THE SONGS TEACHERS TEACH ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE SONGS CHILDREN SING: THE BOY WHO WOULD BE AN AIRPLANE

Author: ST. JOHN PATRICIA  

Publisher: Routledge Ltd

ISSN: 1028-2580

Source: Contemporary Justice Review, Vol.6, Iss.1, 2003-01, pp. : 47-53

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Abstract

The sense of belonging created by being part of a community of learners, where a safe place enables growth in confidence and trust, and where the freedom of a child to explore and discover is honored as the foundation of learning, presents a poignant challenge to educators of the 21st century. These are challenging times for educators struggling to balance standard-driven teaching with needs-based learning. The Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky's theoretical model suggests that meaning is socially constructed and that sociocultural approaches to learning and development emphasize the interdependence of social and individual processes in the construction of knowledge. The music classroom in particular engenders community through the inherent socializing power of music-making. A teacher's masterful care and sensitive attention to each child's ways of knowing, and her ability to acknowledge, honor, and trust children as agents of their own learning, fosters an environment rich in collaborative and meaningful teaching.