Curriculum Music lessons are the building blocks of successful Music departments. They should be engaging, age-appropriate and well-scaffolded and should encourage students to strive for their best whilst fostering an enjoyment of the subject.
I use a variety of pedagogical approaches (for example, Orff and Kodaly) in order to involve all students in my lessons. Activities use a multiplicity of resources including untuned rhythmic percussion instruments (eg. claves, cowbells, woodblocks and drums), tuned percussion instruments (eg. chime bars, xylophones and boomwhackers), ambient percussion instruments (eg. Rainstick, ocean drums and thunder-tubes) and non-instrumental resources such as a parachute.
Children access a broad curriculum and have opportunities to sing, play, perform, compose and listen to music. More often than not, these aspects of music are usually combined within one teaching sequence.
Music is used, by many different cultures, in times of celebration and the curriculum reflects that. Children have the opportunity to learn about Indian music during Deepavali (which culminates in celebratory performance in the theatre), Chinese music for the Lunar New Year and most of the year groups also perform a Christmas nativity.
I use a variety of pedagogical approaches (for example, Orff and Kodaly) in order to involve all students in my lessons. Activities use a multiplicity of resources including untuned rhythmic percussion instruments (eg. claves, cowbells, woodblocks and drums), tuned percussion instruments (eg. chime bars, xylophones and boomwhackers), ambient percussion instruments (eg. Rainstick, ocean drums and thunder-tubes) and non-instrumental resources such as a parachute.
Children access a broad curriculum and have opportunities to sing, play, perform, compose and listen to music. More often than not, these aspects of music are usually combined within one teaching sequence.
Music is used, by many different cultures, in times of celebration and the curriculum reflects that. Children have the opportunity to learn about Indian music during Deepavali (which culminates in celebratory performance in the theatre), Chinese music for the Lunar New Year and most of the year groups also perform a Christmas nativity.
'Danger Dan Tackles The Majulah Mayhem'
by Lesley-Anne and Monica Lim
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When planning sessions, I like to draw upon my experience as a class teacher in order to plan an engaging and balanced scheme of work. One such topic was a Y2 topic entitled 'Danger Dan Tackles the Majulah Mayhem'.
Normally, in term 2 of Year 2, I would be expected to start teaching the Singapore National Anthem to the students. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, I couldn't do that. So I decided to teach about the Singapore National Anthem using a book by local Singaporean authors, Lesley-Anne and Monica Lim. During the scheme of work, we read the story but then pulled out various themes and explored them with activities such as conscience alleys and listening and responding activities that utilised the Nearpod app. |
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Another topic that is popular in Reception is based around the book, 'Whatever Next' by Jill Murphy.
In this topic, we use a simple song that I wrote to introduce singing So and Mi in a question and answer format. It is a silly song about what might be in my cardboard box and after a few goes the children enjoy developing the song to include their own ideas. I also use a song called 'Magical Cardboard Box' by Ali Dee. Again the children get to respond to the song by drawing picture about what the Magical Cardboard Box might become. I then turn some of these into verses for the song. The children often go back to class and continue the topic with some junk modeling. This topic worked particularly well during the 'circuit breaker' when I was teaching via Zoom. |
'Whatever Next!'
by Jill Murphy
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I have regularly composed and arranged music for curriculum shows. This video, titled 'From Scribbles To Stage' charts the progress of my song from the initial thoughts through to its performance to parents.
Please note: for safeguarding reasons, children's identities have been protected on this site by pixelating certain areas of photos and by blurring videos. This has been done on purpose and is not an artistic effect. |
Technology is a huge part of music in the 21st Century (more details on the ‘Technology’ page) and it is incorporated into lessons where it supports the learning. I also used it extensively during Singapore's 'Circuit Breaker' during which all schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From Day 1, I ensured that the DUCKS Music team were teaching live sessions, via Zoom, for every class from Reception to Year 2. The feedback that the school received from such a bold gesture was extremely positive and we had many parents joining in with activities as well!
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As part of a professional development course, I submitted a short article about inclusion in music education. The course organiser asked if she could include it in the next edition of Primary Music Magazine, published in the UK.
Click here to read it. |
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During a recent choir session with Year 1, I was teaching the song, 'I Once Saw An Elephant' by Vo Fletcher and one class decided to write an extra verse during their class time for everybody else to sing.
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