When teachers first contemplate teaching the ukulele in their music classes, they are frequently overwhelmed with the logistics of starting a program. However, the first consideration should be the goals and objectives you hope to teach. These decisions will help you articulate the purpose of adding this instrument to your general music classroom and provide the rationale to ask for funding if needed.
by Kate Hagen
Finding resources to support teaching ukulele in the general music classroom can be overwhelming. There are method books, online videos, and differing opinions on the best practices for incorporating this popular instrument. To help you sort through these countless resources, I have summarized and categorized some of the most helpful resources I have found to use in my own classroom.
by Kate Hagen
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When teachers first contemplate teaching the ukulele in their music classes, they are frequently overwhelmed with the logistics of starting a program. However, the first consideration should be the goals and objectives you hope to teach. These decisions will help you articulate the purpose of adding this instrument to your general music classroom and provide the rationale to ask for funding if needed.
One of the first considerations of implementing the ukulele is your musical goals and objectives. Is teaching the ukulele just a means to expose your students to playing a string instrument? Are you planning to teach students how to play melodies? Is your objective to have students accompany their singing while playing chords, or do you want to include playing the ukulele with other instruments to create mixed ensembles?
Another frequent concern is the best age to start teaching children ukulele. Answering this question varies depending on the teacher. Some teachers start teaching students as young as second grade, focusing on strumming and plucking individual notes.
Others, like me, wait until fourth or fifth grade once students have been introduced to major and minor tonalities and some basic understanding of functional harmony. At this age, we immediately start playing chords.
Whatever age you decide to start teaching ukulele, you need to have a clear educational objective and choose a repertoire that supports your objectives. Once you have identified these, you must develop instructions to teach the skills necessary to meet these objectives.
First, look at your current curriculum. Does your school district utilize an online curriculum like Quaver, Hal Leonard – Essential Elements, or Music Play Online? Is there a methodology that resonates with you– Orff, Kodály, or Education Through Music? Do you prefer teaching units or spiral your curriculum throughout the year? Finally, can you choose your educational materials, or must you follow a pacing guide established by your district?
The answers to these questions will inform your decisions on the materials to incorporate.
Once you have answered these questions, you can move forward with your ukulele program. These answers allow you to choose the materials that best fit your teaching situation and curricular needs.
These materials can include method books, tuners, ukuleles, and storage. The process can feel overwhelming, but continually keeping your curricular goals and objectives in mind will make sorting through the materials available much more manageable.
Happy Teaching!
Contributor
Kate Hagen currently teaches in the Iowa City Community School District. She has 20 years of experience working with K-6 students in public schools. Kate has a license in Music Therapy from the University of Iowa, and a Masters of Music Education from University of…
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