Tim Bulow

General Resource Project

1. Title: Music in Childhood: From Preschool through the Elementary Grades
Publication Year: 2012
Author/Editor: Patricia Shehan Campbell, Carol Scott-Kassner
Publisher: G. Schirmer Inc.
ISBN #: ISBN-10 = 1285160142, ISBN-13 = 978-1285160146
Cost: (From Amazon.com) $124 (Used)-131 (New), Spiral-bound
Summary: This book covers a large range of what a teacher can expect to see
in the field of elementary general music classes. It offers details as to
students growths and at what grade students should be able to comprehend
concepts. It is a good general reference for the teacher who has little to no
information about elementary students. This book also comes with lesson
plans for teachers to get started. This book also offers questions at the end of
each chapter to make sure that the instructor can review and critically think
about what he or she read.
Review: I would say this book is a good general resource for teachers and
student teachers who do not have very much experience with elementary
students. Even if a person does not teach elementary school children, some
of the material in this book can still be applied to students in other grades. I
like that this book is fairly in depth about teaching the different ages through
elementary school and it offers lesson plans to help a teacher teach. The
lesson plans also contain songs that a teacher could use. It also offers tables
and visuals that supplement the material in the book. This book offers
information about technology, assessment, and other topics that a 21 st
century teacher needs to know. Some of the text seems to be a little
redundant at times, but it does not detract the reader too much. Each
chapter is laid out with a specific theme/topic. Overall, I believe that this book
should be one of the top books that elementary school music teachers need
to have in their library.
2. Title: The Childrens Music Network (http://www.cmnonline.org/)
Publication Year: Unknown, but it adopted its Code of Ethics in 2015. Its
earliest date is 1999.
Author/Editor: The website does not have one sole author or editor. There is
no information given. The administrative director is Jane Arsham.
Publisher: The Childrens Music Network
ISBN #: Not Applicable.

Cost: Free, but you can become a member. A membership can range from
$35 to $900). The basic membership is $65 for one year.
Summary: This website offers a journal that includes various elementary
topics for the music teacher. For example, it has instructional material on how
to use technology in the classroom, the use of instruments in the classroom,
and making students comfortable singing in the classroom (especially in the
beginning of the year). This website also has a blog that is updated weekly to
discuss topics that pertain to the elementary music school classroom. It
contains 2 books that an educator can use to teach songs to students. Each
song comes with audio and lyrics, while some also offers written music. This
website offers events that are sponsored around the country to further an
educators teaching capabilities.
Review: I believe that this website is an okay starting resource for an
educator who needs help teaching elementary students. It provides many
songs an educator could use to teach, but there is more to teaching music
than just a song. I like that it offers its monthly journal as a resource, but you
have to pay for previous editions. The blog could be updated more often than
weekly. I like that it tries to promote itself by offering events and conferences
throughout the country. This website could be a beginning resource for a
teacher, if he or she didnt know what to do. I found recommend this website
as a back-up for a general music library. There are better resources a teacher
could use, but I could use this if needed. The website itself is neat and clean
and is simple to use.
3. Title: Teacher Vision (teachervision.com)
Publication Year: 2000
Author/Editor: There is no specific author or editor for this website.
Publisher: Sandbox Networks, Inc.
ISBN #: Not Applicable
Cost: Free for 7 days, $40 annual subscription.
Summary: This website is a general education website for teachers for all
grades and disciplines. It offers information for each grade, including lesson
plans and ideas for teaching elementary music students. This site provides
teaching strategies, as well as connections to other disciplines within
concepts. Within the topics, it discusses teaching music with movement,
relationships with other disciplines, and illustrations of instruments and
contains worksheets for students to do. This website has ideas to incorporate
multicultural aspects as well to broaden student minds and expose them to
different cultures.
Review: This website offers a lot in terms of teaching material. It is a general
resource for all teachers of all grades of all disciplines. It is a good resource if
you need to make connections to other disciplines. It also print handouts you

