Music: Ms. Davis Strings: Ms. Tandon Band: Ms. Keenan

The general music program at Loker School is an integrated curriculum designed to foster creative exploration, heightened awareness and appreciation of the musical arts and the development of musical skills. Weekly classes meet once per week for a 30-minute period.

Lessons are designed to focus on a variety of essential elements, including activities that focus on:

·      Basic introduction to musical terms and symbols

·      Movement and dance

·      Music literacy (e.g. reading rhythmic notation and formal structure)

·      Vocal exercises and learning new songs

·      Ear training and Listening/response

·      Identification of instruments and sounds

·      Multi-cultural studies

·      Mallet percussion techniques

·      Ensemble performance

Wayland’s elementary music teachers have recently introduced the use of Curwin hand signals, a sign language representing melodic pitch relationships, as a standard practice in general music classes.  I have found this system to be highly successful with Kindergarten students. It has enhanced the development of vocal intonation and student’s ability to comprehend the concepts of melodic shape and pitch relationship. It has also fostered a classroom environment of mentally and physically focused young musicians.