Music education in the United States aims to be for every child, yet many students become less interested in school music as they mature. Although previous research reveals activities that upper-elementary students may prefer, much of this research may not represent 21st-century students, the instruments and activities that have enhanced curricula…

In East Africa, Tanzania's musical expressions are rich and varied, and typically a combination of music and dance. A description of "Nindo," a multipart vocal music form of the central Tanzanian Wagogo community, is provided, and a tribute is offered to the legacy of an important village artist, Mchoya, of the musical form that is begin…

Sensory learning can be traced back to ancient Greek times, and the sense of touch holds multiple types of benefits for classroom music learning. Touch is also a prerequisite for children's future intellectual and social development. Between ages three and seven, a child's physical and perceptual development is in a formational stage. Despite…

Student motivation is frequently an issue in general music classrooms, and many long-standing theories designed to increase motivation have the opposite effect. This article introduces Self-Determination Theory, first developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, as a theory of human motivation. A key element of Self-Determination Theory is the…

Bibliotherapy is a technique that invites children to see themselves in the characters of carefully selected children's literature with the intention of making connections, building empathy, developing social skills, processing difficult situations, and more. The purpose of this article is to explore the intersections of bibliotherapy, social and…

Although there is a consensus that it is important to teach jazz and the skill of improvisation inherent within it, many feel unprepared to do so. This article presents a simple way for beginners to improvise through the blues scale and harmonic progression at any present skill level in kindergarten through high school general music coursework.…

Exploring authentic connections between the arts leads to a deeper understanding of artistic processes and prepares students for formulating connections in our increasingly interrelated world. Differentiated assessments allow students to demonstrate understanding through their choice of artistic media and work at their individual level increasing…

In today's globally interconnected society, the scope of musics from diverse cultural traditions has grown to embrace many different styles of music, including original/traditional versions and transformed versions (e.g., Western arrangements for ensemble versions of culturally diverse musics and contemporary folk music). To properly educate…

In general music classes, students participate in a variety of musical experiences, including ensembles. These may include classroom experiences playing instruments or singing as a group, or in more long-term performance-based experiences such as a musical or program. It is important that students with disabilities participate meaningfully in…

Energetic and electric, "samulnori" is a contemporary formalization of traditional Korean percussion music known as "p'ungmul." A description will be offered of the music, and of key musician, Master Kim Duk Soo who has dedicated himself to the design and dissemination of this highly regarded genre. A learning pathway on Korean…

Part-work is a skill through which an individual performs and maintains one musical part while another part is performed at the same time. Rich and varied part-work experiences feature prominently in the musical lives of children. Despite this, elementary general music teachers often frame part-work as a skill needed in the short term to perform…

The ability to compose music must be taught and practiced. Students need purposeful opportunities to develop their musical thinking. This article presents a number of games and playful work that teachers can use to develop musical thought and lead toward intentional composition.

Over the past several months, public schools across the United States have experienced a surge of migrant students. This sudden influx of these students has caught many schools and teachers off-guard as they struggle to find and pull together available resources to meet the newcomers' needs. Although the U.S. has a long history of receiving…

There are many models for structuring peer interactions in the music classroom. From peer mentoring to peer tutoring, to other structured interaction models that have emerged from other areas of education, music teachers have many options when considering how to include structured peer interaction activities. This article describes the various…

A framework of cultural humility includes three main tenets: (1) commitment to lifelong, critical self-reflection; (2) recognition and mitigation of power imbalances; and (3) accountability to individuals and institutions. In this article, I aim at applying the concept of cultural humility to frame my analysis of musical diversity in music…