can make for students to do in your classroom. However, because it is a

general education resource, it can be difficult to specifically find information
regarding a certain teaching event/strategy. Because it is such a large
website, an educator may have a little difficulty in taking in all the
information that it offers. I could see myself using this website in the future if
I am desperate for material. I believe that access to books provides more
insight into specific teaching strategies. I would recommend this website as a
back-up in a general music library. There could be more example lesson
plans, strategies, and overall content for music educators. I would use this
website for mostly connections to other disciplines and how to relate the
American culture to other cultures.
4. Title: Teaching Improvisation in Elementary General Music: Facing Fears and
Fostering Creativity (Journal article review)
Publication Year: 2013
Author/Editor: Rachel Whitcomb
Publisher: Music Educators Journal
ISBN #: Not Applicable (but the ISSN is 0027-4321).
Cost: A subscription to EBSCOhost to access the material. The flexisubscription is $60-80 per resource, depending on how much time the
customer spends with EBSCO.
Summary: This article discusses the use of improvisation in an elementary
music school classroom and why it is important to incorporate it into the
music curriculum. This article acknowledges the fears that some music
educators have when thinking about teaching improvisation to students. It
talks about how to slowly integrate improvisation, as well as how overcome
the fears of improvising as an educator. It also gives solutions how to stop
being afraid of improvisation. This journal article also offers idea show
educators can use improvisation within their own teaching strategies.
Review: I believe that this journal article provides worthwhile material to
every music educator, regardless of improvisation skill. If I had mental block
about teaching improvisation in the elementary school classroom, I could
reference this journal article and re-evaluate my approach to improvisation. I
like that it addresses the problem with teachers not using improvisation in the
classroom and the fear that teachers have about it. I also like that it tries to
make solutions for educators to adapt improvisation into their own teaching
strategies. I would recommend this journal article for a general music library
because it can be used for any grade level. Other music educators should
read this is article to get insight on why to teach improvisation in the
classroom. It references professionals that have had experience in teaching
improvisation to elementary school students. This article sets limits and

guidelines for beginning teacher who have had little to no improvisatory

experience. This article also has example lessons to demonstrate what she is
communicating in her research.
5. Title: Smart Music Software
Publication Year: 2016 (unsure which year it began)
Author/Editor: MakeMusic, Inc.
Publisher: MakeMusic, Inc
ISBN #: Not Applicable
Cost: $140 for a teachers subscription
Summary: Smart music offers several different music activities for every
musician. A musician can find sheet music to play along with the software,
play by ear, and sight read material. It offers an assessment on how you
performed a piece of music if you have a working microphone. Smart music
can also record yourself and you can listen to how you performed. This
software also has piano accompaniments for select pieces. This option also
contains a follow me accompaniment that will do its best to follow your
playing.
Review: I think that Smart music can be a great resource if utilized correctly. I
have used Smart music for recordings and have had limited success with it
however. To use the assessment correctly, you need to have a great
microphone and a very quiet space to play. Smart music can pick up
overtones and other noises that may affect your assessment. I think that
having access to a bunch of sheet music to practice is great. I would
recommend it for a general music library. It can be used in the elementary
school classroom by having students learn how to sight read material. You
would need to have individual spaces for each student to work on a computer
for Smart music, which may be a problem. The cost for students is $40, which
may be a bit much for parents of elementary school students, especially
when putting this on a computer. Overall, I would use this in a general music
classroom for students to learn simple music and for them to learn how to
sight read.
6. Title: Carnegie Hall toolbox (https://www.carnegiehall.org/toolbox/)
Publication Year: 2016 (Unknown date of website launching)
Author/Editor: Carnegie Hall Corporation
Publisher: Carnegie Hall Corporation
ISBN #: Not Applicable
Cost: Free to access resources, $100 to become a Carnegie Hall Friend

