Teach Primary Issue 18.2

I NS I DE TH I S SECT I ON 56 | www.teachwire.net You don’t need to be a musician to run a good music lesson. All it takes is enthusiasm, planning and the right resources, say Sally-Anne Brown and Vic Holmes Amateur HOUR? W e are regularly invited into schools to help teachers who lack confidence teaching music. What we always point out is that you don’t necessarily need to be a musician to teach music. You just need to have an understanding of the importance of music in the classroom, resources you feel confident working with and enthusiasm. But that can seem easier said than done. Music is not often given much priority in teacher training; understandably, perhaps, with so much to cover in the primary curriculum. But this can mean that non-specialist teachers enter the profession with little or no music teaching knowledge, strategies or even resources. For those who may not have had a very positive experience of music themselves during their own school years, it can leave them feeling less than confident in their teaching. This lack of confidence non-specialist teachers may have in teaching music was also uncovered during the Department for Education’s recent review on music education, highlighting that there is a need for change. So, what can we do to make music work in schools? Know what your class can do Understanding how children learn music at different ages will help make a lesson a success. So, first, let them play! Allow young children to explore instruments and sound-makers themselves. With art, we allow our pupils time to paint and draw, and we acknowledge their efforts, but the same is not always true of music. Good quality, age- appropriate instruments are the ideal if your school has access to the funding. But you can also offer a wide variety of sound-makers that your class can, and will, explore themselves, e.g. plastic mixing bowls, pans, wooden spoons, sponges, wire oven shelves. Use anything that has the potential for sound-making – the children will surprise you! Give them some time and space, then you can really observe what is going on. Next, move on to more structured activities. Have you considered music therapy as a tool to combat anxiety and build confidence? Blend the beauty of art with the joy of music in an upbeat activity inspired by Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World... p65 p68 Worried that handing your children instruments might unleash chaos? Be not afraid... p62 Don’t miss the SEND special in our next issue! Available from 12 April. Music SPECIAL Find out how your school can best adopt Ofsted’s latest music recommendations... p58