In this article, the author describes the evolution of a promising practice, his story of how he developed theory out of his teaching experiences. He tells his story in support of educators who struggle to bring meaning, joy, and understanding to children who are currently being stifled by prescriptive and restrictive regulatory mandates that…

The author states that among the various approaches to music education, her dialectical and epistemological view offers a way of thinking about music and education and deciding how to go forward in teaching and learning music. In this article, she shows how this particular philosophical perspective can play out in teaching for the development of…

This researcher sought to investigate the relationship between perceptual learning modalities of fifth grade elementary school students and their compositional processes and products. Music composition, at the elementary school level, has been studied for many years, as the creation of new music can give students a more active role in learning,…

Describes the structural similarities inherent in musical and linguistic compositions and how they reflect basic human impulses and principles of effective composition. Uses Bach's "Passacaglia" to illustrate the characteristics of good composition. (JMF)

This is the second of two related studies designed to encourage the composition and use of contemporary music for young string players. Expanded techniques to intensify rhythmic training and introduce ensemble skills were effective. Second and third year students learned to play the pieces well and profited from the experience. Although 20th…

A program to develop the talents of music educators is described. (CK)

The author explores some of the possibilities and problems involved in teaching musical composition, describes three approaches to songwriting, and offers suggestions for ways teachers can reinforce efforts of student songwriters. (KC)

Asserting that children are particularly open to novelty in music, the author analyzes four examples of twentieth-century avante-garde music and suggests how they can be presented in a children's music class. (SJL)

In this paper, the author had noticed that classroom teachers often use learning centers successfully. She doesn't know many music teachers who have implemented them, but many seem to have an interest. Perhaps music educators have overlooked learning centers because of whole-group curricular requirements, or perhaps centers are not often used…

The author considers the manner in which children develop awareness of varieties of sound, pitch, and rhythm, and provides an outline for use in a class project in musical composition. (IM)

It's a far cry from Segovia and Julian Bream to a fully-fledged guitar orchestra. Author reports on a new phenomenon in guitar teaching and a new vocation for guitarists. (Editor/RK)

The article presents lessons for teaching composition in elementary general music classes. Students will be more successful in composition activities if a teacher allows time for multiple encounters with composition activities, encourages student experimentation, guides the class through composition experiences, provides constant encouragement,…

This article raises questions about three features of musical education that have been explored in the pages of the "British Journal of Music Education" ("BJME") over the last 25 years: the assessment of creative work; the nurturing of an elite among young musicians; the uses of electronics in music classrooms. The article…

Many current approaches to composing with technology require teachers to spend considerable time showing students how to use the software and hardware. Technologies described in many resources are often costly or require complex procedures to adapt for the classroom. In addition, the majority of approaches to teaching music with technology, center…