The Importance of Creativity and Active Engagement in the Music Classroom

Designing a Creative Sequence

Most music textbook publishers create their own curricula with every objective listed in precise order, accompanied by a complete lesson, often made so “user friendly” (singalong CD, step-by-step directions, copyable worksheets) as to nearly eliminate the need for a music specialist at all!

The problem with all such curricula is that they were not written by you, for your students, your schedule, or your school. While they provide an excellent starting point for the beginning teacher, it does not take long to realize that adaptability and creativity are not only desired in teaching music, but essential to meeting the needs of your students. A particular class might not be ready for a particular lesson, or an upcoming concert means putting the curriculum “on hold” until after the performance. Textbooks can also can be constraining, as a new lesson or song picked up at a workshop needs to be “fit” into the existing curriculum. By the end of the year, it is very likely that a whole year’s goals have not been accomplished. Depending on how the book is laid out and followed, this can lead to missing the same parts of the curriculum at the end of every year.