Track Hours: Independent Study (1-8)

Who? The first eight hours of my track work consisted of me doing independent study. Because
I chose to do do independent study for the first few hours, I didnt work with anyone. I worked
alone to find all of the sources I analyzed.
What? The first few hours of my track consisted of me carrying on research that will help me for
my timed writings and spring action. I read and studied many sources that were all different. All
of the sources focused on different main arguments. One of the sources focused on the benefits
of incorporating different activities into a childs music education. That source gave me insight
into why music teachers choose to do what they do for their students. Another source I read
talked about the importance of giving children a little free reign when it comes to showing what
they have learned and retained. This was also beneficial to me because it gave me some
information on how I could carry out my spring action. With all of the sources I read and studied,
it became clear that I need to make sure that my music workshop has multiple activities for the
students. I think that having them participate in a wide variety of things will keep them focused
and entertained. Reading these sources also has me prepared for what I need to look for when I
attend my mentors music class. I will make sure to take notes and pay attention to how the
children interact with each other.
When? I started these first few hours last weekend and finished analyzing my last article
recently.
Where? I researched these sources when I was at school and also researched when I was at
home.
Why? I chose these particular sources because I wanted a wide variety of information from
different perspectives. The documentary was the most different because it didnt focus on
children specifically. It focused on people in general and how music impacts our lives. I think
that it was important for me to watch the documentary because it also gave me insight on how
music is something that was meant for people to enjoy. This information gave me specific details
on how music plays a big role in everyday life and starts playing a big role very early in life.
How? This information is going to be very beneficial to me in a way that will hopefully make
my experiences with the elementary school children at Colony Meadows effective. I think that
all of the information will make a huge difference when it comes to planning my spring action
event because I already know a lot of information. I have already became familiar with many
ideas and concepts when it comes to music and child education and this is only the beginning. I

think that by the time planning for my spring action rolls around, I will be very prepared. I am
looking forward to seeing how much my research has prepared me.
Source Number/Letter: A
MLA Citation: Niland, Amanda. "The power of musical play: The value of play-based,
child-centered curriculum in early childhood music education." General Music Today
(2009).
Source Validation: This source is valid because this source was published through the
National Association for Music Education and the author is the coordinator for the
Institute of Early Childhood Music Program for Children at Macquarie University.
How did you find this source?: I found this source on Google Scholar.
Intended audience: The intended audience is most likely early childhood music
educators.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: This source discusses the results of
when the author, Amanda Niland, decided to approach teaching music in a different way.
The author, who is also a music teacher for children, decided to incorporate activities into
her music lessons to give her students the chance to learn the curriculum in way that best
suits their needs. For example, she incorporated dancing and acting into her music
lessons and noticed vast improvements in her students memory and retainment of
knowledge. She also realized that the children enjoy themselves more when their music
lessons are varied up with unique activities for each lesson.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. ....it is crucial that all children are given a musically enriched environment to
bring out the musicality with which they were born.
2. During early childhood, music is not just about nurturing talent; it is about a
holistic approach to exploring the world in musical ways.
3. When children play, they use multiple ways of expressing their ideas as they
move seamlessly from one mode of expression to anotherdancing, dramatizing,
singing, exploring sound..
4. Learning stories about songs and musical explorations can be made using digital
video and/or audio recording, as well as written text, so that children can revisit,
reflect on, and extend their learning.

 Reflection: Reading this source was helpful to me because it discussed how music can
teach so much to students in so many different ways. Now I know that incorporating
things like drawing, dancing, and acting can result in many benefits when it comes to
teaching a child music. Teaching music to elementary students is not easy and now I have
a greater understanding of what it takes to effectively teach a child music. This source
was also helpful to me because it gave me more ideas for what I can possibly do for my
spring action. Since I want to plan a music workshop of some sort, I can incorporate
different activities for the children to enjoy. I think that this will have a greater impact on
their learning experience.
Description: This source was five pages long and it took me an hour to read and study it
twice. The source wasnt hard to understand, so I wanted to read it over just in case I
missed something the first time I read it. Reading it twice allowed me to fully understand
the article.

