The value of percussion in connection with learning is exceptional in our primary classrooms.

Various educators around the world have used exploration through percussion as a natural way of
unifying learners and developing their learning abilities. Percussion has been further used in
developing the three learning domains that are, cognitive, affective and psychomotor. This essay
seeks to justify the teaching of percussion in the classroom and its contribution to child
development. The writer will further explain how she constructed a drum. The key terms
percussion and child development will be defined.

Percussion is a family of musical instruments played by striking their surfaces. These percussion
instrumentals are used to accentuate and dramatize certain notes/ rhythms (Hoffman,
2007).Percussion are musical instruments played by striking with the hand/ with a stick/ by
shaking. They include drums, cymbals, shakers, xylophones, bells, rattle, triangle and tambourine
(McLaren, 2006). Thus, percussion are instruments that are played by striking their surfaces or
shaking them to produce harmonious sounds.

Child development is the process through which human beings typically grow and mature their
musical skills from infancy to adulthood (Merton, 2010). Child development as the period of
physical, cognitive and social growth through engagement in learning activities (Ralph, 2009).
Thus, child development can be defined as the growth of a child's music capabilities through their
years of biological growth from birth till adulthood. This growth may encompass the biological
and psychological alterations that occur in a human being between birth and adolescence.

First and foremost, percussion is an important component in learners’ affective domain

development. Percussion is an avenue to expressing oneself, finding your own rhythm and beat
opens you up to a new perspective (Gelling, 2004). Through creating music with their own two
hands, learners artistically release memories and experiences unique to them. Along the same lines,
Kennedy (2008) notes that emotionally no subject matches music in its expressive breadth. The
organization of sounds in melody, harmony and form allows learners an expansible palate of ideas
and emotions to work with. Teaching of percussion assists learners realize what they are good at.
Some learner are born drummers hence when they are taught percussion that intrinsic element is
cultivated. Making music through percussion instruments fosters stronger social emotions among
participants (McLaren, 2006). Generally, pupils like songs that repeat words and melodic rhythms
with a definite beat and words that do things. It is normal for a child to feel differently in different

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situations and music is good at creating an emotional response in a person. Supplementary,
Kennedy (2008) notes that playing of percussion instruments promotes sociability. Playing
percussion can be done individually as well as in groups. It brings people together through a
common ground of unique music making. Groups can inspire oneself to put more effort in.
Everyone beating on the drums, each reciting their own melody, brings everyone together. With
reference of the above it is important to promote the learning of percussion in the classroom so as
to develop learners’ affective domain.

Moreover, percussion is a vital component in the learners’ cognitive development. Cook (2006)
notes that participating in a drumming experience, can allow learners to work on attention, impulse
control and decision making skills. Teaching of percussion can further produce an imaginary world
that stimulates children’s ingenuity. For instance, children can creatively use bottle tops and wires
to make a tambourine. Producing of percussion instruments in the classroom prompts learners and
offers them a chance to be creative. On a related note, Wylie (2004) states that playing of
percussion instruments can help students do better and understand several academic subjects. For
instance subjects like Music and Math are highly intertwined. By understanding the beat and
rhythm of a drum, students will learn how to divide, create fractions and recognize patterns.
Subjects like science percussion can teach learners the science of sound. Playing percussion
instruments like drums can teach pupils that sound occurs through vibration. Percussion can further
teach learners as early as grade one that each material (wood, metal, leather) has its own capacity
or ability for vibration. Thus, teachers should effectively teach percussion and create or allow
percussion playing practice opportunities in the classroom so as to develop learners cognitively.

Lastly, teaching percussion is a marvelous vehicle that assists in developing the psychomotor
domain. Kennedy (2008), describes the psychomotor domain as the use of the sense of perception
to obtain cues that guide one in musical activities. Learners who are educated about how to hold
percussion instruments and how to play them with comfort develop various psycho motor skills
such as multi-tasking (moving their hands in different directions at the same time) when playing a
drum. On a similar notes, Gelling (2004) states that he examined the auditory brain sector of
learners with varied musical training and discovered learners who are exposed to percussion
instruments showed more numerous benefits, such a greater improvement in motor finger dexterity
and in auditory melodic and rhythm discrimination.

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In support, Jack and Joyce (2003) also indicate that percussion improves the coordination of the
hand and eye movement as it is crucial in sound production. For instance when learners are singing
and dancing traditional songs, the drummers beat the drum according to the gestures or movement
done by the dancers. Merging of the two results in learners developing the psychomotor domain.
In line with the above, Hoffman (2007) states that a learner goes through developmental
experiences that help create awareness of what is required. A teacher can demonstrate what the
learner is supposed to do and the learner imitates. For instance, in percussion as learners strike, or
scrap the instrument they better understand the way they should do it and where they need to
improve. Thus, percussion should be taught so as to develop learners’ psychomotor domain.

Moving on, in line with how the writer made the drum she carefully followed a couple of key
steps. Essentially, the writer cut the Poly Vinyl Chloride pipe to an even handed size. She later
painted the pipe to ornament it and get rid of the white monotonous known color. Furthermore, the
writer cut the crenelated plastic about two inches larger than the end of the pipe. This was done so
that the material could overlap the drum head. Corrugated plastic was specifically chosen as it is
stronger compared to regular plastic. This type of material’s strength is more or less likely similar
to leather which is used for traditional drum heads. The corrugated plastic was later tied to the
drum body using a strong black elastic. The strong elastic was used to strongly bond the plastic
onto the pipe, hence giving great output sound when being played. Lastly the writer covered the
drum with colorful manila so as to decorate the instrument and give it a vivacious complete look.

Summatively, it is crystal clear that the teaching of percussion in the classroom is essential as it
positively contributes to learner development. With the above reference, teaching of percussion
ensures that children develop fully as their psycho motor, affective and cognitive domains are
advanced. Thus, in the long-term learners are able to develop great decision making, understand
various subjects, self-expression, self-realization, good socializing skills, multi-tasking and body
parts coordination movement. Key steps that were taken in the construction of a drum were also
outlined by the writer.

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References

Cook, G. (2006). Teaching Percussion. New York: Thomson Schirmer.

Gelling, P. (2004). Percussion Lessons for Kids. New York: University Press.

Gelling, P. (2004). Progressive Percussion: Method for Young Beginners. New York: L.T.P.

Hoffman, S. (2007). The Band Teachers Percussion Guide: Insights in Playing and Teaching
Percussion. New York: University Press.

Jackson, M., and Joyce, D. (2003). The Role of Music in the Classroom Management. (Report No
SO035028). (Eric Document Reproduction Service No. ED 479 098).

Kennedy, R. (2008). Music Therapy as a Supplemental Teaching Strategy for Kindergarten.

Music Therapy Perspectives, 26 (2), 97-101.

Merton, T. (2005). Art made simple: A handbook for early studies. South Dakota: Macmillan.

McLaren, C. (2006). The Book of Percussion Pedagogy: A Step by Step Approach for Teachers.
North Carolina: Alan Publishers.

Ralph, W. E. (2009). What the mind can perceive: Integrated art for elementary school teachers.
Manchester: Mills and Boon.

Wylie, K. (2004). Simple Steps to Successful Beginning Percussion. Texas: K Wyle Publications.

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