Why Music?





Why Music?

Hello everyone!

 

When I started teaching Music about 5 years ago, I used to always get asked the question, 'Miss, why do we have to study music?? It won't help me." As a beginning teacher in 2008 I never quite knew how to answer that and I think I probably said "Just, because you have to!"

I decided to set out on a mission to have a display somewhere in my room which clearly explained to pupils why music is in the curriculum - the immense benefits this subject can have, no matter if they are a musician or not! I looked up the CCEA Music Specification for KS3 and summarised the main advantages:

• Music forms a part of your identity - a positive interaction with music can develop competence as learners and increase self-esteem.
• As an integral part of culture, past and present, music helps you to relate to others and develop cultural understanding, developing important links between home, school and the wider world.
• Music can influence your development in and out of school by fostering personal development and maturity, creating a sense of achievement and self-worth and increasing your ability to work with others in a group context.
• Learning music develops critical thinking and the ability to 'think outside the box' - it encourages you to be creative and think for yourself.
• Music brings together intellect and feeling and enables personal expression, reflection and emotional development.
 

With new Year 8's in their induction lesson in music, I draw their attention to this board and highlight these points, putting them into simple terms. I have not been asked that 'Why Music?' question in about 4 years! Must be working!

 

 

 

 

Group work is an integral part of this subject - not just developing musical skills but life skills. One of my favourite topics in Year 8 is our Ostinato topic which allows pupils to be extremely creative! Using Harry Potter Puppet Pals as an example, pupils have to work in groups to create their very own Puppet Show - the central component being that it has to include 5 Ostinati ! A task like this involves time management, communication, listening, deligation of roles, self-discipline, and oodles of creativity! The musical skills of using a style, voices on the keyboard, creation of the ostinati, being in time with the beat, counting in, addition of percussion are all developed alongside these life skills.

The final performances are done with a class-made stage and filmed by their peers using the Flip Camera. The sense of achievement and delight they get, never mind the skills they see they have been developing when they reflect and evaluate, is a brilliant motivational factor in their initial year of this subject. 

 

 

 



Alongside the skills development, it's essential to try to encourage the use of musical lingo! As a teacher of GCSE Music too, (in a different school - blended learning! - a post on this at some stage me thinks!)... I cannot describe the difference it makes if pupils are coming through from KS3 having been taught these words and encouraged to use them often! One board in my room is dedicated to an array of words I want pupils leaving Year 10 having a knowledge of - the definition of 'major' and 'alto' are currently sitting on my desk as they fell down - seeing this pic reminds me to get them back up pronto!! haha! 

 

 

Now my OCD is really kicking in when I look at this pic - first thing Monday morning I will be straightening these posters ;)

I do a Classroom Rules session with Year 8 pupils during their induction, not spending a long time on it, but enough to set the tone of what I expect and will not tolerate. A few reminders are displayed in colourful stars. The Musical Elements posters are there as part of a unit we do called 'Elements of Sound.' Pupils have to musically present the DDTTP - High 5! Knowledge of Dynamics, Duration, Tempo, Timbre and Pitch is given in the form of a hand, with each letter in a fingernail and the keyword and defintion down each finger. The group task is to be musical and creative to present their information to the class, remembering they must interpret the meanings in their presentations. I've had some amazing work from raps, vocal solos, dance routines, sketches to full blown movies created in Movie Maker with their own filmed footage!

 

So as my years in this classroom progress, the question of 'Why Music?' is disappearing and the evidence of why they do music is clear - not only are they developing musical skills, knowledge of music and essential life skills, they are able to have fun as they learn :) A subject like this is necessary in the curriculum :) << in my opinion ;)

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

A x :)