Summary: The Carnegie Hall website offers several resources for the
elementary school music teacher. It divides up the material by concepts, as
well as by grades. It has many curriculum materials, assessments for each
grade and concept, and videos to follow for the music (or non-music)
educator. The videos demonstrate how to teach students in a classroom and
how they can participate in the classroom. This website also offers a few
improvisatory resources for the music educator who is not sure where to
start. The resources offered are colorful and engages the students, especially
with the handouts offered. The resources also sometimes build off of each
other and create a larger thematic unit.
Review: This website offers some good materials for an educator who needs
extra materials. The videos are informative and shows how to use the
resources from the website. I would use this in a general music library above
the other two websites because it offers specific material for specific topics. I
like that it uses images that elementary students would find interesting and
engaging. This will be a valuable resource to have, especially with the Music
in Childhood textbook. It is organized fairly well and the resources have
rubrics on how to assess students. While this is a good resource to use, it
could use more resources to make it more comprehensive. I think that it has
the potential to be a better resource, especially if it connects with other
disciplines.
7. Title: Garageband (software)
Publication Year: 2004 (2016 for iOS)
Author/Editor: Apple Inc
Publisher: Apple Inc
ISBN #: Not Applicable
Cost: Free with Apple products (There is a $5 cost for a one-time, in-app
purchase)
Summary: Garageband offers several characteristics that an elementary
music educator can use. It allows users to create recordings, easily write
songs, and produce podcasts. Students could use Garageband on iPads if the
school has enough money and are willing to purchase them for upper
elementary school students. Because of the nature of the software,
Garageband can expose students to different instruments that they might not
have a chance to hear, especially if they are from a low socio-economic
status. Garageband contains some music that students could learn from and
elementary students could learn how to compose at a basic level. If students
needed help, Garageband offers tutorials and guides within itself so that
anyone who needs help can get help.

Review: I think that Garageband could be a good resource for the elementary
music school teacher. If the school has enough money, it could rent out
iPads or laptops to the upper elementary students (4 th and 5th graders) and
the music teacher could teach incorporating Garageband. I like that it can
record student compositions and they can be shared with others. I believe
that Garageband should be in a general music library for elementary music
teachers. Its a resource that all music teachers should have a little
experience. In the future, I may have students create their own mini
composition, with maybe just rhythm first and adding in pitches later, and
students could hear them on a varied of instruments. Students need to get
exposed to different timbres, which Garageband offers. Garageband also has
lessons within itself for those who want to learn piano or guitar. Students will
need to be taught first how to use Garageband, but it can be utilized for
student growth and exploration.
8. Title: Flashnote Derby (app)
Publication Year: Unknown (last updated on November 11 th, 2014)
Author/Editor: Luke D. Bartolomeo
Publisher: Apple Inc
ISBN #: Not Applicable
Cost: $2.99 (for both iPhone and Ipad)
Summary: This app helps young students learn note names and become a
better sight-reader. Students will enjoy playing a game that actually helps
them learn pitches. This app offers pitch reading in both treble and bass clefs.
This app also helps keep young students motivated to learn the note names
to win their game. This app also has speed options for students to quickly
identify notes and makes students feel like they are achieving something
when they get more and more note names correct. A young student can also
customize which notes he or she needs help with. This app is offered on
systems running on iOS 6.0 and later. It works with iPhone and iPad, and iPod
touch. This is also on Android phones and tablets, as well as Kindle Fire
tablets.
Review: This app would fit well for elementary school students, especially
younger ones. Students will think that they are playing a game, but they are
also learning pitches that they can transfer to the music classroom. I could
see my students using this app if I have extra time at the end of class after I
have finished my lesson plan. I could also use it when students are in other
classes and they have free time. I would tell my fellow colleagues that the
students could play on the app for my class. I think that this a good general
music resource that elementary music teachers may want to consider,
especially in the beginning of the year. Students who dont the pitches will
find this game fun and engaging. This is like flash-cards for reading music
pitches. The use of this app may cause problems because the school may not

