Questions 1-8

1. How do you use music in YOUR life? 
     I use music in my everyday life.  I can't stand driving my car without the radio.  I also like to always have music as background noise in my house, whether it comes from my radio or from music videos playing on TV. 
2. What musical activities and interests did you have as a child? 
     When I was younger, I was very interested in instruments.  My mom encouraged music and band so I experimented with a few different instruments.  Growing up I have played the piano, trumpet, and french horn.  In my house, we also had a clarinet, guitar and drum-set that I liked to play around on.
3. Have you observed children at musical play? 
     When I worked in daycares, I loved observing children at musical play.  Everyday I would set aside time for music.  We had a big box of instruments that the children had fun playing with and sometimes we would also make our own instruments.
4. Are there some musical skills you are able to teach to children more easily than others? 
     I think that music basics such as note identification recognizing different instruments would be easier to teach students as opposed to teaching students pitch, tone, or how to play an instrument.
5. What do you think that all children should be able to do, musically, as a result of a MUSICAL
education? 
     I honestly don't know the answer to this question, but I hope to learn more.  In my music classes, we were given a book of songs and we sang the whole class period.  Music was more of a "fun" time that students didn't take overly serious.  In music classes that I have observed, students were clapping out rhythms,  playing different instruments, and learning about different composers. 
6. Have you ever observed a teacher integrating music into the classroom? Cite examples. 
    My third grade teacher would use music when learning multiplication.  She had songs about all the numbers and she would play the CD during free-time and art. 
7. How do you think music can be integrated into the elementary classroom? 
   I think music can be integrated in in the classroom in a variety of ways.  Music can be used to set the mood, help students memorize certain information, and students can write their own songs during writing workshop or for other subjects.
8. How do you think music can be used as an interdisciplinary tool in the elementary classroom? 
   From what I have learned in other classes, the knowledge of music is linked to success in math.