Source Number/Letter: B
MLA Citation: Samuelsson, Ingrid Pramling, et al. "The art of teaching children the arts:
Music, dance and poetry with children aged 28 years old." International journal of early
years education 17.2 (2009): 119-135.
Source Validation: This source is valid because it was published in the International
Journal of Early Years Education by music educators at the Academy of Music and
Drama at the University of Gothenburg.
How did you find this source?: I found this source on Google Scholar.
Intended audience: The intended audience is most likely music teachers and
psychologists interested in child education and music.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: This source discusses the
importance of allowing a child to express their thoughts and ideas in a way that they
choose. Most of the time, the music teacher is vague when she teaches. She believes that
when she does this, the children are more creative and imaginative. The music teacher in

this article challenges her students when she asks them to illustrate the music on a piece
of paper. The students then begin to start thinking a little more critically so they can
effectively demonstrate whether the music is slow, fast, upbeat, sad, etc. The music
teacher asserts that music has the ability to trigger a childs thoughts and cause them to
think deeper which results in educational benefits.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. The starting-point in childrens musical expressions and activities is also often
assumed to be promoting their creativity.
2. The children take the initiative in developing the activity and the teachers
respond to this playfulness.
3. Representing music on paper moved from being the act of learning to becoming
the object of learning.
Reflection: This source was very informational and helpful to me. It discussed how
music allows children to open up more. Now that I know that music has the ability to
spur creativity, I am able to understand what kinds of needs children require when they
are learning music. It is important for children to learn music in a way that doesnt bore
them. If they arent interested in the activities, understanding music will be harder. This
is why the teacher made sure to be creative when it came to testing her students and their
knowledge on the music they were studying. Knowing this will be helpful to me because
it gives me more ideas that I should consider for the music workshop I want to plan.
Description: This source was sixteen pages long. It took me two hours to read because I
needed to read it twice. It was lengthy with a lot of information so I wanted to make sure
I grasped all of the important ideas.

Source Number/Letter: C
MLA/APA/AMA Citation: The Music Instinct: Science and Song. Directed by Elena
Mannes, performances by Bobby McFerrin, and Daniel Levitin, Elena Mannes
Productions, 2009.
Source Validation: This source is valid because it was released as an official
documentary on PBS during a live broadcast in 2009.

 How did you find this source?: I found this source on topdocumentaryfilms.com when I
googled music documentaries.
Intended audience: Since the documentary premiered on PBS, the intended audience
seems to be anyone interested in the science of music.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: This documentary discussed how
music is something that is embedded into people. Bobby McFerrin believes that humans
were meant to have special connections with music. He also stated that music has the
ability to stimulate imagination because of how there are so many different types of
music. Daniel Levitin, who also wrote the book I read over the summer, talked about how
our relationships with sounds begin early in life and that music has the ability to trigger
our feelings and emotions.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. Humans have music instinct and are meant to enjoy music.
2. The fact that fetuses begin to hear sounds very early emphasizes how sounds and
music affect peoples lives.
3. Many people are able to express their thoughts through music.
Reflection: This documentary was very helpful to me because it gave me a deeper
understanding of why people enjoy and invest so much time into music. The hosts of the
documentary agreed that having an interest in music is innate and that we were all born
with the intent to have music in our lives. This information is beneficial to me because it
helps me understand why music can have great impacts on a childs education. In the
documentary, it was stated that relationships with music start early. This statement is
important because it correlates with my studies on musics impact on child development.
Description: I watched this documentary once and the whole video ran for two hours.

Source Number/Letter: D
MLA Citation: Rickard, Nikki S., et al. "Benefits of a classroom based instrumental
music program on verbal memory of primary school children: a longitudinal
study."Australian Journal of Music Education 1 (2010): 36.