have technology for students to use and it does cost a few dollars for each
download.
9. Title: Pluto Piano (app)
Publication Year: Unknown (2011)
Author/Editor: Unknown
Publisher: Apple Inc
ISBN #: Not Applicable
Cost: Free (but you can buy select songs for $2 or all songs for $20)
Summary: This song has the user playing and learning notes to perform
actual music. It has many songs to learn, such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,
Oh! Susanna, Lullaby, etc. The recordings that this app uses is of professional
quality. It is free to download and use, but you can buy more songs to
continue the experience. This app works on any iOS device that runs iOS 3.0
and later. This app understands that children like to progress and unlock more
songs to continue their learning. Students also learn some information about
sea animals.
Review: This app is a great resource for students to learn how to read music
and play famous tunes. This app exposes the students to music that they can
actually perform on the piano when they become proficient enough. The way
students progress in this game keeps them engaged in learning and makes
them want to continue playing. There are quite a few songs to learn before
you have to pay money for addition songs. I would recommend this as a
general elementary music resource. I also like that the app has visuals that
caters to young students. With this app, you could have students play this
during an elementary music class when you have extra time that is not
enough to teach them new material. I would try to use this app if my students
had access to iPhones, iPads, or iPod touches. This is also a great musical
resource because it is free to everyone.
10.Title: TuneTrain (app)
Publication Year: Last updated in 2014
Author/Editor: Jiyoung Lee
Publisher: Bravura
ISBN #: Not applicable
Cost: Free
Summary: This app is a good way for students to experience basic and simple
compositions. Students will connect their train to various levels of buildings
and these buildings are different pitches. There are no wrong answer and
students can replay levels to learn a different composition. It introduces basic

composition to students and students can compare their compositions with

each other. The idea is simple and is easy to use. This app also outlines the
musical pitches that played as you draw the lines to connect the music.
Review: I think that this app has some value for teachers and students. It
helps students become exposed to composing, even without knowing basic
musical skills. I like that it notates the actual pitches played from the contour
of the line made by students. I also like that this app can save your
composition so you can share it with others. However, I believe that like all
apps, students will eventually lose interest in this app after a while because
there are only so many songs and different melodies you can create. You can
also combine songs together for added compositional ideas and melodies, as
well as loop songs in repetition. I think this would be a good elementary
general music resource for a teacher to have. I would have this app as a
backup for students to engage when they have a music free day as well as
extra time at the end of class. I may use this for homework if the students
were excited to use this.
11.Title: Songs to Sing and Pictures: Grades PreK 2 (sing-a-long)
Publication Year: 1996
Author/Editor: Lillian L. Dudley and Harriet R. Kinghorn
Publisher: Teacher Ideas Press
ISBN #: 1-56308-367-1
Cost: $23 on amazon (varying costs for new and used)
Summary: This book contains many songs for students to sing in class with
the teacher. It also has an activity at the end of each song. The back of the
book also includes other books that have more songs. Some songs can also
be played on the piano to accompany singing. Other songs also have chord
changes above the music so that the teacher can improvise an
accompaniment. The activities can also be linked to other books and
resources if the teacher wants to continue teaching a song or a concept
associated with a particular song.
Review: I think that this song book would be a good resource for students to
sing. I wouldnt use it every day, but I believe that this book has potential to
be of good value. It contains songs in various meters and rhythms and the
songs are simple enough so that a student could play them very slowly on
the piano. The teacher could use the guitar, piano or other social instrument
to accompany the students singing. I also like that the music for the teacher
and students are on the same two pages with each other. Students can write
in the book for each activity and can be shared with each other. I would keep
this in an elementary general music library for the future. The book may be
around 20 years old, but it is still usable and contains other resources that a
music educator might need or want to teach. The only problem that an

