Corner San Nicolas & Rizal Street

Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, 8400 Philippines

 ST. PAUL UNIVERSITY SURIGAO
St. Paul University System
Surigao City, 8400 Philippines

THE UTILITARIAN PHILOSOPHY OF MUSIC EDUCATION

The Utilitarian Philosophy is centered around the idea that music education practical
Music serves a function. It is a tool we can use to achieve a purpose.
For example, we may advocate that strong music programs are related to strong
academic performance, such as increased SAT scores. We may argue that music
serves to build “character education,” patriotism, and school values. We may show
how music improves the brain and helps language development. Music serves a non-
musical outcome
You may have noticed something from the examples above: None of them have to do
with musical growth. The utilitarian music philosophy promotes music for the purpose
of achieving an outcome outside the musical realm. For example, educators who use
this philosophy do not state that students who study music will improve their rhythmic
and melodic skills. Instead, they might focus on improved science and math scores. A
very quick background of the Utilitarian Philosophy
In 1838, for the purposes of improving singing in Christian church congregations,
music was added to the public school system in Boston. Further, the school board
agreed that adding music in schools would promote Christian morals, improve
physical health, and increase students’ intellectual capabilities. In other words, music
was included in schools to achieve a very practical purpose. This is the practical music
philosophy we refer to as “Utilitarian.”

The Utilitarian Music Philosophy in Advocacy:

Today this philosophy is alive and well, and is used by NAfME, VH1 Save the Music,
and NAMM. We see it on posters, on bulletin boards, and doors:
Music is
Math
LangUage
HiStory
ReadIng
SCience
As music teachers, the message we are trying to convey is that music education is
important because it has a positive impact on many other subject domains or content
areas.
If you view yourself as a teacher aligned with the utilitarian philosophy, you might
highlight how students are working through mathematical, linguistic, or scientific
concepts through your music lessons.
Some questions to consider before using this approach:
Does music serve a practical purpose?
Is that purpose enough to merit a place in school curricula?
Is music valuable in and of itself?
If we already have Math, Language, History, Reading, and Science, why do we need
music?

THE AESTHETIC PHILOSOPHY OF MUSIC EDUCATION

The Aesthetic philosophy of music education is centered around the idea that music
expresses emotion.

A few key ideas in Aesthetic Education:

Music for music’s sake
When studying music, students should engage in developing musical skills and
understandings In other words, when studying music, students should learn music.
Instead of learning music so we can be competent in other areas, we should learn
music so we get better at music itself. The aesthetic philosophy is not primarily
concerned with what functional value music offers. Instead, it views music itself as the
value.
Feelings-based experiences
In the Aesthetic philosophy, when we hear music, we’re engaging in a feelings-based
experience. Our feelings are subjective, but they can be traced back to specific
structures or expressive elements in a musical work. When we study music, we are
studying expressive sonic properties that convey an emotional message.
High-quality musical products
Music is something that expresses emotion. It is a thing, it is an output. A musical
product is the vehicle we use to have these feelings-based experiences. Therefore, only
the highest quality music should be included in a music curriculum.
A Very Quick History of the Aesthetic Philosophy:
As funding in schools moved away from music in the 1900s, the profession responded
with a new focus of music instruction, one that centered on music itself. Bennett
Reimer from Northwestern University was a key music philosopher in the
development of Aesthetic philosophy. He believed that music education needed one
unifying philosophy of teaching, learning, and advocacy so we could better position
the role of music education in schools.
The Aesthetic Philosophy In Advocacy:

Followers of this philosophy would explain that music is an essential part of a child’s
education because emotional and aesthetic education are essential to the human
experience.
When we study music, we form self-knowledge and gain deeper access to our
emotional lives. This kind of education that promotes an understanding of beauty,
emotion, and expression is only possible through music.
THE PRAXIAL PHILOSOPHY OF MUSIC EDUCATION

