My ideal first day: Elementary Music

Routine: I think that the first day in music class, as in every classroom, is important for setting the tone for the year. For example: how to enter and exit the room, classroom jobs, talking levels, expectations for behavior, and consequences for lapses. 

Recognition: This is the day to begin acquainting myself with the students, and setting a precedent for the class. Depending on how many days we meet a week, I would want to do some sort of musical game that helps us learn one another's names. Elementary level music, there are usually so many students, I would want name tags of some type for the first weeks. Lanyards with protected name cards would take some time for me to create. However, they would be the most durable, and reusable. I could hang them next to the door, or have the classroom teacher distribute them before they arrive. 
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Rest: In addition to where their class name tags are located, I would love to have a designated area, such as a rug, which defines where they are to sit. Elementary students work well seated in a circle. Older (5-6th grades) may have risers work better for them. Classroom management is partly controlling where their bodies are, especially with all the movement activities inherent in music class. Having a well-defined space is a great boon to maintaining this classroom management.

Students should feel safe in all classrooms, but music classes have an inherent vulnerability through personal expression by individual students. Knowing how, where, and what is okay, where the boundaries are, is very advantageous for elementary age children. Allowing all to feel free to share freely without ridicule is very important to the feeling of safety. 

I see Elementary Music having three main purposes:

1) Activities which teach musical concepts such as high/low, loud/soft, fast/slow. Rhythm, Melody, and Expression.

2) Activities which enhance motor skills: small motor with finger play to large motor with dance/movement. A pattern of movement related to the musical lyrics or styles would is included in this purpose.

3) Activities which enhance cognitive and reading skills: tracking left to right, alphabet identification, and crossing the midline, or marching, all have been proven to help kids learn in ALL classes! cross training.article 1,  also See this study for details 2, cognitive and attention endurance 3

Above all, music should be FUN! I recall being a guest teacher in an elementary school in the area. When I reminded the students that it was "music specials" day, they all groaned and said they hated music class. Curious, I lurked outside of the classroom to find that berating, lecturing, and interrupting songs for corrections encapsulated much of the class time! What a loss of opportunity! How sad for me to observe the 'why' behind their reaction. I resolved to avoid this sort of evaluation by the students in my lessons or music classes!

Thoughts? What is your best music memory? Worst? How has this reflection impacted your current view of the value of music education? 

Looking forward to your memories and thoughts!
Karen Yonkers