Teaching Music in the Twenty-First Century (2nd Edition)

Unique in both content and approach, this text offers a single-volume authoritative comparison of the four most popular music education methods used in North America―Jacques-Dalcroze, Kodály, Orff, and Comprehensive Musicianship. Its in-depth examination of the methods and underlying philosophies of each method―and its suggested lessons for each method at each grade level―will help students make educated curricular choices among methods.

Today's music teachers are in a position to make advances that were not dreamed of in the mid-twentieth century by Jacques-Dalcroze, Carl Orff, Zoltan Kodaly, or those who developed Comprehensive Musicianship. Yet the principles espoused by these innovators offer a vision of music education that the world is only beginning to realize. The MENC National Standards include aspects of music literacy and personal fulfillment these methodologies have advocated for many years: music for all, singing as a basis for musicianship, moving to music, instrumental experience, analytical thinking, listening to music, improvising and composing. The authors have designed this book to help teachers promote musical learning in these areas by making knowledgeable curricular choices among methods.

Special features set this book apart:

• 1. Goals and Objectives and suggested skill hierarchies are given for each approach in four levels―early elementary, upper elementary, middle school-high school, and university.
• 2. Detailed teaching techniques show how to use each method at each level.
• 3. Sample lesson plans include numerous musical examples.
• 4. National Standards are described and discussed.
• 5. Suggestions are given for appropriate use of technology in the study of music.
• 6. The four methods are compared in their approach to creating, moving, singing and playing, musical reading and writing, and performing and listening.
• 7. A brief history of music education in North America relates the acceptance and spread of these four approaches.