 Source Validation: This source is valid because it was published with the support of the
Australian Research Council.
How did you find this source?: I found this source on Google Scholar.
Intended audience: The intended audience is most likely psychologists and music
educators.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: This source discussed the results
when researchers tested students visual and verbal memories. The students that were
tested participated in school music programs and because of this program, researchers
were able to make assertions concerning the relationship of learning music in a classroom
setting. It was revealed that the students that were tested proved to have better memory
compared to children that are not involved in music programs. It was also discovered that
former music students still retained great memory even after not taking lessons for a long
time. The researchers concluded that being involved in a musical activity can still result
in cognitive benefits.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. Interestingly, although the discontinued group did not improve their verbal
memory performance, they maintained the verbal memory superiority over
non-musicians, implying that the benefits of playing an instrument may be long
lasting.
2. Superiority in verbal memory in musicians appears also to be associated with the
number of years of formal music training.
3. .....even relatively short periods of engagement with music can have positive
effects on cognitive abilities.
4. ....one year of a strings-based instrumental program significantly enhanced
students learning and immediate recall of verbal information.
Reflection: This source was very informational and beneficial to me because it gave me
more examples of how music can positively impact a childs education. Music has the
ability to improve a childs visual and verbal memory and as a result can make their
learning experiences much better. Knowing this information helps me in my studies
because it is another example of how incorporating music into a childs education during
their development years benefits them.
Description: This source was twelve pages long. It took me about two hours to read this
source because there was some words that I didnt understand and had to look up.

Source Number/Letter: E

MLA Citation: Trainor, Laurel J., Luann Wu, and Christine D. Tsang. "Long-term

memory for music: Infants remember tempo and timbre." Developmental science 7.3
(2004): 289-296.
Source Validation: This source is valid because it was published with support from The
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
How did you find this source?: I found this source on Google Scholar.
Intended audience: The intended audience is most likely psychologists who are
interested in music and how impacts an infants life.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: This source talks about how infants
are able to recognize songs by the tempo. When infants become used to a song, the song
will become recognizable as long as the tempo and timbre dont change. The authors
pointed out that infants will respond to a song with the same tempo even if it doesnt
have the same lyrics. It is also interesting how unlike infants, adults categorize songs
differently even if they have the same melody. For example, many adults dont realize
that Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and The Alphabet Song have the same melody. The
authors also talk about how infants are able to recognize a certain song only when their
mothers sing it to them.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. Infants are also able to recognize melodies across some transformations when
short retention intervals are used.
2. ..it is important to note that infants can discriminate different tempos and
timbres.
3. The head turn preference procedure has been used to show that infants have
distinct listening preferences.
Reflection: This article is important to my research because it gives me insight on the
musical situations of children before they enter their early childhood development stage.
Learning about how infants are affected by music at such early ages only causes me to
believe that music can impact a childs education. If infants are able to recognize a song

they have heard before, music has the ability to play a great part in their learning
experiences.
Description: This article took me about one hour to read. It was eight pages long and I
also had to take time to read the graphs.

Track Hours: Independent Study (9-16)

Source Number/Letter: F

MLA/APA/AMA Citation: Dillon, Steve. Music, meaning and transformation:

Meaningful music making for life. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009.
Source Validation: This source is valid because it is a published book and the author is
senior lecturer in Music and Sound at Queensland University of Technology Faculty of
Creative Industry.
How did you find this source?: I found this source on Google Scholar.
Intended audience: The intended audience can range from students to psychologists
who are interested in how music education can be applicable to life and its meaning.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: This book is basically a research
project conducted by the author. The main purpose of his research is to clarify the role
music teachers play in a childs learning experiences. The author stated that he is able to
attribute the skills he learned from music to his life. He structured his project in order to
discover what about music do children find worthwhile. The entire process of his
research would include 21 students and 10 teachers. The author established that music
can help children learn more about themselves as well as their culture. He gathered all of

his evidence and observations from the childrens musical concerts, performances, and
journal entries.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. The distinction between style and complexity has never been an issueI have come to see
them all as musical experience.
2. .all humanity needs access to meaningful music making for life and the understanding of
where music is in their lives, where it is in the lives of children and where it is in the life of a
community.
3. Education must therefore begin with a psychological insight into the childs capacities,
interests and habits. It must be controlled at every point by reference to these same
considerations.
4. I have been able to transfer the skills and knowledge gained in making music to other
domains.
Reflection over source: This source is one of the best sources I have found regarding my
topic because it is very detailed and filled with a lot of helpful information. Because of
this book, I am given more insight to how learning music is meaningful in an individuals
life. The author talks about how music gives children many opportunities to learn more
about the world. This is important because when teachers are teaching children about
music, they are doing more than what it seems. This is a great source because this is the
first source that has given me this kind of perspective. This new view on music education
has given me something different to learn more about.
Description: This book is 262 pages with 12 chapters. It takes me about an hour to read
one chapter while taking notes. I am on chapter 10, so I have spent more than 8 hours
studying this book so far.
Reflection
Who? The second eight hours of my track work consisted of me doing independent study.
Because I chose to continue doing track hours for my second round, I didnt work with anyone. I
worked alone to find this book on Google Scholar.
What? The second part of my track hours consisted of me reading and studying a book on what
children find meaningful when it comes to music. The author wanted his studies and research to
reveal different ways a teacher can teach music. He hoped that these idea would be helpful for
music teachers. The book has also given me more insight to how music can have an effect on a
persons life even after years of being introduced to it for the first time. The book has also given

