Music in context

Music in everyday life

Learning for young people and adults is enhanced when it is connected to an outcome ‘out there’ in the world, or to a practical purpose. All learners like to see their newfound knowledge or skills in action and how they are part of something bigger.

Remember that music already exists in the lives of students, irrespective of their musical training or knowledge, and in the lives of your fellow teachers and the wider school community, as well as in your life. Every person has a grounding in music that offers a rich point of connection or field for exploration – their enjoyment of music in everyday life.

Most families listen to some kind of music, even if it is just on the car stereo when driving. In fact, music is often unavoidable: shopping malls play music at volume; it features in movie soundtracks, on phone ringtones, and is used to introduce the TV news. Many families have a culture of music that is part of their heritage or from special occasions and gatherings: footy songs, childhood songs and rhymes, birthday and party songs and other cultural songs and music that go with important occasions families mark throughout the year.

This personal and cultural connection to music offers a wonderful way to inspire, involve and ultimately invest students and other teachers in their participation in music at your school.

As a phenomenon, it is fascinating to explore and try to understand how and why we make and listen to music. The following questions may be used in a short survey to stimulate interest in a music learning program. They may also be used to link learning in music to other areas of the curriculum, such as Intercultural Capability, or History and Geography. It could be the beginning of a classroom inquiry, the stimulus for a piece of writing, or the starting point for a music-based project at your school:

• What is the earliest song or piece of music you remember hearing?
• What song or piece of music will always be special to you?
• Why is the song important to you? Is it because of a special memory, because it has an important message, or because it triggers an emotion?
• Why is music important to you?
• Why has music always been part of every human culture, nation and community?
• What role does music play in everyday life?
• What is music useful for?

You are able to connect music at your school with other curriculum areas and with how your students and fellow teachers enjoy music at home, at social or sporting events, and in their community. This will help establish the music learning program as a meaningful part of students’ lives rather than as an isolated activity that happens only within a classroom or teaching studio.

Back to Top