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…

Word walls are an important element in teaching students how to describe music and use academic vocabulary in authentic ways. This article will explore what word walls are; different forms that word walls can take in the classroom; and ways to increase the interactivity of word walls to promote student learning.

Black Music Aesthetics (BMA), guided by conceptual approaches grounded in African belief systems, are found in the structure and performance practices of Black musics. Music education in American society leans strongly toward Western European aesthetics, which includes: the centrality of rhythm, pitch, and harmony to musical understanding; a…

Music educators often advocate for the benefits of music education, such as leadership, self-expression, and creativity. Or, for some, music education for music education's sake. Consider accomplishing this by teaching students to be self-aware and socially aware musicians. When student awareness improves, so does the music and the community of…

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…

Not all in-service general music teachers received instruction in vocal pedagogy for young voices. However, teaching children how to sing is highly complex. By understanding adult vocal registers and children's vocal development, as well as using effective vocal modeling and varied feedback, music teachers may create a learning experience that can…

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…

Ireland's music is at times energetic and spirited, and other times pensive and even plaintive, depending upon the occasion. It is linked to the heritage of many North Americans, both in the United States and Canada, who trace their family histories to Ireland, and it is both centuries old and newly composed, as is the composition by Francis Ward,…

In music educators' endeavoring to integrate equity into our curriculum, adopting a rhizomatic approach could provide a valuable perspective for reassessing the Western classical tradition as the norm. From a philosophical perspective, the rhizome is perceived as an interconnected multiplicity, where various elements are intricately connected…

This article examines paradoxes in music education, focusing on tensions between inclusivity, democratization, and the traditional concept of "excellence." Drawing on theories from Maxine Greene and recent research on democratic education, I explore strategies to bridge the divide between formal and informal learning, institutional music…

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…

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…

Performing music is one of the fundamental processes of music education. A musical performance includes not only singing or playing accurate notes and rhythms but also making interpretive decisions to convey music expressively. The author researched to find out the best strategies for developing expressive performance, and then created a lesson…

Music classrooms have incorporated elements of cooperative peer learning for generations. Whether sharing an instrument or composing a song together, peers interact in many meaningful and spontaneous ways. While the principles of peer-assisted learning (PAL) might be familiar to many music teachers, the process and structures of reciprocal peer…

What might the field of music education do to learn, grow, and reinvent itself as we emerge from COVID-19 and virtual learning? Implied in the "return to normal" discourse, permeating all areas of music education in the year or more following virtual learning is the felt need to keep going and return to music education as usual. Yet…