me information on how music can contribute to a childs knowledge of their own culture. This is
very beneficial to me because of the fact that my mentor has also told something very similar.
When I met with her, she told me that Colony Meadows is filled with students from many
different backgrounds. This is an important aspect of her music instruction because of the fact
that she has the ability of teaching children more than music. This book backs up what she told
me about music and its impact on culture because of the fact that the author talks about this topic
in a lot of detail. The author of this book determined that music can act as a common ground for
cultural awareness. All of this information will be a great attribute to my future writings and
spring action project.
When? I started reading and studying this book the weekend of the 24th and I recently read up to
chapter 10 this past weekend.
Where? I had more time at home than in class, so I have been reading this book at home.
Why? I chose to read this book because it seemed like it would be very beneficial to my research
and my project. The book focuses on how incorporating music into a childs education can lead
to skills that will be beneficial to their life. I thought that this information would be very helpful
in my studies and future timed writings and presentations. I havent finished the book yet, but so
far it has been very informational.
How? This information is going to be beneficial to me in the sense that I will know what kinds
of things to look for when I start observing the choir rehearsals at Colony Meadows Elementary.
I am going to be observing the fifth grade students as they participate in their choir rehearsals. I
am going to be looking for how they well they are able to pick up what Ms. Soto is teaching
since they are her oldest choir students. When I met with her, she told me that they are more self
disciplined because they have been with her for the longest time. I am going to compare their
actions with the actions of the younger students.

Track Hours: Independent Study (17-24)

Source Number/Letter: G
MLA/APA/AMA Citation: Tierney, Adam, and Nina Kraus. "Music training for the
development of reading skills." Applying Brain Plasticity to Advance and Recover
Human Ability Progress in Brain Research 207 (2013): 209-241.
Source Validation: This source is valid because the chapter was originally published in
the book Progress in Brain Research, Vol. 207 by Elsevier, a publishing company known
for publishing academic books on scientific and medical information.
How did you find this source?: I found this source on Google Scholar.
Intended audience: The intended audience is most likely scientific researchers and
psychologists interested in the relationship between music and literacy skills.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: This source discusses five important
categories associated with reading skills. The five components are phonological
awareness, speech in background noise, rhythm, auditory working memory, and learning

sound patterns. The researchers provided information on the studies and experiments they
conducted with children and determined many things as a result of the research. The
researchers established that it is easier to gather meaningful studies when the experiments
consist of music training programs or lesson plans. The source then discussed an
experimental study done with seven year-olds and a music education program called
Kodaly. The experimenters compared the language knowledge of these children with
children who did not receive the music education program and discovered that there was
a positive correlation between music education and reading skills.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. Tracking rhythmic patterns is, therefore, vital for both music and speech perception,
which in turn is important for the acquisition of reading skills.
2. ....suggest that musical training might provide an effective developmental educational
strategy for all children, including those with language learning impairments.
3. To learn the locations of the boundaries between words and between syllables, budding
readers must also be able to pick up on sound patterns and adjust their expectations
accordinglythat is, they must be able to learn about sound.
Reflection: This source is very helpful to my research because it gives me more
information on how music can contribute to a childs reading skills. It is another source
that can help me for my subtopic on child literacy. The source went into a lot of detail on
how there are multiple similarities between learning music and learning how to read. The
source gives many examples of different studies done and they all could contribute to my
research.
Description: This source is 34 pages long and took me about 2 hours to read and study.

