PEDAGOGICAL EFFECTS OF MUSIC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: WRITING MUSICAL LESSON PLANS

Music teachers, K-12, were engaged in a summer professional development program designed to improve musicianship skills and pedagogy. Classes focused on singing, memory, developing fluency with solfège and rhythm syllables to enhance audiation, notation, and dictation skills had the goal of increasing music content knowledge. In addition, classes focused on song and game material, pedagogy, and conducting rounded out the program to address successful teaching practices or pedagogy. The research question for this study was: Does a program with classes on materials and pedagogy result in better lesson planning, e.g., lessons that include teaching and practice of musical elements, time management, effective teaching strategies, and appropriate musical material? Pre- and post-lesson plans revealed that teachers planned for better musical instruction. They not only addressed musicianship skills with their students but also learned to sequence material in a sound to symbol approach that uses kinesthetic activities, aural analysis, and music reading.