The Praxial philosophy of music education is centered around the idea that music both
artistic and social.
A Few Key Ideas of the Praxial Philosophy:
Music is the actualization (praxis) of a person’s belief systems and motivations
The practice - improvise, listen, perform, compose, arrange, or conduct - of music is
where the value of music education lies. At their core, these are human activities.
Human lives, thoughts, and actions are inherently valuable. Therefore, music is
inherently valuable because it is the result of humans’ actionable beliefs. Music is
multi-dimensional. It uses the cultural background of the piece, the musical traditions
of a people, and the student’s own performance or listening interpretation.
Music is both a process and a product
“Music” is the thing we output as a complete work (product). Think about our
description of “a piece of” music. It is also something we do, a process we experience,
whether listening, performing, composing, arranging, or conducting. For example, in
the case of musical performance, music happens both before a note is produced, as the
producer imagines the sound. It happens in the moment the sound is made. It happens
after the sound is produced as the producer critically reflects on the music. When
music is process-oriented, students think, plan, make, and reflect on music holistically.
Music lives in a cultural and social context
Across cultural and historical contexts, music has meaning. This meaning is valuable
in and of itself without superimposing standards of Western European art music.
When we examine music from a wide range of cultural, social, and historical contexts,
we are better positioned to recognize the value and meaning music brings.
A Very Quick History of the Praxial Philosophy:
The praxial philosophy is still quite new. In the 1990s, David Elliot (a former student
of the key aesthetic advocate, Bennett Reimer) proposed that music is a human
activity, not a purely aesthetic product. Elliot’s position was that the aesthetic
philosophy is limiting, since music education at the time focused primarily on Western
art music, and excluded global or popular music traditions. He also advocated for a
music philosophy that included more participation rather than observation.
In addition to Elliot, music thinkers like Philip Alperson, Christopher Small, and
Thomas Regelski have also impacted this approach to music education.
The Praxial Philosophy in Advocacy:

Music is worthy of study because human thoughts, voices, beliefs, and actions are
worthy of study. When we study music, we teach students to become holistic problem-
solvers, thinkers, and artists as they explore the process of musicing, and celebrate the
resulting product. They are placed at the center of their own learning, as inventors,
producers, and critics. Equally important, they learn how to invent, produce, and
critique their peers in a way that honors the beliefs, value systems, and practices of our
shared history, and the global community. No other subject synthesizes the value of
the human experience, the process of learning, and the context of art in the way music
does.
If your philosophy is praxial, you could collect artifacts (like videos or compositions)
that highlight the process of learning music holistically.

V A L U E S O F M U S I C E D U C A T I O N

The value of incorporating music into a child's education cannot be understated. There is a
heap of incontestable research showing that an education rich in music improves students'
cognitive function and academic performance
 ST. PAUL UNIVERSITY SURIGAO
St. Paul University System
Surigao City, 8400 Philippines

THE TEACHING STRATEGIES IN TEACHING MUSIC TO CHILDREN

O R F F M E T H O D

The Orff approach is a method of teaching children about music that engages their
mind and body through a mixture of singing, dancing, acting and the use of percussion
instruments. For instance, the Orff method often uses instruments like xylophones,
metallophones, and glockenspiels.

A key characteristic of this approach is that lessons are presented with an element of
play, which helps the children learn at their own level of understanding.

The Orff method can also be referred to as Orff-Schulwerk, Orff approach, or "Music
for Children."

The Orff approach is a way of introducing and teaching children about music on a
level that they can easily comprehend.
Musical concepts are learned through singing, chanting, dance, movement, drama and
the playing of percussion instruments. Improvisation, composition and a child's natural
sense of play are encouraged.

Who Created the Orff Approach?

This approach to music education was developed by Carl Orff, a German composer,
conductor and educator whose most famous composition is the oratorio "Carmina
Burana".
It was conceived during the 1920s and 1930s while he served as music director of
the Günther-Schule; a school of music, dance, and gymnastics that he co-founded in
Munich.
His ideas were based on his belief in the importance of rhythm and movement. Orff
shared these ideas in a book titled Orff-Schulwerk, which was later revised and then
adapted into English as Music for Children.
Other books by Orff include Elementaria, Orff Schulwerk Today, Play, Sing, &
Dance and Discovering Orff a Curriculum for Music Teachers.

