When Music Goes to School

This book aims to disclose a deeper understanding of music’s importance in children’s lives and their need to know, explore, wonder, and play. Directed toward music teachers, teacher educators, and scholars, this text invites inquiries and provides insights into contemporary challenges to learning and teaching in an era of standardization.

Danette Littleton is a retired professor of music education and a former music teacher in elementary and preschools. She lectures and writes on children's musical development, specifically the relationship between music learning and play. Her first book When Music Goes to School: Perspectives on Learning and Teaching is available through Rowman and Littlefield.

Preface: A Child's Mind is a Terrible Thing to Standardize Introduction: Toward Individualism, Imagination, and Inventiveness Essay 1: Individualism: A Curriculum of One Firsthand Perspectives on Learning and Teaching Music Discovering Music Playing with Mozart Music in Context Repertoire and Resources Follow the Children Essay 2: Imagination: The Musical Culture of Children's Play Problem Seeking: The Play Factor Observational Studies: Free Play with Music Primary Source: The Pillsbury Studies Music Setting, Instruments, and Materials Theories of Children's Play Cultural Perspectives of Play Aesthetic Perspectives of Play Historical Perspectives of Play The Nature of Nurturing Mother-Infant Music Play Children's Cognitive Music Play Behaviors Children's Social Music Play Behaviors Pedagogy and Play "Why Can't We Play?" Essay 3: Originality: Voices of Children Childhood's Markers and Talismans Neotenous Traits of the Child The Goodness of Children Influences of Great Educators Ecology of Learning Pedagogy of Culture When Children Hurt Pedagogy of Possibility Finding Your Way Essay 4: Inventiveness: Making Meaningful Music with Children Musical Teaching Music Repertoire Music Instruments A Music Lesson Plan Format Ideas, Procedures, and Materials for Instruction: Shiver Me Timbres! Ideas, Procedures, and Materials for Instruction: American Indian Legends, Songs, Drums, and Dances: Dancing Drums and Singing Clay Ideas, Procedures, and Materials for Instruction: American Composer George Gershwin, A Jazzy Classic Ideas, Procedures, and Materials for Thematic Instruction Musical Evaluation and Assessment When Children Sing Unwelcome Incidents in the Classroom Making Music Classroom Rules that Matter Essay 5: Perspectives: Voices of Teachers Teaching Music Under New Rules 1994 National Standards for Music 2014 Common Core Standards for Music Toward Constructing Curriculum The Big Picture Education for the 21st-Century Epilogue: On the Cusp of Possibility Bibliography Works Cited Index