Green Child Magazine Back-to-School 2012 | Page 73

Learning T hrough Music

Approaching music appreciation in this manner highlights the joy we find in music while
also developing your child’s analytical and
rhetorical skills.
GCM: With school systems cutting back on
music and art education, how can an instrument like the ocarina be used to help give
students a well-rounded education?
Lena: With schools cutting back on these
funds, it becomes the role of the classroom
teacher to help incorporate music into a curriculum. This can be a daunting task for a
teacher who has no musical training, but for
the same reasons the ocarina is a good instrument for homeschool teachers, it is also a good
instrument for classroom teachers. By using
arts integration teachers can address different
learning styles that are often overlooked with
the pressure for success on standardized tests.

This past year I had a wonderful experience
teaching ocarina to a sixth grade social studies
class in New York. Many of my students spoke
English as a second language and as a result
of their frustration communicating they were
often the first to act out in class. After our first
class with the ocarinas these students showed
a focus that neither their classroom teachers
nor I had seen throughout the year. They were
able to learn songs quickly and then help their
classmates. Shifting their attention from what
they struggled with to what they could do well
gave them renewed confidence that carried
over to their other course work as well.
The ocarina is a great place for any starting
musician, adult or child. It provides a gateway
into music that can support a lifetime of development and appreciation. For more information about this unique instrument, please visit
STLocarina.com.
73