Musical enchantment in the early years

Abstract

Music is a source of wonder, a magical art capable of opening children's hearts and minds. Yet, teachers in training note that music is a subject teachers ‘keep at arm's length’. Many teachers don't feel confident about teaching music. There are doubts about knowledge and understanding, and concern about managing activities that are potentially noisy and exciting. In response, this article proposes that we recognise music as a source of enchantment, calling for teachers to use those well-developed early years teaching skills that pervade the way they work in other curriculum areas. To look for and value children's personal responses to music we can teach children, and to remind ourselves what it is to be musical. Examples of children being musical are drawn from the work of the London Symphony Orchestra's Discovery Programme and the discoveries made by teachers in training that music teaching can be a source of inspiration.