Source Number/Letter: H
MLA/APA/AMA Citation: Mickela, Tony. "Does music have an impact on the
development of students."California Music Educators Association Convention, Oakland,
CA. 1990.
Source Validation: This source is valid because it includes scientific literature regarding
music and is supported by research from sources such as the UCI Center for the

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory and the Music Intelligence Neural Development
Institute.
How did you find this source?: I found this source on Google Scholar.
Intended audience: The intended audience can include anyone interested in how music
can positively contribute to a childs education.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: The source basically discusses how
children can benefit from music in many ways. The source talks about how students who
learn to play instruments are more likely to score higher on tests. It also discussed how
piano playing students are more likely to understand math better because their
proportional reasoning is significantly improved. The source also discusses how these
children could benefit from music education in the future because of how music
strengthens many life skills that are important to a person's success.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. ...piano students are better equipped to comprehend mathematical and scientific
concepts.
2. Middle school and high school students who participated in instrumental music scored
significantly higher than their non-band peers in standardized tests.
3. The study also concluded that the younger the musicians were when they began their
musical training, the larger their areas of brain activity.
Reflection: This source is beneficial to my research because it gives me different insight
on how music can affect a childs development and future. It goes into detail on how
learning music at a young age can contribute to future endeavors. The source gives many
examples of data that back up the claims and statements in the article. The information
presented comes from different scientists and professors. Because there are so many
different perspectives of the topic, I am able to gather information from multiple aspects
including academics and scientific research.
Description: The source is 44 pages long. It is a fairly easy read and therefore took me
about 2 hours to read and study.

Source Number/Letter: I

 MLA/APA/AMA Citation: Southgate, Darby E., and Vincent J. Roscigno. "The impact
of music on childhood and adolescent achievement." Social science quarterly 90.1
(2009): 4-21.
Source Validation: This source is valid because the authors are professors in the
Department of Sociology from The Ohio State University.
How did you find this source?: I found this source on Google Scholar.
Intended audience: The intended audience is most likely psychologists and sociologists
interested in the topic of musics role in ones childhood.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: The source focuses on how music
impacts a childs academics on three different standards- in school, out of school, and
parental involvement. The studies done in the source included background information on
the students which included details such as race, gender, social status, and family
structure. The researchers made sure to include this information because different home
environments result in different levels of academic achievement. It was concluded that
music participation can result in higher levels of academic achievement, but the levels
arent the same for all children as a result of unique social backgrounds.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. ...younger children are nearly universally placed in music classes whereas adolescents
choose to participate and few families choose music lessons outside of school for young
children.
2. More pertinent, we believe, is the extent to which families invest in their childrens
music involvement outside the parameters of school.
3. According to a Gallup Poll conducted and reported by the American Music Conference
(2003): Ninety-five percent of Americans believe that music is a key component in a
childs well-rounded education . . . more than three quarters of those surveyed feel
schools should mandate music education.
Reflection: This source is filled with a lot of useful information that helps me understand
why children are impacted by music in different ways. Gender, social status, parent
involvement, and culture are examples of some factors that determine the level of
involvement a child has when it comes to music. This article gave me more details on this
topic and now I am able to understand what my mentor was trying to tell me when we
had our first meeting. She pointed out that Colony Meadows Elementary is a diverse

school with children from many backgrounds. I also noticed this because I observed her
class for half an hour. She told me that all of her students are unique with different
backgrounds and that this affects how big of a role music plays in their education.
Description: This source is 17 pages long and took me about an hour and a half to read
and study.

Source Number/Letter: F (Finishing from Hours 9-16)

MLA/APA/AMA Citation: Dillon, Steve. Music, meaning and transformation:

Meaningful music making for life. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009.
Source Validation: This source is valid because it is a published book and the author is
senior lecturer in Music and Sound at Queensland University of Technology Faculty of
Creative Industry.
How did you find this source?: I found this source on Google Scholar.
Intended audience: The intended audience can range from students to psychologists
who are interested in how music education can be applicable to life and its meaning.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: The last three chapters talk more
about how music can create a sense of identity and community for children. The author
also talks about how music can lead to deeper understandings of ourselves and others.
The author keeps on reiterating the fact that the teacher plays the biggest role when it
comes to children learning more about other global cultures and languages. He wants the
reader to know that these are the things that make learning music meaningful.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. Music making gives access to personal, social and cultural meaning in communication
with self, others and community.
2. A failure to acknowledge cultural diversity and to engage with the political tension of
music and culture misses an opportunity for greater expressiveness in music and ethical
syncretism
3. Music has the capacity to engage people personally in experience with the values
represented in the sounds of culture.

