I found this article particularly helpful as a starting point for later development and implementation of movement activities. As the author, Jack Neill, states, most teachers don't include music into the curriculum because they "simply don't feel comfortable with movement" (96). I feel that this quote directly describes me. I never had significant training in musical movement and I always find teaching a subject in which I do not have a solid base quite difficult. I do feel that I would try to include musical movement, because, as past blogs have pointed out, I significantly agree with the idea that "The elementary music teacher...is in the enviable position of readily being able to direct this natural energy [and tendency towards motion] toward real learning" (95). Even though I subscribe to the idea that music teachers do have the ability to use movement to their advantage, I do feel that I still have a significant amount of development to do in this particular area of my teaching. Several of the suggestions in this article, however, from simply "be positive" to pre-planned activities will help me later in my career. I do hope that I, and others in my position (music educators uncomfortable with motion) will take some of the suggestions offered in this article and incorporate them into their classrooms.
Neil, Jack. Elementary Music Con Moto. Music Educator's Journal. January 1990.
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I think we all have a good deal of development to do in the movement area. We are all products of our experiences, and most of us, I'm guessing, didn't have movement integrated into our own general music curriculum as children. Because if this, we have a bias that we must overcome.
I too liked the quote about the music teacher being in an enviable position. It is true that we get to have a great deal of fun with our students, and harness creative energy in ways that other general studies teacher can't.
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