blog post 3

Jazz and American folk music definitely play a part in music education, it is not necessary for music educator to be experts but it is necessary for music educators to be knowledgeable and to teach Jazz and American folk. There are a couple reasons for this.

Two important reasons for teaching jazz are, Jazz introduces an easy frame for improvisation, and it is the genre of music that Americans created. Improvisation is one of the nine CT performing arts standards, but not many musicians are comfortable improvising. Music is a way of expression and a special expression that does not need the aid of words. Improvisation is one of the purest ways to express yourself through a musical performance, and jazz improvisation is a great way to start. Free jazz is also a great way to teach students. Students must understand that not all music is written down and some of it is created on the spot, and some songs are never written down and are just played by ear and performance practice. Jazz is also the American genre and One of the national standards is making connections to history. Jazz is rich with history and is full of different styles that formed in all different parts of the US. Their are endless lessons that can be taught with jazz. One more thing that is a good reason for teaching jazz is class room management. A music class might prefer to study or play fun exciting jazz tunes by Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, or the great Satchmo.

American folk music also plays a role in music ed. It is not too important for the teacher to be an expert but it is important to teach the standard American folk tunes and any other nifty humorous ones. American folk tunes usually come with some sort of story or the song explains a story. It is important for the teacher to be familiar with the song and the story to go along with it. Incorporating the story with the song will help students understand the song better and it makes for a fun lesson. Another important reason for teaching American folk tunes is to teach classic American songs. Our communities, parents, principals all what our students to know standards such as America the beautiful, and Yankee doodle. Part of being in school is learning how to be a good citizen and a good American so it is important to start teaching these topics when the students are young.