 Reflection: This source is beneficial to me in the sense that it is the only source I have
found so far that goes into great depth about what children learn aside from the actual
music. This source talks in great detail about how music can contribute to a childs
knowledge of the world and its diversity. This information is very interesting and
different from my other sources. There is a lot of interesting material in this source that
could help me with my future plans.
Description: The source is 262 pages with 12 chapters. I finished the last three chapters
of the book and it took me about three hours to finish reading and studying.

Reflection
Who? My third round of track hours consisted of me doing independent study. Since I chose to
do independent study again, I worked alone. I found all of these sources on my own on Google
Scholar.
What? The third part of my track hours consisted of me researching more sources that would
help me in my future timed writings and spring action project. I found three articles and finished
the book from my last track hours. I read the sources and studied them to pinpoint certain details
and information that would be beneficial to me. The first source focused on the relationship
between music and reading skills. The source discussed the main components of reading skills
and talked about how music relates to them individually. I can use some of this information in
my timed writing about musics role in child literacy. The second source discussed how music
affects a childs development and how it can contribute to their future. The source goes into
detail about how music teaches children certain life skills and that they could use these skills in
their future careers. The third source that I found focuses on the relationship between a childs
academic achievement and music education. The source discusses how the levels of academic
achievement differ for every child because every child is unique and comes from different
backgrounds. The environment of which a child is raised plays an important role in the level of
music instruction a child participates in. The fourth source, which was the book from my second
round of track hours, went into detail of how a teacher has the ability to create an environment in
which a child learns more than music. A teacher has the power to initiate activities that teach
children about other cultures and languages. It is up to the teacher to create an atmosphere that is
inviting. The author also talks about how the teacher can create a safe environment that would
encourage cultural awareness and global diversity. All of this information is very informational
and is helping me think of possible things to include in my spring action project. The information
presented in these sources gives me ideas of what I should include to have the maximum effect

on the elementary students. I am already thinking of what kinds of activities I could include for
my possible music workshop.
When? I started finding sources last week and finished reading my last source over the weekend.
Where? I found these sources on my own time at home.
Why? I chose to read and study these sources because all of these sources contribute a lot to my
research. These four sources give me insight from multiple aspects. I gathered information
concerning academic achievement, life skills, global culture, and more. All of the information is
unique and could be used in future timed writings and presentations.
How? This information is beneficial to me in the sense that I learned more about how music can
lead to improved reading skills, academic achievement, and cultural awareness.

Track Hours: Independent Study (25-32)

Source Number/Letter: J
MLA/APA/AMA Citation: Bartle, Jean Ashworth. Sound advice: Becoming a better
children's choir conductor. Oxford University Press, 2003.

 Source Validation: This source is valid because it is an academic book published by

Oxford University Press and the author is the founder of Toronto Childrens Chorus.
How did you find this source?: I found this source on Google Scholar and ended up
buying the full version of the book on Google Play.
Intended audience: The intended audience consists of elementary school music teachers
and choir directors.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: This book discusses how children
have the innate ability to learn how to sing and that because of this ability, every child
should have the opportunity to learn. The authors main objective is to show how
children children can participate in a choir with enjoyment as well as skill. She also states
that valuable parenting is important in a childs development stage in addition to effective
teaching. She stresses how teachers ultimately teach children life skills and valuable
lessons in addition to the actual can curriculum. She states that music teachers need to
strive for the improvement of teaching skills. Sound Advice was written with the intended
goal to help other music teachers in their skills and expertise of music education.
Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be
helpful in future writing:
1. It is in the first years of Primary School that the first laying of foundations, the
collecting of the first, decisive musical experience begins.
2. Spending time organizing your projects, your priorities, and your thoughts is one of the
most valuable things a childrens choir director will ever do.
3. Choral conductors can teach the art of singing through repertoire carefully chosen to
develop resonant and buoyant tone, musical phrasing, good vocal habits, and musical
taste in young children.
Reflection: This information is very helpful because it is different from the rest of the
sources I have studied so far. This is the first source that goes into depth of conducting a
childrens choir. It is going to be very helpful in my planning for my spring action
because it talks about the fundamentals of a successful choir program for elementary
students. I can take the information that I learned and apply it to my music workshop
plans.
Description: The book is 267 pages long with 12 chapters and an appendix with 13
sections of additional information. It takes me about an hour to read a chapter, and I have

