Music in the School - Softcover

Pain, Eva

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0193223007 ISBN 13: 9780193223004

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2005

Synopsis

How do some schools get music so right while others get it so wrong? Janet Mills, a former HMI and teacher, draws on work in more than 800 schools and published research as she seeks to help schools improve their practice - no matter how good it is already. Successful teaching, she argues, is creative, uplifting, enabling, and, above all, rooted in music. The aim of this book is to 'Put the music back into music'.Thought-provoking, challenging, and empowering, this book is an essential read for all those interested in music in schools, including class teachers, instrumental teachers, and researchers. Using informative and entertaining examples and anecdotes, Janet Mills criticizes notions such as 'musical children' and 'musical schools', and comments on the roles of instrumental teachers and so-called 'non-specialists'. She explores how music in school can, and must, interact with music out of school, and considers how to measure progress in music - and how not to. Music in the School is not a step-by-step guide to better teaching, but rather a springboard for consideration, reflection, and action. Anyone who cares about music at school will find this book a powerful tool.

About this title

About the Author:

Dr Janet Mills began her career teaching music (and mathematics) in a comprehensive school in West Yorkshire. Subsequently, she was a teacher educator at Westminster College in Oxford and the University of Exeter. Her work as an HM Inspector of Schools included observation of more than 1000 instrumental lessons and the development and implementation - with instrumental teachers - of the first national system for inspecting Local Authority Instrumental Music Services. Along the way, she learnt violin and singing, and taught herself to play several other instruments. Janet Mills was a Research Fellow at the Royal College of Music in London and in 2004 won a National Teaching Fellowship. She wrote Music in the School (2005), Music in the Primary School (1991), and many articles in books, magazines, and research journals.

Review:

Music in the School is a useful and important book for both music teachers (at any point in their career) and for those outside the delivery of, but concerned with, music education. Advisers, school governors and those who are able to influence and support colleagues, may find the text
particularly useful as it gives a real insight into what 'good' music teaching is all about.' Jane Hampson, Head of Bolton Music Service in Zone, Autumn 05

'Music in the School is essential reading not only for music teachers, student teachers, researchers and music educators but also for anyone who cares about how to develop musicianship within every child . . . This book is highly relevant and useful for both practitioners and researchers. It
provides much food for reflection as well as thought-provoking and challenging ideas for all those involved in and interested in delivering music in schools.' Liz Cooper, Curriculum Co-ordinator, Slough LEA Music Services in Zone, Autumn 05

'Janet Mills (Royal College of Music) is widely respected in music education circles and this book demonstrates some of the reasons why. It is readable, even funny in places, and clearly written from experience and knowledge . . . Here we have a book which is, at one and the same time,
intelligent, humorous, to-the-point, insightful and thought-provoking. It is a sad teacher who can say that they have nothing left to learn and it is equally sad when a teacher says that they have no time or inclination to develop the understanding of and interest in the pedagogy on which their
teaching is grounded. If you read no other education book this year then I recommend you read this one - it could even be good holiday reading.' TeachandLearn.net, August 05

'Janet Mills is a former teacher, school inspector and Ofsted special adviser for music whose knowledge of the whole range of teaching situations is encyclopedic . . . The scope of her insights is nothing if not comprehensive, ranging from homework and out of school music-making to assessing
pupils' progress, analysing one's own performance as a teacher and the place in teaching of world music . . . The point, though, is surely that even in these difficult days for those in education, ideals still need demarcating and reasserting. Otherwise the system wins.' Andrew Green in Classical
Music, 10 Sept 05

'This book will be particularly useful for students embarking on teacher training courses. It will give them a comprehensive overview of many important themes that music teachers are constantly addressing, such as how to teach music musically, issues of progression in music education, musical
performance, composition and how to connect formal music education to the wider musical lives that pupils participate in within local communities . . . this is a thought-provoking book that will justifiably find a wide readership in the music education community.' Jonathan Savage, Senior Lecturer in
Music Education, Manchester Metropolitan University in Zone, Autumn 05

'Music in the School is described by the publisher as "a springboard for consideration, reflection, and action. Anyone who cares about music at school will find this book a powerful tool. For once, the product lives up the hype . . . For such a small book, the comprehensive nature of its scope
is impressive . . . Music in the School is straightforwardly but perceptively written. It deftly covers the principle issues in music education today and as such should be essential reading for new teachers entering the profession. However, Mills' passion, enthusiasm and insight also provide a
thought-provoking and at times inspirational read for more experienced teachers.' Paul Newbury, Head of Music at Camden School for Girls in Primary Music Today, Autumn 05

'What Mills excels in in this book is to bridge classroom practices with research findings to provide a useful springboard for consideration and reflection . . . It is a book that offers informative and entertaining examples and anecdotes; it is a book that explores how music in school can be
creative, uplifting, enabling, and, above all, rooted in music. In a lively and honest tone, Mills also asserts how music in schools must interact with music out of school, and considers lessons that we may learn from the findings of research.' Esther Mang, Associate Professor, Dept of Music, Hong
Kong Baptist University, May 06

'In her work as a teacher and inspector, Janet Mills has observed music in more than 800 schools, but her enthusiasm and intelligence are not limited by the formal boundaries of educational institutions. She sees music more broadly than inspectors often allow themselves to do, and her
well-argued book is really a statement of her faith in human capacity. Its central thesis is found in one sentence: 'I believe that there is no such thing as a 'non-musician'.' Music is not a gift, but a right.' Tom Deveson, Classroom Music, Sept 05

'I found the content of the book to be wide ranging and the many contemporary issues are presented and discussed in a fair and balanced way. The various chapters are very informative, and many topics are reflected upon by the use of pertinent and often innovative questions. The whole book is
also extremely readable . . . The inclusion of a wealth of personal experiences and anecdotes, frequently illustrating the more academic points, not only makes the book very readable but also very humorous . . . Last, by linking music in the school not only to the music in the everyday lives of
children but to their journey through life, the book places music education within a strong, clear context. For me this provides one of the strongest recurring messages, namely that of the uniqueness of music as a subject in school . . .' cont . . . Nigel Marshall, Roehampton University, London,
in British Journal of Music Education March 2006

'This book is a timely addition to texts about music education. Janet Mills is a distinguished thinker and practitioner in the music education world and this publication sets out to stimulate and provoke debate. Throughout, the author explains her assumptions and the experiences and influences
that have led her to some radical conclusions . . . Mills uses real examples to illustrate her points, all done with clear common sense and a deliberately conversational style. Do not read this book if you want to know what to do with Year 6 next Friday afternoon. But if your concerns are broader
and you want to know why you're unsure of what to do with Year 6, this book will encourage you to question your assumptions and re-evaluate the reasons for teaching particular styles, genres or aspects of the music curriculum.' Janet Hoskyns, YES, Autumn 05

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0193223007
• ISBN 13: 9780193223004
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 244