Multicultural curricula that explore African musics often focus on the commonalities among its musical traditions. Exploring the diversity of individual African musical traditions provides a pathway to the multiplicity of sounds, cultures, beliefs, and uses inherent within African and all multicultural musics. Deeper insights into the diversity of…

This article outlines strategies for using thinking routines in the general music classroom to foster deeper learning. Based on the Artful Thinking program, a model developed by Harvard's Project Zero in collaboration with Traverse City [Michigan] Area Public Schools, thinking routines were developed to draw students into a more meaningful…

This article describes how conductors of the top performing groups and music education faculty at one university collaborated to create a Family Concert Series for parents and children of all ages, including infants in arms. Recognizing the conflict between "The first three years of life are the most important for educating a young child in…

This article is an overview of the open source audio-editing and -recording program, Audacity. Key features are noted, along with significant features not included in the program. A number of music and music technology concepts are identified that could be taught and/or reinforced through using Audacity.

This article is an introduction to video screen capture. Basic information of two software programs, QuickTime for Mac and BlueBerry Flashback Express for PC, are also discussed. Practical applications for video screen capture are given.

Implementation of the English Language Arts (ELA) Common Core State Standards (CCSS) reduces the traditional separation between the study of different subjects. Increased focus on nonfiction reading and writing means more incorporation of other content, such as music, into language arts classes. CCSS's emphasis on speaking and writing across…

This article seeks to characterize culturally responsive teaching; consider how it differs from other pedagogical approaches in music education informed by culture, such as multicultural music education; and offer ideas for making the general music classroom more culturally responsive.

The Common Core Standards and the wide-spread state adoption have implications for music teachers. Alignment with English language arts Common Core Standards is discussed, with examples provided for elementary general music experiences. The author notes the challenge of retaining focus on the music domain while meeting the expectations of the…

With more than 850,000 apps currently on the market, there are multiple apps that can be used to help all students in music education, particularly those with special needs. This article lists low-budget apps useful for the elementary or secondary general music classroom.

This column offers the personal reflections of the author on being a member of the band Touch, an iPad performing ensemble composed of music education faculty members and doctoral students at the University of South Florida. The ensemble primarily performed its own arrangements of popular music selections from a number of genres including, but not…

This article presents a recipe for making attractive, informative tutorials that can be sent to students and parents via e-mail or posted on a school website. Although tutorials are often included with software, many are either too complex or too rudimentary to directly address music educators’ unique needs. The recipe focuses on the following…

This article presents steps toward gaining knowledge of world music pedagogy for K-12 general music educators. The majority of the article details steps that invite engagement within everyday contexts with accessible resources within local and online communities. The steps demonstrate ways general music teachers can diversify and self-direct their…

To be culturally responsive teachers, we must first have an understanding of other cultures and how students from these cultures differ from one another. As we consider the many cultures represented in our classrooms, we might also consider students with disabilities as a cultural group. Within any main culture are subgroups differentiated by…

Select features of interest to music educators are spotlighted in "Sibelius 6" (version 6.2.0 build 88) and presented under three headings: (a) Worksheets, (2) Plug-Ins, and (3) Potpourri. Guidance is given for accessing these features, and the commentary suggests their application in the music education classroom. (Contains 3 figures.)

This article describes an approach to general music where assignments in music improvisation and composition are embedded into the curriculum, that is, creative assignments are given as an outgrowth of curriculum content and directly related to instruction and activities in conceptual learning and skill development in the classroom. Such an…