Question: How is music introduced in the Montessori class for 6-9 year-olds? we were asked recently by a Montessori parent, who was also interested to know how she could support at home the music education to be given at her boy’s school. We asked Dr. Jean Miller, an expert on the subject of Montessori music, to briefly address the question for our Q & A section.
Dr. Jean Miller, Montessori music expert, offers her perspective on the subject.
Answer: In order to address this question in relation to 6-9 year-olds, we must consider Montessori music as a whole and as an integral part of the totally integrated offerings in a Montessori environment. The music that is part of Montessori was developed by Anna Maria Maccheroni in collaboration with Maria Montessori. It is an excellent, well-rounded programme that includes singing, listening, music theory and ear training, movement & rhythm, composition, playing instruments, music history and literature, musical form, and the study of style associated with different eras in music history or with different countries or cultures.
The first area mentioned above, singing, provides children with a repertoire of melodies that can be used in the production and analysis of music. Singing also provides opportunities for understanding scales, expressing feelings and for familiarising children with both cultures in other parts of the world and eras in music history. In the Children’s House songs are chosen that have simple melodies that are easy to sing. The melodies should use a short range of notes with no large leaps in order not to strain children’s vocal chords. The songs should be short enough to be readily retained in a child’s memory. Older children may be introduced to longer and more complicated songs.
The listening element relates to musical expression. The feeling expressed by a piece of music such as a folk song, religious piece, or composition of a great composer, can be absorbed and recognised by children. This in turn leads to quiet listening and contemplation, to expression of the feeling through movement, to the expression of feeling in writing or in art, to the examining of qualities and characteristics of different musical instruments, or to familiarising children with an era or group of people through the music they produced. This may lead to the study of style and musical form. Opportunities for expansion of the idea are limitless. Appreciation of music is a natural result of this study.
When language materials are provided in response to children’s sensitive periods writing comes before reading. This writing should reflect a creative expression of the children. In order to make this freedom of expression possible, mastery of a number of skills is necessary. The adult in the Montessori environment helps children acquire these necessary skills through peripheral teaching so that the children themselves can explode into true creativity.
The same is true for music. Training of the ear for pitch and rhythm through music theory and movement gives children some of the necessary components of the system. Mastering these components provides children with a medium with which they may creatively express themselves and thereby continue to expand their self-creation. Whether with language or music, the creativity of the children is the driving force that sustains the experience that results in the mastery of a set of skills as an integral part of their own self-development. Montessori wrote, „No one language is rich enough to give expression to the gushing life within.” Music provides children with another “language” for self-expression and communication.
Playing extemporaneously comes before recording one’s own compositions on paper. Through the reading and performing of one’s own compositions comes the understanding of the meaning of notation. Then follows the reading and playing of the words of other composers. The production of music initially involves the Montessori bells and tone bars. Later, a monochord, piano and other percussion and melodic instruments such as the Orff instruments may be used. Exploration of these may lead to composition, concerts, accompaniment for dramatic productions, the scientific study of sound, etc.
In relation to the entire Montessori programme, music is an integral part of the integrated curriculum. It is related to mathematics, language, science, history, etc. and, therefore, it emerges frequently in the life of the class. Ideally, the adult who introduces music into the class is the regular classroom directress or teacher. This is the person who knows the children and the materials and exercises that are appropriate in Montessori environment and can help children make a connection with those materials and activities. Equally important, the directress or teacher is the person who can include music in the class in such a way that it does not interfere with the three-hour work cycle.
“Special Teachers” should be avoided in Montesssori as much ass possible. Ideally, music, art or anything else that might get special treatment by a specialist should rightfully be a regular part of the environment. The use of special teachers in Montessori interrupts the work cycle. For a discussion of the work cycle see The Advanced Montessori Method, Volume I (previously known as Spontaneous Activity in Education) by Maria Montessori.
This raises a question of values and objectives. The issue is whether it is more important for the children to develop their natural work cycle, to learn how to learn and to create themselves or to gain a particular intellectual content. The former is a Montessori objective; the latter is a typical traditional objective. Montessori children acquire particular intellectual content ass a side effect of developing themselves as whole human beings socially, emotionally, intellectually, etc. A Montessori programme must be committed to supporting the spontaneous unfolding of children’s lives in a manner that keeps all aspects of their personality united.
From the Children’s House through the elementary years the seeds of culture are being offered to the children. In relation to music this means that children are being exposed to music. It is not the role of the Montessori school to perfect musical techniques, especially regarding performance. Chilldren whose interests are in perfecting techniques should pursue additional music studies with private teachers.
The consequences of having special music teachers for the aspects of music that may be covered by the Montessori teacher in the regular Montessori class (during the firsst and second planes of development) are as follows:
- Children get the idea that music is separate from the regular life of the class and that only certain people can do music.
- Children are less able to see the relationship of music to the other parts of the curriculum and, therefore, spontaneous musical events are less likely to occur in the regular Montessori class.
In situation in which the Montessori directress or teacher is unable to offer music to the children, a “special music teacher” could be considered. Ideally, this person works with the Montessorian in a way that would enable him or her to be the person who offers music to the children. If this is impossible, then the special music teacher should be employed in such a way that the work cycle is not destroyed by the inclusion of music.
Parents can support the development of the musical side of their child by including music in their home. They can attend musical events together and they can provide private instruction for their child that is outside of Montessori school time. They can also support the musical offerings of the school by helping finance the purchase of good quality Montessori musical equipment for use by the children.
AMI Communications – 2006/1, page 85