Types of Music and Instruments Used

Folk music and music composed by the children themselves are mostly used in the
Orff classroom.
Xylophones (soprano, alto, bass), metallophones (soprano, alto, bass), glockenspiels
(soprano and alto), castanets, bells, maracas, triangles, cymbals (finger, crash or
suspended), tambourines, timpani, gongs, bongos, steel drums and conga drums are
but some of the percussion instruments used in the Orff classroom.
Other instruments, both pitched and unpitched, that may be used include claves,
cowbells, djembe, rainmakers, sand blocks, tone blocks, vibraslap, and wood blocks.

What Does an Orff Method Lesson Look Like?

Although Orff teachers use many books as frameworks, there is no standardized Orff
curriculum. Orff teachers design their own lesson plans and adapt it to suit the size of
the class and the age of the students.
For example, a teacher may choose a poem or a story to read in class. Students are
then asked to participate by choosing instruments to represent a character or a word in
the story or poem.
As the teacher reads the story or poem again, students add sound effects by playing the
instruments they selected. The teacher then adds accompaniment by playing Orff
instruments.
As the lesson progresses, students are asked to play Orff instruments or add other
instruments. To keep the whole class involved, others are asked to act out the story.

Orff Method Sample Lesson Format

More specifically, here is a very simple lesson plan format that may be used for young
children.
First, choose a poem. Then, read the poem to the class.
Second, ask the class to recite the poem with you. Recite the poem together while
keeping a steady beat by tapping hands to knees.
Third, choose students who will play the instruments. Ask the students to play certain
notes on cue words. Note that the instruments must match the words. It is important
that students maintain the correct rhythm and learn proper mallet technique.
Fourth, add other instruments and choose students to play these instruments.
Fifth, discuss the day's lesson with the students. Ask them questions like, "was the
piece easy or difficult?" Also, ask questions to assess students' comprehension.
Finally, clean up! Put away all instruments.

Notation
In the Orff classroom, the teacher acts like a conductor who gives cues to her eager
orchestra. If the teacher selects a song, some students will be chosen as
instrumentalists while the rest of the class sings along.
Parts may or may not be notated. If notated, it should be simple enough for the
students to understand. The teacher then provides students with a copy of the notes
and/or creates a poster.
Key Concepts Learned in the Orff Process
Using the Orff approach, students learn about rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, form
and other elements of music. Students learn these concepts by speaking, chanting,
singing, dancing, movement, acting and playing instruments.
These learned concepts become springboards for further creative pursuits such as
improvisation or composing their own music.

K O D A L Y M E T H O D
The Kodaly Method is a way of developing musical skills and teaching musical
concepts beginning in very young children. This method uses folk songs, Curwen
hand signs, pictures, movable-do, rhythm symbols, and syllables. It was first
introduced in Hungary but is now used in many countries, either alone or in
combination with other methods.
Who Created This Method?
The Kodaly Method is an approach to music education based on the philosophies of
Zoltan Kodaly. Zoltan Kodaly was a Hungarian composer, author, educator, and
expert on Hungarian folk songs. Although this method wasn't exactly invented by
Kodaly, it was developed by his colleagues and students in the mid-20th century based
on his teachings.
Zoltan Kodaly's Goals and Philosophies
Elevate the level of teacher training.
Improve musical literacy in schools.

Everyone is capable and has the right to musical literacy.

Singing is the foundation of musical learning.
Music education must begin with the very young.
The importance of using folk music (native folk songs and folk songs of other
countries) and music of high artistic value.
Incorporating games, movement, playing instruments, reading and writing music with
singing.
Sequential process following a child's natural learning development: Aural - oral -
kinesthetic
Written - pictoral - abstractRead - recognized
Types of Music and Instruments Used in the Classroom
Songs of high artistic value, both folk and composed, are used in the Kodaly
classroom. Songs that are in the pentatonic scale are emphasized at the beginning level.
According to Kodaly, "Nobody wants to stop at pentatony. But, indeed, the beginnings
must be made there; on the one hand, in this way the child's biogenetical development
is natural and, on the other, this is what is demanded by a rational pedagogical
sequence." Other songs that may be used include chants, dancing songs, lullabies,
nursery rhymes, songs for circle games and story songs.
Musical Instruments Used
The voice is the main musical instrument of this method. In his words, "Singing
connected with movements and action is a much more ancient, and, at the same time,
more complex phenomenon than is a simple song." Various rhythm and tonal
instruments are also used, including xylophones and recorders.
Typical Lesson and Key Concepts Learned
Although the Kodaly Method follows a set sequence, the materials used in teaching
musical concepts varies depending on the age of the student. The sequence followed
may be simplified as: listen - sing - understand - read and write - create.
Using this method under the guidance of a certified Kodaly teacher, students can
develop listening skills, sight-singing, ear training, learn how to play instruments,
compose, improvise, sing, dance, analyze, read and write music.
Zoltan Kodaly Quotes
"Only art of intrinsic value is suitable for children! Everything else is harmful.”

