There are significant educational merits to incorporating world music within the elementary general music curriculum. As outlined in Chapter 4 of The Musical Classroom, a well designed multicultural music program can cultivate musical knowledge and foster important social-emotional development. Incorporating diverse musical traditions from around the globe allows young students to experience a rich variety of sounds while gaining cultural exposure. As students sing and play instruments, move, listen, and create, they develop musical skills while also learning about the people and traditions behind the music. Exposure to global music helps students become thoughtful, culturally aware citizens who embrace diversity.

From a musical standpoint, world music enriches learning in numerous ways. Exposing children to songs, instruments, and styles from selected regions introduces new sounds and performances practices. Through call-and-response singing of pieces like "Five Little Ducks" or instrumental pieces played on the kompang, students start to recognize distinct musical characteristics (Morland, 2012). They build familiarity that various societies possess musical sophistication on par with their own traditions (Lindeman, 2018, p. 51). The exposure makes children more well-versed consumers and performers of different types of music.

A key musical goal is developing "polymusicality," the ability to adeptly engage with multiple musical systems. By learning songs like "Jimmy Surprises Bieber Fan" presented in YouTube videos, students start gaining comfort interacting with an array of musical languages (Fallon, 2014). The exposure sets a foundation for lifelong enrichment through diverse musical experiences (Lindeman, 2018, p. 49). As they mature, children can draw from a rich bank of world music knowledge to inform their own performances and compositions.

Beyond musical enhancement, a multicultural curriculum also cultivates important social-emotional growth. When integrated with related social studies content, world music functions as a gateway for cultural learning. Through exposure to traditions bearing meaning about history, geography, and belief systems, students start building empathy, respect and awareness of global diversity (Lindeman, 2018, p. 50). They recognize shared humanity across borders while celebrating cultural uniqueness.

Hands-on engagement further enriches these lessons. Community members introduce indigenous instruments like the kompang and share performance traditions, forging real-world connections (Lindeman, 2018, p. 51). High-quality recordings, books, and digital resources supply authentic examples of musical expression. Students participate directly through singing, movement, or playing replicas of world instruments. The interactive nature cements appreciation for other ways of life.

In sum, a developmentally-appropriate multicultural music curriculum offers wide-ranging academic and social-emotional benefits to elementary learners. Music speaks to our shared humanity across boundaries of language, geography and tradition. Singing a Zulu welcome song, hearing Balinese gamelan, dancing an Israeli folk dance—such experiences enable students to recognize themselves in others. Engaging with global music and cultures expands horizons, promotes empathy, and affirms students’ place as global citizens. The elementary classroom offers the opportunity to plant seeds of understanding that can blossom into a lifelong appreciation for the diversity of human creativity. Incorporating world music merits a place within a well-rounded elementary general music program.

Fallon, J. (2014, February 2). Jimmy surprises Bieber fan [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTxbxm9p918

Lindeman, C. A. (2018). The musical classroom: Backgrounds, models, and skills for elementary teaching. Routledge.

Morland, S. (2012, June 1). Five little ducks [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLUV74hxa34

John Dewey, who lived from 1859 to 1952, was a significant American philosopher and reformer of education. His educational theories have had a significant influence on our current educational framework. According to Dewey, learning should be done by doing and should be student-centered. He criticized the conventional educational model, in which pupils listened to their teachers impart knowledge. Rather than this, Dewey promoted hands-on, experiential learning that piqued students' curiosity and gave them the chance to learn via projects and real-world problem solving. He considered a teacher as a facilitator who creates rich learning experiences and directs inquiry.

Dewey's theory of learning through experience and inquiry has had a profound impact on modern education. His ideas challenged the traditional model of education as simple transmission of knowledge from teacher to student. Instead, he advocated for active, project-based, collaborative learning where students learn by engaging with real-world problems and activities (Hickman, 2009). This makes the content more relevant and memorable for students. Dewey saw education not just as preparation for life but as a meaningful part of life itself. His ideas of teaching as inquiry and learning by doing rather than passive listening have fundamentally shaped constructivist learning theories that are widely used today.

Dewey's influence can be seen in many modern school practices. Experiential, hands-on learning, student centered-classrooms, and an emphasis on problem solving all derive from Dewey's theories. He reminded us that the purpose of schools is not just to transmit facts to students, but to give them the tools they need to advance society. Dewey gave importance to the student's own experience and interests. His vision of active learning that links to real world problems remains an inspiring perspective on the transformative potential of education. Dewey reminds us that education and life experience should be seamlessly integrated.

Hickman, L. A. (2009). John Dewey: His life and work. John Dewey Between Pragmatism and Constructivism, 3-18. https://doi.org/10.5422/fso/9780823230181.003.0001