educator may find is that he or she will need to teach students how to read
music if he or she wants them to have a copy of the book.
12.Title: Little Learners Sing-Along (sing-a-long)
Publication Year: 2013 on iTunes/2015 on Nook
Author/Editor: Parragon Books Ltd
Publisher: Parragon Books Ltd
ISBN #: 1472328337
Cost: $3.99 (on Nook from Barnes and Noble, as well as on iTunes)
Summary: This short book contains 6 simple and well-known songs that
students should know from an early age. This book contains illustrations that
young elementary school kids will enjoy. This book encourages students to
play and use hand-eye coordination in the activities it contains. Even though
this book is short, it contains enough material to have students learn how to
sing and participate in class. This is available through various electronic
mediums and is available in print at a low cost.
Review: This book is very short and will be used quickly. I would use this in
the beginning of the school year with kindergarten students and teach them
the simple songs within it. This book would be too simple and too child-like
for students of any other grade. I would keep this in an elementary general
music library, but I would not use it very much. I like that the illustrations in
the book are clean and students can relate to them. If I were to use this
resource, I would only buy one copy and present it to my students. This book
is valuable to introduce music and poems to kindergarteners if they have no
experience. This book doesnt have concepts to use, so a teacher would have
to incorporate activities and concepts to address when using this.
13.Title: Travel On and On: Interdisciplinary Lessons on the Music of World
Cultures
Publication Year: 2011
Author/Editor: Elisa Macedo Dekaney and Deborah Alane Cunnigham
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Education
ISBN #: 978-1-60709-311-4
Cost: $25 (from amazon.com)
Summary: This book explores music from different cultures and time periods.
This book also describes how teachers from other disciplines can participate
and come together to teach students. It shows illustrations and provides the
standards and materials needed for each lesson. Within the lessons, the book
has actual music that a teacher can have students sing. The standards used
are from 1994. This book is open-ended and teachers can incorporate other

cultural aspects that relate to the lessons. This book also has additional
resource ideas that teachers can use for further lessons and learning.
Review: I believe that this book is a very good starting source for music
educators. It provides ideas on how to incorporate other disciplines within the
music program. With these ideas, a teacher should be able to come up with
his or her own lessons that provide students with a greater context of the
music being studied. The material and lessons in this book would take several
days to complete a single lesson, but I find that fine. Educators should take
time to ensure their students fully understand the material. I would keep this
in an elementary general music library for future use. I would use this book
about half-way into the year and draw on it for inspiration when I hit a
mental block. Some of the cross-curriculum material may be a little too
sensitive for students at an elementary age, but I would mold my lesson
plans to ensure that they understood the basic musical concepts. The
activities presented in this book are a good source of learning and general
comprehensive understanding through performance.
14.Title: Making Music: Teachers Edition, Part 1, Grade K (teacher textbook
series)
Publication Year: 2005
Author/Editor: Pearson Education
Publisher: Silver-Burdett
ISBN #: ISBN-10: 1418253146, ISBN-13: 978-1418253141
Cost: $50 (+ $4.00 shipping) from Amazon.com
Summary: This book is one of the teacher resources available to teach
kindergarten. It breaks its materials down into thematic units, and songs and
concepts are introduced with additional activities. Each section also provides
connections to other parts of the book as well as other disciplines. Each song
is associated with a lesson plan that can altered to the needs of the students
in your classroom. There are student books that a teacher can have as well
for students to follow along.
Review: I think that this book is a very good resource for an elementary
general music library. It breaks itself down into different themes and the
teacher can pick and choose what she or he wants to teach. I like that it
references other disciplines and skills students should be aware of and how
each lesson is student-centered. This resource gets the teacher thinking
about keeping students engaged in every lesson. I like that each of the
lessons has the national standards associated with it. I believe that I would
use this year-round, but I would pick and choose what I would teach. This
book also comes with a CD with audio to play for students to sing along with
in class. Because of the amount of material and songs presented in this book,