“We should read music in the same way that an educated adult will read a book: in
silence, but imagining the sound.”
"To teach a child an instrument without first giving him preparatory training and
without developing singing, reading and dictating to the highest level along with the
playing is to build upon sand.”
"Teach music and singing at school in such a way that it is not a torture but a joy for
the pupil; instill a thirst for finer music in him, a thirst which will last for a lifetime."
D A C L R O Z E M E T H O D S

The Dalcroze method, also known as Dalcroze Eurhythmics, is another

approach music educators use to foster music appreciation, ear-training, and
improvisation while improving musical abilities. In this method, the body is the
main instrument. Students listen to the rhythm of a music piece and express
what they hear through movement. Simply put, this approach connects music,
movement, mind, and body. Who Created This Method?
This method was developed by Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, a Swiss composer,
music educator and music theorist who studied with Gabriel Fauré, Mathis
Lussy, and Anton Bruckner.
Dalcroze was born on July 6, 1865, in Vienna, Austria. He became a professor
of harmony at the Geneva Conservatory in 1892, by which time he started
developing his method of teaching rhythm through movement, known as
eurhythmics. He founded a school in Hellerau, Germany (later moved to
Laxenburg) in 1910, and another school in Geneva in 1914, where students
learned using his method. Dalcroze died on July 1, 1950, in Geneva,
Switzerland. Several of his students, such as ballet teacher Dame Marie
Rambert, used eurhythmics and became influential in the development of
dance and contemporary ballet during the 20th century.
What Are the Key Elements of the Dalcroze Method?
This method has 3 facets:
Eurhythmics (Greek for "good rhythm") - Musical expression through
movement; developing musical skills through kinetic exercises. Students learn
rhythm and structure by listening to music and expressing what they hear
through spontaneous bodily movement. For example, note values and rhythms
are represented by stepping and clapping.
Solfege (fixed-do) - Helps develop ear-training and sight-singing skills.
Improvisation - Using instruments, movement, and voice.
What Is a Typical Lesson Like? Although it is generally referred to as a
method, there is really no set curriculum. Dalcroze himself didn't like his
approach to be labeled as a method. Hence, each teacher uses a different
approach based on his/her interests, training, and skills while keeping in mind
the age, culture, location, and needs of the students.
 What Are the Key Concepts Learned? The Dalcroze Method helps foster
imagination, creative expression, coordination, flexibility, concentration, inner
hearing, music appreciation and understanding of musical concepts.
S U Z U K I M E T H O D

The Suzuki Method is based on the principle that all children possess ability and that
this ability can be developed and enhanced through a nurturing environment. All
children learn to speak their own language with relative ease and if the same natural
learning process is applied in teaching other skills, these can be acquired as
successfully. Suzuki referred to the process as the Mother Tongue Method and to the
whole system of pedagogy as Talent Education.
Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998) was born in Japan and studied western music in
Germany in the 1920s. He first began teaching young children in Japan in the 1930s
and further developed his ideas and philosophy of teaching during the post-war period.
His approach to teaching has now spread to many parts of the world and is proving
increasingly successful everywhere. Because he was a violinist, he first applied his
ideas to the teaching of violin, but it has since been used with many other instruments,
in nursery school teaching and other more general areas.
The important elements of the Suzuki approach to instrumental teaching include the
following:

 An early start (aged 3-4 is normal in most countries)

