MUSIC class @ Park Forest Elementary!

Music class is a place unlike other classrooms where your child sings alone, improvises on instruments, reads notation and moves to music.  They listen to a variety of musical examples and discuss elements of the music including their preferences, the instruments, dynamics and musical genres of many kinds.  Students create patterns and melodies using instruments, and they explore the language of notes and rhythms.  Most of all, they are taught to become good listeners of sounds and pitches.  This is very personal work as each child has their own special voice quality, preferences and ability to take risks when performing.  We do each of these activities in the pursuit of becoming good musicians and informed music consumers.  I am motivated to teach music to children because of the benefits I feel it brings to the human spirit.

Music class incorporates the 9 National Standards for Music Education.  They are listed below:

1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Music is a performing art.  I enjoy hearing your child's unique voice and shared musical expressions each day in music class!!  Ask your son or daughter what they are learning now in music class.  What songs did they sing this week?