I could use some songs in other grades and not just kindergarten (like for 1 st
and maybe 2nd grade).
15.Title: Spotlight on Music, Grade 2 MIDI (with CD-ROM) (supplemental
resource)
Publication Year: 2005
Author/Editor:
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education/ Hal Leonard Corporation
ISBN #: ISBN 10: 0022958436, ISBN 13: 978-0022958435
Cost: Between $2.23 and $42.44 (+$4 shipping) on Amazon.com
Summary: This workbook is a supplemental book to the Spotlight on Music
Grade 2 textbook. It talks about using MIDI in the classroom and has projects
that students can do. The students would use MIDI to create music, improvise
music, and explore music. This book also has a section on common problems
and troubleshooting. There is a glossary in the back and hints section for
being a successful teacher with this book and the teachers edition version.
Review: I like this book because it uses a technological resource. Many
resources use simple technological utilities that dont require too much
thinking. Using MIDI would require time and effort, but it would be worth it to
the students as well as me. I would use this book and keep it in an
elementary general music library because it explains how to use it. I also like
that it explains the aspects of MIDI with simple tasks and keeps students
fairly engaged. Because this is a supplemental resource, it doesnt have
many teaching concepts, but it does offer some. This book may be a
challenge to 2nd graders, but I believe that if the teacher is competent
enough, he or she would be able to adequately use this. I like that this also
comes with a CD so students and the teacher can listen along to the audio.
16.Title: United We Stand: 25 Favorite American Songs (sing-a-long)
Publication Year: 2002
Author/Editor: Bryce Inman
Publisher: Word Music
ISBN #: ISBN-10: 0-634-04527, ISBN-13: 978-0-634-04527
Cost: $42.44 (Barnes % Noble)
Summary: This book is comprised of 25 famous American tunes that all
Americans should know. Many of these tunes are familiar to the music
educator. All of these songs have piano accompaniment, as well as chord
symbols to denote what is being played at a given time. The songs
themselves are not very complex. A good music educator should be able to

teach all the songs in this book. Other than have the song with piano
accompaniment, it offers nothing else.
Review: This book is purely a song and accompaniment. It offers no foreword
or introduction. The songs selected are the actual versions of the music and
the teacher would need to have intermediate piano skills to accompany the
students singing. I would use this book if I was a good pianist (or at least
accompanist) if I wanted to play along with the students. I would use this
book to teach the songs to my students all year long. I might devote one
lesson once every two weeks to learn one of the songs in this book. I believe
that this book belongs in an elementary general music class. I could even
teach some concepts from this book, such as chord changes, dynamics, and
complicated rhythms. Overall, I would want to use this book in my classroom
because students need to learn at least some of the songs that make
Americans American.
17.Title: Music for Special Kids: Musical Activities, Songs, Instruments, and
Resources
Publication Year: 2011
Author/Editor: Pamela Ott
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
ISBN #: 978-1-84905-858-2
Cost: $24.95 (from Amazon.com)
Summary: This book offers special instruction on how to teach students with
disabilities. This book has simple and unique ideas on how to understand
students with special needs. It lays out the information with space and clarity
to explain each idea. Each chapter begins with an introduction on how it
offers instruction for teachers and outside materials that will be needed. The
back of the book also offers sheet music by Pamela Ott and chord changes
that accompany it.
Review: I think that this book is a good resource, especially for those of us
who have had limited experience with students with disabilities. It offers
insight on how to interact with special students and how simple it can be to
teach them. Each chapter offers different ways of approaching material, so
that any student can learn music and concepts. I like that the beginning of
each chapter has a little introduction/summary about the chapter. I would
definitely keep this book in an elementary general music library. If I have a
special needs student, I would use this book in conjunction with whatever
material I would be teaching the rest of the class. This book also offers ideas
on aspects of music that a music educator may not realize is important, such
as breathing for muscular endurance, active listening sessions, and
increasing muscular coordination. The book also recommends to omit
passages or parts of music that special needs students may find too difficult.