read up to chapter 10. I have spent a little more than 8 hours reading and studying the
source.
Reflection
Who? My fourth round of track hours consisted of me doing independent study. Since I chose to
do independent study, I worked alone. I found this book on my own on Google Scholar.
What? This round of track hours consisted of me reading and studying a book that will help me
in my spring action plans. This book provided me with a great amount of helpful information on
conducting a childrens choir. The book discussed many aspects of a childrens choir with
specific details and explanations. One chapter focuses on a first grade music curriculum. The
author, Jean Bartle, wrote this chapter with her background experience in mind. She focuses on
first graders in this chapter because first grade is the most important part of a childs entire
school career. This grade is significant in a childs school life because the growth of a child
physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally is greater than in any other school year. The
author uses her experience to assert that first graders arent afraid of making mistakes, but are
instead eager to learn how to sing and produce music. She believes that if they find joy in music
making as a first grader, they will be interested in music for the rest of their lives. The author
also talks about how effective teaching requires a lot of planning and organization. It is
considered great if a music teacher has a music classroom instead of traveling from classroom to
classroom. Music teachers are able to create an established music inspired environment if they
are provided with their own classrooms. The book also goes into detail on how important breath
support is when it comes to singing. Children need to be aware of this significant factor because
the quality of their singing stems from the quality of their breath support. Music teachers can
incorporate different activities to allow children to understand the concept better. For example,
the book talks about how a teacher can use sipping from a straw to teach students about breath
support. Its an easy and interactive way for students to grasp the concept and apply to singing.
She also discusses how children learn more about blending and balancing sound when in a
childrens choir. According to the book, it is also important for parents to be aware of the choir
course in order to understand certain needs and possible concerns. Its also important to teach
children in a way that is appropriate for the community in which they were raised. Children from
different places across the globe dont learn how to sing through the same processes. The book
also talks about the process of conducting an orchestra with a choir. Conductors need to be clean
and concise with their techniques in order for the orchestra and choir to perform successfully. All
of this information will help me in my future plans.
When? I started reading this book last week and recently read up to chapter 10 over the
weekend.

Where? I read and studied this book at home.

Why? I chose to read this book because it provided me with new information that will be useful
to my spring action plans. The information presented in this book is unique and interesting.
How? This information will be helpful to me in the sense that it talks about how a choir program
should be structured in order to be successful. Because of this book, I have learned a lot of
information on choir classes. I can take what I have learned and attribute the information to the
music workshop I want to create. Because of the book, I now know that I should plan a music
workshop for first graders.
Track Hours: Independent Study (33-40)

Source Number/Letter: J
MLA/APA/AMA Citation: Bartle, Jean Ashworth. Sound advice: Becoming a better
children's choir conductor. Oxford University Press, 2003.
Source Validation: This source is valid because it is an academic book published by
Oxford University Press and the author is the founder of Toronto Childrens Chorus.
How did you find this source?: I found the preview of this source on Google Scholar
during the last round of track hours and decided to buy the full version on Google Play.
Intended audience: The intended audience consists of elementary school music teachers
and choir directors.
What arguments/topics does this source discuss?: The rest of the book talked about
how there are different things that go into preparing elementary school students to
perform with an orchestra. The book also talks about why it is important for students to
understand the meaning of a song in order for an effective performance to ensue. It is also
mentioned how students need to be exposed to different types of works when being active
in a choir. The book also has a chapter where former students talk about their experiences
in the Toronto Childrens Chorus and how their experiences affected their lives. The
appendix has a lot of information on helpful tips for music teachers and conductors.

