- FileA children's choir in full flight.
Justin Whyte, Senior Staff Reporter
JOHN PAYNTER, writing in a Music Education Review Series on the Role of Creativity in the School Music Curriculum, suggests that education should enable us to do new things. It should develop the explorer - the discoverer - in each of us.
The arts, including music, cater to this need. It is also argued that outside of the creative arts, there are few opportunities for children to make decisions which are genuinely personal.
The attitude to the arts in education has created a situation where the theory of music and the lives of composers have become the basis of musical training and are emphasised more than the experience of sounds and other building blocks of music.
However, Winston Ewart, director of studies at the School of Music, Edna Manley College for the Performing and Visual Arts, is well aware that the such thinking was inadequate. "Music Education focuses on music in the classroom. It covers different kinds of teaching methodologies and indigenous music to give students an awareness of music forms other than European. It also focuses on classical music, training theory, voice and general musicianship. It also involves the informal making of musical instruments, mainly percussive," he explained.
Beverley Ingram, who has been teaching at the Old Harbour Bay Primary School for over 20 years, concurred. "Music education is an integrated subject in the school's curriculum. While we understand that the children should learn the theory of music and general musicianship, we allow our children to be exposed to voice training - singing and learning to play an instrument. The one that is most accessible to them is the recorder. We also encourage training in the use of percussive instruments. The children are encouraged to make them too. There is general experimentation in music at my school," she told The Sunday Gleaner.
Hughroy Rattigan of St Peter Claver Primary pointed out that although music is taught as a curriculum and extra-curricular subject, it is difficult to get male students to participate in the music programme, especially singing. "I believe it is due to the environment in which they live. The boys have to assume the macho mentality of the area, where subjects like music is seen as only for girls," he said.
Mr. Rattigan also told The Sunday Gleaner that music has a lot to do with children's creative genius, giving a personal example. "Fernando, a student in one of the lower forms, performed poorly in other subject areas. I encouraged him to join the music programme . He did so and I provided the class with a variety of options - they could do either do drumming, take harmony lessons, voice training, learn the recorder or join the general musicianship group. He heeded my encouragement and participated in the areas of his choice," Mr. Rattigan said.
This helped the young man's academic performance and eventually he gained a place in a traditional high school. Since then, Fernando has been accepted at the Jamaica School of Music, Edna Manley College .
Mrs. Claudette Cope, principal of Excelsior Primary School, Mountain View Avenue, had high praises for the school's music programme. The specialist teacher is Mrs. Ann Grant and she is assisted by Leroy Smith. "The children are able to follow a structured music programme, where there is total involvement, both by teacher and students. They are able to develop their talents through the various music programmes which are readily available."
She also disclosed that music is taught as a curricular subject with most grades receiving 40 minutes of music each week. The students learn to play the recorder, keyboard, drum, guitar and receive lessons in theory and voice. The school is strong in choral music and has won dozens of medals and awards in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) Festival of the Performing Arts.
Meanwhile over at Glenmuir High School in May Pen, Clarendon, music is not a curriculum subject because of problems in securing a qualified teacher. Instead, it is administered as an extra-curricular subject. Students participate in music education programmes, where they learn to play the guitar, drums, piano and receive voice lessons.
