Teaching Popular Music in the Classroom

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/teaching-popular-music

Introduction

### Course Review: Teaching Popular Music in the Classroom If you're an educator or a music enthusiast seeking to enrich your teaching repertoire with contemporary methods, “Teaching Popular Music in the Classroom” on Coursera is a must-consider course. This course offers invaluable insights into integrating popular music instruction that embraces the cultural richness of communities across the United States. Here’s an overview of the course, its syllabus, and my recommendations. #### Course Overview “Teaching Popular Music in the Classroom” goes beyond the conventional boundaries of music education. This course explores teaching methods that resonate with youth by incorporating improvisation, songwriting, technology, film scoring, and arranging for small bands. It is designed to offer educators the tools they need to engage students meaningfully and authentically through the music they love. The course is structured to provide not only theoretical knowledge but also practical applications. Participants will learn to create a culturally relevant curriculum that honors students’ backgrounds while fostering positive youth development and creativity through music. #### Syllabus Breakdown 1. **Welcome to Teaching Popular Music!** The course kicks off with an introduction that prepares learners to navigate the commendable landscape of teaching popular music effectively. It highlights the course objectives and how to maximize your learning experience. 2. **Conversations Through Sound: Improvisation, Listening, and Cultural Contexts** This lesson emphasizes the foundational aspects of improvisation. Educators will explore how to foster students’ listening skills and self-evaluation. Special attention is given to selecting music that reflects students’ cultural contexts, ensuring content relevancy. 3. **Songwriting** In this segment, participants dive into the art of songwriting. The course provides strategies to create a safe and encouraging environment for students to express their creativity. Educators will also learn how to formulate lessons that effectively introduce songwriting, making it accessible to all students. 4. **Arranging Music with Interactive Media Tools** Technology plays a significant role in modern education, and this lesson explores its integration into music instruction. Participants will learn about various tools that facilitate music arrangement, empowering students to explore their musical capabilities in innovative ways. 5. **Making the Band: From Modeling to Informal Learning** The final lesson focuses on ensemble creation. Educators will discover methods to structure contemporary music groups while aligning with core music standards. This lesson empowers instructors to pitch the idea of contemporary ensembles to school administrators and explores successful examples of student-led bands. #### Recommendation This course is highly recommended for music educators, band directors, and anyone passionate about teaching music in a culturally responsive way. Its focus on contemporary music forms, combined with practical teaching methodologies, makes it a worthwhile investment for teachers seeking to engage today’s youth. Furthermore, the course material can be implemented easily, allowing educators to adapt lessons to their specific classroom needs and student interests. The collaborative learning environment fostered through Coursera enhances the overall experience, as you'll get to share and discuss insights with fellow educators from various backgrounds. In conclusion, “Teaching Popular Music in the Classroom” is an excellent choice for those looking to elevate their teaching practice and connect deeply with students through the universal language of music. Whether you are just starting your journey in music education or looking to refresh your approach, this course provides the tools and inspiration needed to succeed. Enroll today and unlock the sounds of collaboration, creativity, and cultural engagement in your teaching!

Syllabus

Welcome to Teaching Popular Music!

Welcome to the course! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.

In this lesson we'll begin discussing the first steps towards encouraging improvisation in your classroom. We will look at how to tune your students' ears to promote self-assessment as they play and we will discuss the importance of choosing music that is culturally relevant to your unique group of students.

In this second lesson, we will learn the basic principles and techniques of songwriting. We will look at examples of how to create a safe space for students to share their creativity. Finally, we will discuss creating a lesson to introduce songwriting to your students.

In this lesson we will discuss how to utilize technology into your teaching and lesson plans. We will learn how different technologies can be used to assist students with arranging music. We will also learn methods to engage and empower the students in our classrooms.

In this lesson we will dive into creating an ensemble. We will identify ways to demonstrate how contemporary music can be used to fulfill the core music standards and how to pitch the idea of a contemporary ensemble to school leaders. We will also examine examples of instructional approaches with small ensembles and how to create student-led groups.