Beyond In2Music – Your Thoughts and Ideas

Regular performances to show progress and an end result:

  • Ask the school to send letter home with details of concerts. At a minimum this should be at the end of the 15 week project. If you can do one every half term, great!
  • Encourage the children to invite their parents, family members, friends etc – ask the teacher if the children can make invitations to take home.
  • Perform the songs and rhythm games they have learnt with you to show the variety of your teaching.
  • Collaborate with their feeder secondary school for a performance. Ask the secondary school if your class can perform in their concert. Children from the class can see older children playing their musical instrument.

Communication:

  • Ask the class teacher to talk to particular parents whose children show good potential.
  • Make yourself known to the parents. Write regular emails and/or letters to the class teacher/school office and ask them to forward it on to the parents of the class. Use this to advertise concerts in school, the Big Play Day and other events which would benefit the children learning.
  • Become ‘best friends’ with the school office staff!

In2Music Programmes which adapt to the school’s needs, suggestions:

  • Having two members of staff for a shorter project. This could be 7 x 45 minute sessions with two teachers.
  • One term projects – 11 x 1 Hour sessions
  • More team teaching
  • More music technology based projects
  • Match instrument to pupil – more choice
  • Band projects – Bb/Eb brass, Wind Band project?
  • Carousel approach – instruments switch between classes/schools
  • Reduce time and have smaller groups – E.g. 2 x 30 minute sessions each week for 11 weeks or 2 x 22.5 minute sessions each week for 15 weeks.
  • Last two weeks of projects could be hands on for ALL instruments
  • Voice projects – Could this be an option for In2Music Programmes
  • Changing the pattern of the lessons by bringing in other maestros staff, planning different events over the 15 weeks.
  • More composition based projects – improvising, loops, making backing tracks.
  • Class orchestra

Encourage musical culture throughout the school – bands, ensembles, regular assemblies:

  • Give the Headteacher some taster sessions on an instrument to get them fired up about music.
  • Challenge the class teacher or other member of staff in the school to a ‘Grade-1-Athon.’
  • Get the Headteacher involved wherever possible.
  • Encourage the class teacher to join in with the learning – arrange for them to have an instrument too.
  • Promote our Twilight Sessions, conferences and anything else that you think would be useful to their staff music CPD.

Teacher demonstration and live music exposure:

  • The teacher delivering the project should always have an instrument with them and demonstrate as and when needed.
  • Perform to the children to inspire them.
  • Invite the children from your projects to your concerts so they can see you perform.
  • If you know of a concert in the local area, promote it so they can go and watch.

Communication between In2Music teacher and continuation teacher:

  • If you won’t be teaching the children that continue from your project, encourage the continuation teacher to visit your project at least once

Post-project taster sessions:

  • Offer half a term of free small group lessons
  • Free school ensemble time

Instruments:

  • Better working instruments