Tag: General Music
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Popular Music in Our Classrooms – It’s Not a Leap of Faith by Michelle Leasor, Ed.D.
Taken from our Spring 2026 edition of the OMEA TRIAD, this article challenges the growing disconnect between traditional classroom music and the diverse musical styles students engage with outside of school. To bridge this gap, incorporating popular music can enrich music programs without abandoning classical traditions. This approach validates students’ musical identities and prepares them…
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Conducting the Classroom: Classroom Management Insights from Student Teachers by Michael Alsop
Classroom management remains one of the most daunting challenges for new teachers, and student teaching often provides the first taste of its unpredictable nature. While coursework in teacher preparation programs emphasizes structure, planning, and professionalism, nothing quite compares to the first time a student teacher stands in front of a class alone and realizes that…
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Rethinking Creative Listening: Helping Kindergarten Students Move Beyond Literal Responses- by Jennifer Cobb
Many music educators assume that young children naturally respond imaginatively to music. However, classroom experience may reveal that kindergarten students often respond to listening activities in literal ways. This article explores how scaffolding creative listening experiences through concrete starting points can support divergent thinking in early elementary music classrooms. By connecting musical elements to feelings,…