Presents descriptions of using the Internet for music instruction by Laura Ferguson, James F. Daugherty, and Sandi MacLeod. Covers topics such as steps for creating and publishing movies on a Web site, a template for electronic learning called ChoirONLINE based on the creative use of interactive Web forms, and the Vermont MIDI Project. (CMK)

Illinois State University (ISU), located in central Illinois, serves a large population of rural, suburban, and urban students. students are predominantly white. The music education curriculum requires multicultural music study, and students have opportunities for authentic experiences. During the semester before this course, students in…

The development of music skills, particularly performance skills, is often considered separate from creativity until music skills can be used in a creative way. Though an accumulation of music skills is necessary for high levels of creativity, a student's creativity can in turn develop music skills, and the primary grades (K--2) are the ideal…

Creating the "comprehensive musician" has been discussed by music educators for many years. While its definition varies, essentially comprehensive musicianship is a means of engaging students in musical learning with a goal of creating greater independence. This can be accomplished by creating a rehearsal setting in which performance and…

For the past few years, there has been a growing concern among in-service elementary and general music educators trained in the active music-making approaches of Orff-Schulwerk, Kodaly, Dalcroze Eurythmics, and Gordon that the student teachers who come to them are poorly prepared. Many feel that preservice teachers are not receiving the university…

In the fourteen years since the 1990 MENC preconference symposium Multicultural Approaches to Music Education in Washington, DC, music educators have come to recognize the need to include a variety of world musics in all music curricula, from elementary classrooms to advanced performing ensembles. Accordingly, there has been a significant increase…

It is common practice for music educators to be responsible for teaching students with special learning needs who have been included in the general education classroom. But how do music teachers know if they are providing meaningful instructional experiences for these children? This article suggests methods to guide music educators toward…

Whether one elects to explore and create in the jazz, folk, or other idioms, children need a broad listening experience, a substantial repertoire of patterns, and most important, permission to think outside the box. It is imperative that music teachers create a classroom environment in which divergent thought is valued. Consider how students learn…

There has been increased interest during the past decade in combining music and children's literature in the elementary school. In addition to the apparent cognitive benefits, the current school climate has encouraged cross-curricular interactions, and many music specialists and classroom teachers see the music-literature connection as an…

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…

What should students in secondary general music classes experience so they are prepared for a musically enriched life as adults? This question, while seemingly straightforward, produces myriad responses depending on whom you ask. Schools respond differently to what secondary general music students should experience, and it is unknown whether…

Music teachers who strive to provide a broad range of experiences for their students are usually careful to include music listening among them. Although students have many opportunities to hear music in their everyday lives, most teachers agree that music listening involves skills that must be taught to children. Some might even argue that…

In the fourteen years since the 1990 MENC pre-conference symposium on Multicultural Approaches to Music Education in Washington, D.C., music educators have come to recognize the need to include a variety of world musics in all music curricula, from elementary classrooms to advanced performing ensembles. Accordingly, a significant increase in the…

Many autistic students think and learn in pictures, not language. Visual representation of tasks, objects, and songs can greatly assist the autistic student. Using picture books in the music class is a popular strategy for many teachers. This article provides a list of books that a teacher has used with success in classes for children with…

This article provides some research-based tools to describe and evaluate vocal development of the young singer. It offers resources and literature reviews relating to teachers' understanding of their learners as individuals and measurement of their learners' musical achievement. It focuses on one thing all music teachers strive to do: evaluate…