Song and dance as an approach to teacher preparation in music for primary classroom teachers

Abstract

All children have the capacity to express themselves musically and to have music be an important part of their lives. In most states classroom teachers in the primary grades are expected to provide all instruction in music, often without supervision or assistance. The idea of the classroom teacher teaching music is not new. This has been a pattern of musical instruction in the elementary schools throughout the history of our country. Teachers cannot teach material they do not know and in which they are not interested. Most classroom teachers welcome new ideas and attractive materials for use in teaching music to children in their classrooms. This dissertation presents a pattern of musical preparation for prospective primary classroom teachers based on an eclectic approach which focuses on the selected pedagogical principles of Kodály, Orff, and Dalcroze. The main body of the dissertation consists of a two semester sequence of instruction organized in thirty lessons based on a vocal approach and emphasizing movement. It includes resource materials such as lists of books on the teaching of music and dance, recordings, films and filmstrips, and song collections. More than 100 songs are used in a variety of ways as are rhymes and movement activities.