Growing Musicians: Teaching Music in Middle School and Beyond [Paperback]

Growing Musicians: Teaching Music in Middle School and Beyondfocuses on teaching adolescents within the context of a music classroom, regardless of content area (orchestra, band, choir, or general music). It provides a look at the importance of music courses in the lives of adolescents as they navigate the path between being a child and an adult. As every music student is completely unique, there is no one-size-fits-all prescriptive way of working with this age group. Rather, music educators must approach adolescents with high musical standards and aspirations to learn and achieve within music; a willingness to honor the individuality of each adolescent musician; a sense of structure, but an ability to be flexible; a desire to foster and promote a safe classroom environment where students feel empowered to be themselves and speak openly about what they think and believe; an understanding that music classes are not only safe places where students learn how to become better musicians but also better people through musical experiences focused on humanity and empathy; and a dose of humor, or at least the ability to acknowledge that adolescents are extremely funny whether or not they realize it. In addition, this book encourages pre-service and practicing music educators to mindfully examine and better understand their own teaching practices.

Preface
Chapter 1: The Adolescent Musician
Chapter 2: The Music Teacher
Chapter 3: Establishing Music Classroom Climate
Chapter 4: Establishing the Framework for Successful Music Classes
Chapter 5: The Humanity of Teaching Music
Chapter 6: Humor in the Music Classroom
Appendix A: Teacher participant extended bios
References
Index

Sweet gets at the very heart of working with adolescents in the music classroom. From handling the physical and emotional changes of this age group to the essential leadership role a nurturing music teacher can provide, this text guides readers on a journelCM