Additional Information
As a preschool music teacher, I believe multicultural music education is highly beneficial for young children. Children learn about and from other cultures while listening their music. In our ever growing world, children must be conscious of and respectful to all people. By teaching children about the world through music, they are given the opportunity to reflect and relate on their own terms. Not only do children learn about diversity through multicultural music, they also have lots of fun! As a teacher who strives to incorporate multicultural music in my curriculum, I encourage others to explore the world of multicultural music eduction for themselves. The resources I've provided are only the beginning of the wealth of knowledge available on the subject. Your local library, bookstore, music store, and your computer are excellent places to look for ideas for your curriculum. Whether you begin with a topic and find music that relates, or you find a specific piece of music you like and develop lessons around it, the possibilities are endless. Make connections with local musicians, discuss ideas with fellow educators, and talk to the parents of the children in your class. The more connections you make, the easier and more in-depth your lesson planning will be. If at all possible, I highly recommend bringing "culture bearers" to the classroom. Culture bearers are native individuals of a particular culture and play the music of that culture. While any lessons that incorporates the music and instruments of different cultures is an excellent starting point, introducing children to real people that play the instruments in the correct style creates the most authentic instruction possible. What if I don't know or have access to any culture bearers? Do not fret! An online video or one from the library is just as valuable for your lessons as live performances. Multicultural music education should be exciting for children as well as their teachers. Children see your enthusiasm for a subject and in turn will be just as excited or more so than you. Always remember to have fun with it!
