Early Childhood Music Education by Formal Design: Idea to Experience

Academic readiness, measurable growth, and reflective transferable knowledge are hallmarks of a successful music classroom. Yet sound pedagogical and curricular practices are the catalyst for achieving this success. Across the U.S., music programs are thriving in settings where these themes coalesce, save for one: the early childhood music program. At present, no comprehensive music program frameworks exist for this learning environment. Thus, this study aims to identify gaps in early childhood music education literature and national pedagogical and curricular practices, determine why formal music instruction is deficient for this demographic, and examine ways to address this learning community’s needs. As there are many steps in this study, an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods inquiry is being utilized in two phases in conjunction with an action research foray. Phase I of the study seeks to learn the status of early childhood music education by collecting quantitative data. This data was collected through surveys and semi-structured interviews and was measured using a Likert Scale. Analysis and interpretation of this data inform Phase II processes. Here, qualitative data is collected through participant observations. Initial data results have revealed that, while music instruction sees significant representation in U.S. schools above grade four, early childhood institutions rarely offer formal music instruction. In the institutions that do, the approach is highly informal. With a sharp focus on curriculum and instruction, this study will read like an in-depth educational framework.