Teacher Training: Music Methods for an Internationalized Approach to Instruction

Abstract

How can music teachers and students connect with music and cultures in an honest and meaningful manner? Can music instruction increase intercultural skills and international-mindedness? If these initiatives are important, pre-service teachers need to know how to address these issues in their classroom content and pedagogy. In an effort to assist pre-service elementary classroom teachers to integrate music into their classrooms using an internationalized approach to instruction, I created eight strategies for their lesson planning and pedagogy. The pre-service teachers developed and taught lessons utilizing these strategies in music content integrated with any of the other required content areas. Putting these strategies into use in their lesson planning and teaching affected their preparation and teaching. According to the pre-service teachers, these strategies, embedded in their planning and teaching became the most difficult and meaningful learning associated with their pre-service music methods training. This article will address why internationalizing music content is important, the strategies to do so, as well as an example created by pre-service elementary school teachers.