This column "comes clean" about secondary general music, admitting some common wrongs, looking briefly into some reasons for the current state of affairs, and finally moving onto a redefinition of secondary general--a redefinition that perhaps may be the best hope for responsive and respectful music education. (Contains 4 notes.)

The author argues that concerts create pressures on the music curriculum similar to those high-stakes tests generate on the general curriculum. Three similarities are presented and discussed using the example of a concert the author organized: first, teaching to the test and the narrowing of curricular goals; second, evaluation by a single source…

This article presents an interview with E.J. Choe, director of the Music Academy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, on how she became involved in the use of technology to teach piano and how the software program Band-in-a-Box has helped her in teaching her students. Choe shares that instead of sitting at a grand piano in her…

Music exists in time. One cannot get to the end of the song before going through the song. Is this significant for helping children wait? And can the way we present a singing game activity intensify the delay of what might be a gratifying moment at the end of the song? In this article, the author reflects on whether music can teach delayed…

The article focuses on teaching commonalities in diverse musical genres. Teachers need to relate the musical activities performed in class to music that students experience in the world around them since they understand music in relation to history and culture. A key to selecting high-quality musical examples is to find music pieces that contain…

The article discusses the inclusion of technology resources in early childhood music education. Successful technology inclusion in music for young children depends on the physical, mental, and social readiness of each individual child. Learning providers involved with young children should constantly review the child's capabilities and …

The article offers tips on introducing percussion activities in elementary music class. Percussion equipment should be treated as musical instruments and not toys, teaching correct names, playing techniques and notation for the instruments. Active listening experiences for students should be planned, including band music. Band music incorporates…

Performance-based assessments allow teachers to systematically observe skills used or demonstrated by students when they create a product, construct a response, or make a presentation (McMillan 2001). These assessments are grounded in performance-based tasks that elicit students' responses in relation to the outcomes of instruction. The criteria…

Describes MusiCircus, developed by composer John Cage, where people play different types of music simultaneously. Presents a different version of this approach where parents and children participated in various activities at the same time. Includes guidelines for creating a MusiCircus. (CMK)

Focuses on how to include movement education into the music classroom. Discusses the techniques developed by three movement specialists: (1) Edwin Gordon's Continuous Fluid Motion (CFM); (2) Rudolf von Laban's effort/flow elements; and (3) Phyllis Weikart's taxonomy of movement. Includes a bibliography of resources. (CMK)

Focuses on whether music teachers should teach reading to their students. Addresses the effects of reading instruction in the music classroom, how music teachers do not want to be reading teachers, and reading skills that are already being taught in the music classroom. Offers ideas on what reading skills can be taught. (CMK)

Describes various resources that will aid music teachers educating special needs students in their classrooms. Focuses on such resources as "Music for Special Education,""Reaching the Special Learner through Music," and "Music for the Hearing Impaired and Other Special Groups." (CMK)

Discusses the conceptions of play and music play. Reviews research studies on music play. Offers guiding principles for the inclusion of music play in general music education. Provides five examples of activities that encourage the use of music play in the classroom. Includes a bibliography. (CMK)

Argues in support of integrating music education with other subject areas, discussing the importance of maintaining music's integrity, combining the arts, reasons for integration, and whether integration is always good. Offers an opposing argument that views the integration of music with other subject areas as unsound. (CMK)

Explains that education should provide the knowledge and skills that promote improvement in ones quality of life and foster personal development during the life span of an individual. Identifies various suggestions for encouraging lifelong music learning in adults ages 35-50 through age-appropriate and challenging activities. (CMK)