2)  Only some of the instrumental or vocal music teachers we have had over the years were effective in reaching more than a handful of children. Even with itinerent music teachers, most music still comes from the classroom teacher. Well, I am an itinerant music teacher myself, and I flat out don't believe that classroom teachers are teaching anywhere near as much music as I am. Are you suggesting that, even though the kids have class with a trained music teacher every week, the classroom teacher still spend time teaching them how to read music, studying opera history, teaching them composition, etc??? I don't even understand why they would take the time to do this. Please share what is going on if the non-music teacher is really teaching more music than the music teacher, because that sounds bizarre to me. I imagine the people that were offended by my post don;t understand that music class is a *class* where you learn things, just like any other subject. It isn't just some happy lady singing fun songs with the kids. If classroom teachers are interested in doing that, fine. But don't be mistaken - the kids are not receiving a music education. I;ve trying to think of a good analogy, and the best I can think of is reading the book Frog and Toad are Friends to kids and then saying that was their science class. (There must be a better one; I'll keep working on it ...) -Jen

As far as serious training goes, that comes with the study of an instrument or working with the chorus. It isn't accomplished by the once a week music teacher in any event. If it were, I sure spent too much on lessons for my daughter. For a second grade class I volunteered in, I called up a local music store and arranged to be song-flutes (the ugly little red and white plastic recorder type things) from them in bulk. The cost to the kids was $1.25 each. I  got the kids started by explaining the position of the notes on the scale. In the independent work area, I left a set of musical flashcards. I taught three notes on the song flute and showed them how to play a simple version of Mary Had a Little Lamb. I also explained the fingering chart. By the time I came back a week later, two children had figured out the fingering chart. I ran a game with the music flashcards, the kids divided into teams to see who could name the note fastest.

redhead1 <<I often wonder if kids would be better off with *no* music training than training from someone who has no idea what they're doing. The problem is that we have a different once a week music teacher each year. In fact, with year round, we only have that person about two thirds of the time, unless they are preparing for a program in which case they leave most of the children out and concentrate on their vocal chorus or their instrumental band.  That is good, though not great for the children who are involved, but most of the children are left out. On the other hand, music is a part of my integrated curriculum. The first thing we have to do is unlearn the idea that music belongs to the elite.  In fifth grade, I start by teaching the children Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land. It's a great geography aid. We rewrite the chorus to allow us to learn about all manner of regions in the United States. My guitar is nothing but a rhythm instrument (when I play it), but we rock out on a regular basis. We doAmericana folk songs throughout the year.  For Halloween we do a rap song.  (My daughter writes a recorder part that the children learn.) Throughout the year, we listen to all manner of music in order to focus on the the themes of diversity and integration. The once a week music teacher may or may not show up.  Some of them are fabulous, and I love to work with them. Some of them are dull as paint. I don't fool with them. As far as learning to read music, we don't do much of it in my class, except when we read The Trumpet of the Swan.  In that book, White includes the music to the songs that the Swan plays, so we do spend some time understanding the idea that a person can write down a melody and that another person can pick up and read across time and space. I input the notes into a BASIC computer program, which gives us a passing understanding.  The children sometimes write a short melody on a staff and then input it or play it on a keyboard.  They get the idea. As far as serious training goes, that comes with the study of an instrument or working with the chorus. It isn't accomplished by the once a week music teacher in any event. If it were, I sure spent too much on lessons for my daughter. You may be doing it, but most aren't.  Keep up the good work, but stop putting us non-elites down.

naphtalia For a second grade class I volunteered in, I called up a local music store and arranged to be song-flutes (the ugly little red and white plastic recorder type things) from them in bulk. The cost to the kids was $1.25 each. I  got the kids started by explaining the position of the notes on the scale. In the independent work area, I left a set of musical flashcards. I taught three notes on the song flute and showed them how to play a simple version of Mary Had a Little Lamb. I also explained the fingering chart. Sounds fabulous.  There will be some of those children who take what they learn from that and begin to study more seriously.  How wonderful. I am reminded of a person I taught to play piano. I taught her the index finger version of Twinkle Twinkle. She practiced it, and asked for another. I figured out Silent Night and showed it to her.  A few days later, she was playing the song using sharps and flats. After she began to take lessons, she said to me, Daddy, some people teach you to play like this key once, this key twice, but that's not how it's done. The point is, ignorant as I am of music, she has been studying piano ever since and has made considerable progress. Perhaps it would have happened anyway. Who knows? Many children are exposed by their teachers, and though some might wish it were otherwise, it is, to answer the question, better than not.