18.Title: Making Music, Teachers Edition, Grade 2, part 1 (Teachers textbook

series)
Publication Year: 2005
Author/Editor: Pearson Education
Publisher: Silver-Burdett
ISBN #: ISBN-10: 1418253162, ISBN-13: 978-1418253165
Cost: $89.99 (From amazon.com)
Summary: Like the kindergarten version, this book is a comprehensive
teachers edition of material that presents songs and learning material. It
provides historical contexts, lesson plans, and cross-disciplinary curriculum
ideas. It also has skill reinforcement activities and features the national
standards in each lesson plan. The material presented is laid out in large
thematic units and each lesson plan furthers the theme. This book also
provides opportunities for personal student growth; it features character
education as goal for students to achieve.
Review: Like the other teachers edition book, I find this book to be highly
informative and helpful. I like that it wants to meet individual needs and that
it relates to other disciplines. I would use this book as my main textbook
throughout the year, but I may not use it for the entire time. It also offers
helpful hints and reminders for students and their parents. For example, one
lesson offers audience etiquette instructions. I would have this in an
elementary general music library. This book offers material from other
cultures and how the song is representative of other peoples. This book
(when bought new) also comes with a CD to listen to songs, if the teacher
does not want to teach purely by voice.
19.Title: Kodly in the Fifth Grade Classroom: Developing the Creative Brain in
the 21st Century.
Publication Year: 2015
Author/Editor: Michel Houlahan & Philip Tacka
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN #: 978-0-19-023582-6
Cost: $36.67 (From Amazon.com)
Summary: This book offers instruction on how to apply the Kodly concepts
and methods in the elementary classroom in the 21 st century. This book offers
a step-by-step method of instruction for the teacher to follow. It offers
addition listenings and sight singing in some of the chapters. It provides
many lesson plans and games for students to engage in. The material is laid

out in a very organized fashion and is easy to read. It offers ideas for teachers
to use various forms of engagement to have students participate in class.
Review: I think that this book is useful if you want to teach using the Kodly
method. It is highly detailed and the format used is easy to read. This is one
of the most specific and comprehensive books for teachers using the Kodly
method. I would use this book if I wanted to specifically teach in this way. I
may use parts of this book throughout the year to keep material fresh and
interesting to my students. The chapters are presented in a thematic way and
follow a logical manner. I like that it offers students a way to represent their
musical and cultural identity through using this book. I also like this book
because it makes the teacher think about culture and music from different
perspectives. The introduction is very important to read to understand the
book as a whole.
20.Title: Music Educators Journal (magazine/periodical)
Publication Year: 1914-2016
Author/Editor: Various authors/editors (editor-in-chief is Patrick K. Freer)
Publisher: Music Educators Journal
ISBN #: Not Applicable. ISSN print: 0027-4321. Online ISSN: 1945-0087
Cost: Active membership for NAfME to gain access to Music Educators Journal
($121 for an active membership).
Summary: This magazine offers ideas and insight into teaching all grades of
school music. It has writers discussing select ideas from self-experiences, as
well as concepts about what educators could do while teaching. It is
published quarterly and contains professional articles, as well as teaching
approaches. It also provides current trends and issues in the field of teaching
in schools, including elementary schools. Even though not all topics are
aimed at the elementary school, educators can take ideas written for middle
and high school, and apply them to the elementary school level.
Review: Elementary music school teachers should be a member of NAfME, so
that they can use this resource in their instruction. I find that this journal is a
highly-rated and significant source of teaching information. I plan on staying
as a member of NAfME so I can continue receiving this journal. Almost
everything published can have some sort of influence that I could take and
apply to my future teachings. I find that this magazine would be good enough
to belong in my general music library. Because it has been around for more
than a century, this journal will have many different topics to learn. One
problem that I might find using this journal is that the articles arent unified in
any fashion and it may take time to find an article about a specific topic,
especially over a topic that has any relevance to my teaching in the past few
years. Another problem that I might find with this source is that it is moving

to a more digital presence: having a physical copy would be better for me to

actually read.