Journal #3

Overall, within this unit my class focused on and learned a great deal about how to incorporate instruments into the classrooms and various subjects. Specifically, in the beginning of the unit we learned that many everyday objects can be used as instruments, especially in the early grades because it is a good way to introduce them to the ideas of musical sounds and how to create them in many ways. In relation to this we learned how to use everyday objects as instruments while telling stories. As a class, we learned that a teacher can add educational and musical aspects to their story telling. We learned that using instruments or making sounds while reading a story keeps the children more active and involved in their own learned and that it can keep them interested for a longer amount of time.
Another aspect that we learned as a class within this unit was the fact that music can be incorporated into other educational subjects to enhance the lessons. By incorporating music or musical concepts into other educational subjects, a teacher can add more emphasis to a lesson and therefore keep the kids interested in what they are learning. Basically, if teachers do this they can keep children more musically inclined and allow them to learn more efficiently. A specific example of this concept that we learned in class was that music was a great way to add emphasis to children's literature. However, overall our class learned that music and musical concepts can be added to just about every subject within a curriculum.
As I stated before, a large part of this unit was spent on discussing how to incorporate instruments into not just musical lessons but other subjects within the curriculum. In learning how to do this, my class learned about the various classroom instruments and how to play some of them including the recorder, xylophone, and the drums. Much of our class time was also spent playing our recorders and learning how to compose our own song. The "chocolate candy" song involved us students learning how to play the five notes A,B,C,G and D. We had to use these five notes to compose our own song in which we will be tested on soon.
An example of how my class learned the musical skill of using various objects to produce musical sounds is that our class was broken up into groups and each member in the group was responsible for bringing a piece of trash to class to use as a musical instrument. These "musical instruments" were then used when our group told a story to the class. The instruments represented various sounds within the story and we used this techinique to also show that incorporating musical instruments into other subjects leads to more class participation and interest in the story.
As a class, we also learned how to incorporate musical instruments into other non-musical subjects such as children's literature. For instance, as a class we did another activity involving the playing of instruments in accompaniment to a story being told. As an entire class we used real instruments such as the xylpohone, recorder and drums to represent various parts of the story.
Finally, as a class we went about learning the various classroom instruments through class discussion and by some of us playing them. We also learned how to compose a song using five notes and are expected to play it on our recorder's for a grade.
I feel that it is crucial as a future teacher that I learn how to incorporate musical instruments into my lessons because no matter what subject is being taught, if a musical aspect is involved the children will automatically pay attention more and will be having more active and creative fun. I also feel it is important for me to learn how to play the recorder and have a better knowledge of the classroom instruments because as the leader I would like to go around and help every student possible. I also feel it is important for me to know how to use the recorder properly because as a teacher I would be need to help a good deal of my younger students who struggle and if I know my instruments well I can help teach them.
I feel that it is important for the children to learn how to play various instruments and use them while in music class and in other subjects because it enhances their learning and knowledge of the material. Using instruments in accompaniment to learning is great for keeping children’s attention and interest in what they are learning. Also, children develop better use of their fine motor skills by playing instruments. I feel that children have more fun learning when they can be active throughout the lesson which is why I feel it is important for children to be exposed to them. Like singing, the playing of instruments is a creative outlet for children and a great one to accompany other musical lessons. I feel that it is important for students to understand sounds of their environment and that anything can be an instrument because music is so important in everyday life.
Overall, I feel that as a class we learned a great deal of information and I had no real difficulty when learning any of the concepts including learning how to further develop my recorder playing. I had a good time learning just how much instruments can be incorporated into music and non musical lessons.