"Music You Can
Read" has
many applications in the general music classroom. From a highly
structured and disciplined team atmosphere, to loosely structured
cooperative center activities, and most important, individual activities
where the student sets the pace. From this page you can begin
lessons that lead the instructor through step-by-step methods for
success! Choose what you feel meets the needs of your particular
situation, or you can skip directly to our Teaching Index; a sample of lesson plans
using many of the materials found within "Music You Can Read."
Discipline and music, it seems the
two terms were meant to go together;
Music = Discipline, for what would music be without discipline? Practice,
practice, practice is the name of the game, and at the elementary level, as
a game, practice brings discipline to the mind!
Students should enter the classroom in a HIGHLY STRUCTURED PATTERN. This
places high expectations on the individual to meet the needs of the "team." Should
any student deviate from the PATTERN the entire class MUST reenter the
classroom. Think of it as instructions for getting on and off risers;
when it comes to meeting this objective, your are already ahead of the
game. There are no second chances for this "first impression." Such
is the case with entering the class. The way a class enters your
classroom says a lot about how successful they will be in the lesson. Here
are a few examples of highly structured patterns of student movement within
your classroom.
Entering
Students
enter in a single line, setting in assigned seats, or
filling up one row at a time. Student may sit only after
the person in front of them has taken their seat. Students
should NEVER scatter for seats!
Leaving
Students
leave by row (as in leaving a bus). Students leave by
word associations from teacher - "those wearing
blue" "yellow", etc. Students who
earned a certificate may line up first. Student's should
never scatter to form a line!
Getting
Materials
Word
associations (see above) Row by row Student's
should never lunge for materials!
It is important that students know what is
best for the team is best for them. Structured
movement within the room makes greater use of the time. No
traffic jams means everybody gets started on time.
