Teaching Young People to Be Musical

American students have vast musical abilities that are being wasted because of inadequate training in the early years. The needed training is not difficult, costly, or time-consuming. Why are we not giving it to every student?

A Simple and Practical Way to Integrate Music into the Elementary and Pre-School Classroom
by Brent Hugh
Assistant Professor of Piano
Coordinator of Piano Pedagogy
Missouri Western State College Department of Music

Please take a moment to visit the Missouri Western State College Keyboard Studies Home Page, to learn more about our programs in piano and organ performance and pedagogy.
Navigation:
[ Practical Ideas from Music Learning ResearchMusicIQ SongsPiano Home Page ]

My research into music preferences and learning over the lifespan has some fascinating and little-known ramifications about how music should be taught, to both younger and older students. The ideas can be applied by all school teachers (music teacher or not) and all music teachers. But for parents and teachers of young children--about age 10 and under--the ideas are particularly compelling.

It is possible to use music at home and school in a way that is easy, natural, and fun, takes little time (in fact, can save time), keeps children on task and working together, and at the same time teaches basic musical skills.

"The majority of five- to eight-year-old American children are developmentally delayed in music from two to five years." --Ken Guilmartin, early childhood education expert If a two- to five-year delay in your child's or your students' musical development disturbs you, and you would like to do something about it, read on . . .

Questions or comments? Mail me: bhugh@oz.sunflower.org
Since it was established 27 January 2001, this page has been accessed times (is that Phenomenal or what?). Last updated

[ Phenomenal Home | Recordings & (Free) Music | Orders | Reviews | About Brent Hugh | Email Updates | Related Pages ]