Don't Stop the Music - Channel 4

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

That's right. But the question is - do you start children off studying a little bit of everything ('Jazz, Non-Western musics, Improvisation, composition, Electronic music, rock music') or do you limit it to a smaller number of areas? And if so, which ones?

I would say that that depends entirely on the skills (and knowledge, of course) of the teacher(s) who happen to be on the staff.


Yes, I know, I know ... but I'm taking the "do you start ... " at face value. Infant school Music teachers, just making a din in the same way that they (used) to splashing paint around in Art lessons, or modelling stuff from plastecine. Perhaps having a peripatetic Primary School Music teacher to give the class teacher an hour off whilst s/he takes the class for Music activities. And I don't mean those monstrosities where the entire KS1 is herded together in the Hall to "sing" for an hour whilst the "Music Teacher" wallops a portable Yamaha keyboard.

[MrGongGong]

Personally I don't find genre based approaches to teaching music or inspiring curiosity to be particularly successful.
The basics of music are not to do with genres or styles
but sounds

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Has anyone watched today's programme? It's still very depressing, though I'm only part way through.

[MrGongGong]

Has anyone watched today's programme? It's still very depressing, though I'm only part way through.

Is it as much of a "car crash" as the first one ?

I think unfortunately it will have a very bad effect

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

He's tried to arrange a meeting with Gove's successor, so far without luck.

[MrGongGong]

He's tried to arrange a meeting with Gove's successor, so far without luck.

That would be a waste of time IMV
none of them really give a shit about music education

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

That would be a waste of time IMV
none of them really give a shit about music education

The plan seems to be to starve the Hubs of money, and then blame them when it is finally seen to have gone pear-shaped.

[MrGongGong]

The plan seems to be to starve the Hubs of money, and then blame them when it is finally seen to have gone pear-shaped.

But according to ABRSM everything is wonderful ?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The ABRSM are better than Peter Mandleson at spinning the message they think benefits them.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I've watched the whole programme, and they've managed to equip one small school in Basildon. Now all we need to do is to similarly equip all the other thousands of schools around the country, and then find and pay enough teachers to make it work. I hope James Rhodes does manage to pin down Nicola Morgan, Secretary of State for Education.

[MrGongGong]

I've watched the whole programme, and they've managed to equip one small school in Basildon. Now all we need to do is to similarly equip all the other thousands of schools around the country, and then find and pay enough teachers to make it work. I hope James Rhodes does manage to pin down Nicola Morgan, Secretary of State for Education.

Did he manage to get the head to spend money?
Did he mange to get them to find a space where they can do music ?

I guess it's good news for instrument repairers, all those broken instruments to fix

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Did he manage to get the head to spend money?
Did he mange to get them to find a space where they can do music ?

I guess it's good news for instrument repairers, all those broken instruments to fix

I think the point was that the head teacher could not spend money she didn't have. Ditto space. Her attitude could have been better though,
But the point about the condition of the instruments has been underplayed.

[french frank]

Perhaps having a peripatetic Primary School Music teacher to give the class teacher an hour off whilst s/he takes the class for Music activities.

Yes, I'd go with that with very young children. Comb-and-paper stuff for making tunes, banging stuff to make rhythms . But whatever they do, it mustn't be a dead end: it must lead on to encouraging the performers, the creators in developing their skills, including skills as "consumers".

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Perhaps having a peripatetic Primary School Music teacher to give the class teacher an hour off whilst s/he takes the class for Music activities.

This does happen in some areas. The problem is that mainstream primary school teachers then don't become involved and music is regard even more as an "extra".

[french frank]

This does happen in some areas. The problem is that mainstream primary school teachers then don't become involved and music is regard even more as an "extra".

This being the UK, and the R3 forum, I daresay the prevailing view is that teaching 'music activities' is more important than teaching 'language activities' , although 'Until the results of the curriculum review are published, language learning remains an entitlement for all primary pupils'. Not clear how this works in practice, though.