Smarter Than You Think: Developing Musicians in Early Childhood

Young learners often get the short end of the stick in education, with watered-down and “kid-friendly” versions of songs, musical examples, and learning experiences. But young children are very capable of thinking deeply, asking meaningful questions, and engaging critically with the same music we expect them to appreciate later. With play-based learning and elements of the Reggio Emilia approach, this session will introduce you to some of the ways that we might engage our youngest music students to wonder and think deeply about music. You will leave this session with a foundational understanding of inquiry-based learning through musical concepts, as well as some ideas for activities and resources you can use and adapt with your own students.

In this session, attendees will:

• Gain a basic understanding of inquiry-based learning and learning through play 

• Learn how high-level, open-ended questions improve our students’ learning

• Take away some lesson ideas to implement right now