ERIC Number: EJ1009311
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Mar
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0027-4321
EISSN: N/A
Teaching Improvisation in Elementary General Music: Facing Fears and Fostering Creativity
Whitcomb, Rachel
Music Educators Journal, v99 n3 p43-50 Mar 2013
Improvisation is a vital part of an elementary general music education. While some music teachers successfully include improvisation in music instruction, others have fears and face challenges when attempting improvisational activities in the classroom. This article acknowledges obstacles facing music educators when attempting to incorporate improvisation in elementary general music, such as lack of instructional time, lack of experience improvising as part of personal musicianship, and lack of training to teach improvisation. Suggestions to address these challenges are provided, and practical lesson plans have been designed to help teachers get started with classroom improvisation. Ideas include combining improvisation with other musical skills while maintaining the integrity of all endeavors, starting with simple lesson ideas, setting guidelines that can be loosened as improvisational skills develop, using familiar methods and materials, and connecting improvisational activities with music that is desirable to students outside of school. Lesson plans that can be adapted for various classroom settings are included. (Contains 1 table, 5 lessons, and 13 notes.)
Descriptors: Music, Music Activities, Music Education, Creative Activities, Creativity, Elementary School Students, Music Teachers, Time on Task, Lesson Plans, Extracurricular Activities, National Standards, Teacher Qualifications
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A