 The importance of listening to music
 Learning to play before learning to read
 The involvement of the parent
 A nurturing and positive learning environment
 A high standard of teaching by trained teachers
 The importance of producing a good sound in a balanced and natural way
 Core repertoire, used by Suzuki students across the world
 Social interaction with other children: Suzuki students from all over the world
can communicate through the language of music

Goals of the Suzuki Method

The Suzuki method has enabled many children to play music to a high standard.
Substantial numbers of Suzuki trained students have indeed become highly acclaimed
professional musicians. However, the training of professionals is not the main aim: the
emphasis throughout is on the development of the whole child, on education through
music. Dr Suzuki himself always said that his wish was to foster the human qualities
in the child. At every opportunity he called on politicians, teachers and parents to
ensure that the full potential of every child is developed:
I want—if I can—to get education changed from mere instruction to
education in the real sense of the word—education that inculcates, brings
out, develops the human potential, based on the growing life of the child.
That is why I am devoting my efforts to furthering Talent Education:
what a child becomes depends entirely on how he is educated. My prayer
is that all children on this globe may become fine human beings, happy
people of superior ability, and I am devoting all my energies to making
this come about, for I am convinced that all children are born with this
potential.
 ST. PAUL UNIVERSITY SURIGAO
St. Paul University System
Surigao City, 8400 Philippines

THE FIVE FACETS OF TEACHING MUSIC

S I N G I N G
An activity which is common in a music classroom. It is therefore,
necessary for the music teacher to know the proper way to sing so that his
singing may be the example to the children in his class
The core of the music education program.
Every child is a potential singer but, sometimes, we come across children
who, for one reason or another, do not sing in exact tunes. These children
are not really monotones but just unturned, like instruments which are not
tuned correctly
Rote Song- A song to be taught by rote, or by frequent repetition to the
learner, as a child before it is able to read.
Preparing Children for Part Singing
The use of instruments may be a device not only for the musical growth
of the children but also for their enjoyment and understanding of music.
The first instrument experiences of the children may be with toy or
rhythm band instruments.
Some children are not prepared to sing part songs and therefore, are
unable to participate in choral activities. The music teachers may be able
to help the children develop part singing readiness by the use of the
following singing activities:
Singing songs with chording, that is, singing the bass do, sol or fa
together with the song depending on the harmonic character of the song.
Singing songs with a chant: A chant is a figure or phrase sung repeatedly
with the phrases of a song. The chant is used, therefore, with songs that
have only one harmony throughout.
L I S T E N I N G
The ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the
communication process.
 It is the key to all effective communication. Without the ability to listen
effectively, messages are easily misunderstood. If there is one
communication skill you should aim to master, then listening is it.
The world of music is unfolded to children through varied experiences in
singing, playing instruments, rhythm and dancing, and creative activities.
Children do not usually develop with excellence among these lines, but it
is hoped that each one may find atleast one phase of the work which can
provide enrichment in his life not only in his childhood, but also in
adulthood, perhaps only few will develop into skillful performers (singers,
dancers, or composers) but a good number, all can become discriminating
and sensitive listeners. As a matter of fact, it is through listening rather
than active participation or performance that a big majority of the people
enjoy music.
Active listening similarly requires students to engage with and think
about what they hear. In other words, active listening is listening with a
purpose.
You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. - Sherlock
Holmes
 AFFECTIVE LISTENING
 DIALOGIC LISTENING
 STRUCTURAL LISTENING