 Minimum 3 quotes, paraphrases, summaries of source text that seem likely to be

helpful in future writing:
1. The choral art rejuvenates itself through the work of living composers, and choristers
should be given the opportunity to be a part of this creative process.
2. Effective warm-ups can also create a nurturing atmosphere for the intense work that will
follow.
3. A worthwhile piece will always help the child grow musically and help to develop the
beauty of the childs voice.
Reflection: The rest of the book was very helpful because it gave me more information
on specific areas within my topic. It also provided me with tips when it came to running a
childrens choir. This information will be helpful when it comes to planning my spring
action because I am given more ideas on what to include. The chapter that focused on the
reactions of former students was also very helpful because it gave me examples of
first-hand experiences. The childrens stories were their own and didnt consist of
experiments. This fact made their reactions more meaningful to me.

escription: I finished the remaining part of the book which was chapter 10 through 12
D
and the appendix. I read from page 102 to page 267, which was the end. It took me over 8
hours to read because each chapter takes about an hour to read and take notes.
Reflection

Who? My fifth round of track hours consisted of me doing independent study. Since I chose to
continue doing independent study, I didnt work with anyone. I found this book on my own and
studied it alone.
What? This round of track hours consisted of me completing the book I started during my last
set of track hours. I finished the book and discovered more information that will help me plan my
spring action. The remaining sections of the book covered a lot of information. One chapter
focuses on how there are many different things that go into preparing a choir to sing with an
orchestra. It was stated that coordination between the students and conductors is extremely
important in order for performances to be successful. This idea can relate to me in the sense that
I will have to coordinate with my mentor to make my music workshop a success for the
elementary school students. Another chapter also focuses on how students should know the
background and meaning of a song in order to perform in the best way possible. If students
understand why they are singing something, the portrayal of the song would be more effective to
the audience. The choir students shouldnt be confused to why they are standing or acting the
way they are. It is also stated that the performance would be stronger if the children werent
reading from papers or binders. They should sing from memory if possible. The book also

mentions how it is important for music conductors to teach and promote new works. Children
should know that all choral works werent made hundreds of years ago. The book also discusses
the advantages of touring. According to the book, touring is an interesting and great way for
choir students to experience different cultures and gain deeper understandings of different kinds
of music. If childrens elementary schools and parents could afford trips, that advantage should
be taken. Traveling gives students opportunities to experience something unique and interesting.
The book also has an entire chapter dedicated to the reactions of students who participated in the
Toronto Childrens Chorus program. A student named Anna Brown stated that the choir program
had a huge impact on her life in the seven years she was part of it. She mentioned that when she
first heard the choir, she considered the choir students magicians. She was so amazed at how
they were able to produce music. She was very sad when it came to an end, but is so happy that
she was able to be a part of the choir program. She said that participating in the choir program
taught her many skills which include perseverance. She discussed how she is able to apply many
of the skills she learned from her choir experiences to her life. She questions how she would be
able to focus on her math work without the skill of determination. This reaction from Anna is
very relevant because it ensures the idea that being part of a music program can enhance ones
life skills. Another student named Andria Balfron talked about how she enjoyed having friends
and family away from home. She was glad to be a part of an organization that allowed her to
connect with other students who have similar interests. She also stated that being in the choir
program taught her great self-discipline. She wishes that all students had opportunities to be part
of a choir program. Andrias reaction was also relevant because it proved that choir programs
can give students another sense of family. Another student named Hilary Cameron stated that the
choir program provided her with the privilege of traveling to seven countries. Her experiences in
the choir program taught her how to adapt to healthy eating and sleeping habits. The Toronto
Childrens Chorus program also caused her love of different languages and cultures to grow.
Hilarys reaction was also relevant because it proved that music can enhance a childs
appreciation of foreign cultures and languages. Another student named Christina Chabot talked
about how she was able to lean on the choir program in difficult times. Being in the program
gave her happiness and joy to her childhood. She is very grateful for what the program
contributed to her life. The book also gives examples of different warm-up techniques a
conductor can use for elementary school choir students. The warm-ups need to be engaging and
interesting for students to enjoy. The book also has an appendix on choosing the right repertoire
for elementary school choirs.
When? I started reading this book during the last round of track hours and finished reading it
earlier this week.
Where? I read and studied this book at home and when I had time at school.

Why? I chose to read this book because it was very informational in different aspects. I was very
interested in reading it the second I realized that there was an entire chapter dedicated to the
experiences of former students. It was very interesting to read their exact words on how the
Toronto Childrens Chorus program affected their lives.
How? Reading and studying this book was very beneficial to me because it gave me specific
details on a successful choir program. It also provided me with details on how a program like this
one could change a childs life. I am going to take everything that I learned and apply it to the
process of planning my spring action.