this stage occurs around school time, the music educator at the school should be able to help students with any aspect of this process.

How computers are used for composition in music classrooms

Through composition, music educators can show students how to combine the singing, notation, form, style, tempo, dynamics, improvisation, assessment, and music vocabulary together with a computer and have positive results. Using a computer, an electronic MIDI keyboard, and a television, an entire class can work together to create a musical piece. All the students can view the development of the musical piece on the television. Each student writes a poem, and the class chooses the best one for the subject of the composition. The class can further edit the poem for the arrangement. Then the stresses of the poem are translated into rhythmic notation. Once the rhythm is defined, a melody is improvised by a handful of students, and the class votes on the preferred melodic line. Cadence is determined, and students consider the number of lines and possible arrangements. Harmony is added, and the tempo is selected.

How music educators can help parents encourage their children's music education at home

To continue a child's musical education outside of school, music educators should encourage parents to involve their children in music outings such as free concerts or performances in outdoor theaters where children can listen to the music being played as well as the sounds of the outdoors and the audience members. Parents can even plan to attend with other families so that the children can enjoy the outing socially as well as musically. Music educators can also help parents locate musical instructors who would be willing to provide lessons for the children. As a limited option, music educators could create a marching band take-home box for parents that includes books on the music of marching bands or even composers like John Philip Sousa, CDs of marching band songs, index cards describing how to make small instruments, and party hats to remind the parents and children that music is fun.

Why singing and chanting are important with young children

Young children explore their world with a different perspective than adults do, and the sense of touch is especially important when learning new things. Percussion instruments and other simple instruments allow children to see and feel how an accented beat corresponds to music and the words in songs. Rhythmic songs and chants are important for children to see the combination of sounds and beats and apply that process to their own sensory perceptions. When music educators participate in the singing or chanting, they can interact with the children and show them how much fun moving to music and creating music can be for all ages. Through this type of exercise, children can learn how words work together and how they should sound by following the example of the music educator.

Sound exploration areas

Young children need a place to experiment with musical instruments and sounds that is separated from other groups that may involved in more directed study. In these sections, children should be free to work with instruments such as the drums, bells, tambourines, shakers, claves, and castanets as loudly or as adamantly as the child chooses. All sound exploration should be hands-on so the child can become more familiar with the instrument and how it can change its sound when played in a different way. The walls of the sound exploration area can be decorated with musical depictions of storybook characters or nursery rhymes, and the words of simple rhymes such as "Hickory, Dickory Dock" can be written out so the children can practice reciting while using their instruments.

Brain activity in young children associated with music

Young children observe their environments through the use of their senses and any sensory input they receive. The brain creates neurons, or brain cells, at an astounding rate in infants, which allow these little sensory machines to gather and process information. Stimulated neurons pass information to other neurons, and these messages pass as electrical currents crossing the synaptic gap. These stimulated neurons form networks that act as the basis for all future cognitive development. If certain types of stimulation are not maintained in the infant's brain, the neurons atrophy. Music is a basic but important stimulant for infants, and children that are removed from this form of stimulation may lose this type of synaptic activity. Studies are still being completed on the brain's response to music and its inherent effects.