C R E A T I V E W O R K
A manifestation of creative effort such as artwork, literature, music, paintings,
and software. Creative work have in common a degree of arbitrariness, such
that it is improbable that two people would independently create the same work.
A new study suggests that listening to happy music promotes more divergent
thinking—a key element of creativity. BY JILL SUTTIE | NOVEMBER 17,
2017
Rhythmic Movement
An interesting way of interpreting music. It may be performed in the following
forms: the fundamental bodily movements such as walking, running, or
skipping; rhythmic activities like swaying or clapping the hands or dangling.
There are two kinds of bodily movements – locomotor movements which are
progressive movements like stepping, hopping, jumping, etc. there are several
directions in which locomotor movements may be done, e.g, forward or
backward, in a circle or se111mi-circle, slow or fast, long or short, light or
heavy or smooth. Locomotor movements may be executed in different
meanings. Axial movements which are performed in space like swinging the
hands, rotating the arms, or falling. The axial skills are performed in standing,
kneeling or lying position.
Creative Movements
May be approached from different means: After the discussion of the meaning
of a familiar song, the children may be led to create different types of actions to
depict different movements suggested in the song.
Interpretative movements
It may be suggested by the sound made by animals or objects; of jingles,
rhymes, or of selling calls; and greeting and farewells. Music heard or
performed may suggest varied movements. Dance steps can be adapted to
different moods of music.
I N S T R U M E N T A L W O R K
A process of instrument learning or a method of training in which the
reinforcement is made by contingent on the occurrence of the response.
The use of instruments may be a device not only for the musical growth of the
children but also for their enjoyment and understanding of music. The first
instrumental experiences of the children may be with toy or rhythm band
instruments.
The objectives for using the rhythm band instruments are:
To utilize the instruments as a means of interpreting music.
To develop the ability to recognize one color and to learn to use it for musical
interpretation.
To develop mental and physical coordination through the manipulation of the
instruments.
To develop musical memory and use this is meaningful ensemble work.
To develop the basic skills and fundamentals of music through enjoyable
instrumental activities.
Chordophones These are the instruments with strings which may be bowed or
plucked or strummed. Examples include the violin, the violoncello or cello,
viola, and the contrabrass or bass viola.

Aerophones Instrument made to sound by blowing air into the tube by means
of the mouth pressed against the mouthpiece of embouchure, or blowing
through the lips or the nose, or blowing air by putting the mouthpiece and its
vibrating reeds inside the mouth. Examples are cornet, trumpet, trombone, horn,
tuba, sousaphone (all of which are made brass) the flute, clarinet, oboe, and
bassoon (all of which are made of wood).
Membranophones The third group of instruments are the membranophones
which are so called because they have a piece of membrane or similar material
stretched over a hollow end of a cylinder which is made to sound by beating
with the drumstick. Examples of membranophones are the different kinds of
drums and the tympani or kettle drums.

Idiophones The fourth group of instruments include the triangle, xylophones or

glockenspiel, marimba, castanets, and cymbals. Idiophones are played by hitting,
shaking, and rubbing.
M O V E M E N T

Incorporating music and movement into early childhood education can help young
children with development, social interaction and language growth.

In regards to that, music, for children is something they can associate with through
movement. When they hear it, they sway to it, dance to it, they react to it with
movements that they want.
It is an important part of their learning experience.

Music leads to movement. It's hard to listen to music without moving in some way,
even if it's just moving your toes, head, or fingertips! Movement is how we interact
with our environment and define the space we occupy in the world. We move to
explore. Crawling leads to walking, and walking leads to hopping, skipping, and
jumping.

Early childhood education, for children 8 years of age and younger, is the beginning
of a student's academic experience. This is an important time of learning and brain
development for children in preparation for the rest of their education. Playing music
and moving to a beat provides stimulating experiences for young children and fosters
learning at home or in the classroom. Parents and early childhood teachers can
incorporate music and movement into daily routines.

Brain Development According to the Early Childhood Music and Movement

Association, 85 percent of brain development occurs by the time a child reaches 3
years. As children grow, they need to learn specific activities that are important for
development. For example, very young children begin to scoot and crawl for
movement and while these activities are part of eventually learning to walk, they are
also essential for brain development. Additionally, patterned activities at home or in
the preschool classroom, such as clapping to music or jumping in time to a beat
stimulate brain function and help the brain to organize thoughts and behaviors.

Language has its own tempo; speaking a language fluently involves regular pauses,
stops and starts in appropriate places. For example, most people do not speak in a
constant, running diatribe of words; rather they insert pauses between phrases, they
use accents and they increase or decrease the overall speed of speech. Music has a
tempo and teaching young children songs that have rhythms and beats or learning to
march in time to a tune can help students to learn the rhythm of speaking and improve
their communication skills.