Do you ever wish that you could see the world through a child’s eyes? Do you miss the joy, the excitement, and the carefree innocence? Children just seem to have this zeal for life that we don’t always feel as we grow older. Sometimes, we as adults forget to have fun. In my experience, the joy of music can open the window to be able to see the world through a child’s eyes. I have learned that the best way to engage your elementary students through music is to join in on making music fun. When they see you get excited about music, they will reflect that enthusiasm.
But what does making music fun look like?
Learning to Listen
First, learn to listen. Listen to your student and their music choices. One of my favorite assignments in my elementary music classroom is having students write down a list of their favorite songs. I then take the time to listen to the songs, and sometimes we will listen to the songs together. Then, I share my favorite songs with them. We compare similarities and differences in our music. It seems like such a simple assignment, but it always gets the students excited to engage in music with me. It helps students see that music isn’t just limited to what they listen to or like the most. Music is so varied and different, and students need to see that all styles and genres of music can be fun. This exercise helps students engage in a more diverse musical experience and learn to engage with musical genres that they wouldn’t have explored on their own.
Finding Their Strengths
The second way to make music fun for students is to play to their strengths. There is nothing worse for an aspiring young musician than to be stuck with an instrument or genre of music that they don’t jive with. It can be discouraging and may cause them to lack the interest or motivation to continue their musical education. If you had an elementary student who struggled to enjoy reading, you would give them different genres of books to read until they find something they like. It doesn’t mean they are a bad reader, it means you haven't found their niche. It is the same with music. I have seen many a student who struggled to be motivated musically suddenly find success when they switched their instrument. Make music fun for your student by helping them find what they are best at and what they enjoy the most.
Maximizing Engagement
If your student is struggling to engage with learning music or practicing their instrument, ask yourself these questions:
How can I make this more fun?
Have I considered their musical preferences?
Have I engaged with my student in their music-making?
Don’t forget to share the enjoyment of music with your student. One of the best ways that you can engage your student in their musicianship is to remember to have fun!
Want to start engaging your Elementary schooler with music? Sign them up for lessons with one of our wonderful instructors!
- Gracie Vroegop, Elementary Music Teacher at Eastridge Elementary School
