Exploring Kodaly
Have you ever thought about adding music to your early childhood education and care program more systematically and effectively? Listen up! I will tell you about KODALY METHOD.
Zoltan Kodaly
Choksy, Abramsom, Gillespie, Woods and York (2001) believe that there is a need for a method in the teaching of music. Moreover, the teacher with clear musical foals and an understanding of the underlying principles of each approach is more likely to choose best suited one (p.1). Choksy et al. (2001, p.2) identify four characteristics of a teaching method or approach. Firstly, it has an identifiable underlying philosophy or a set of principles. Secondly, pedagogy is a unique and well-defined practice. Thirdly, goals and objectives and, finally, integrity, or, in other words, the raison d’etre must not be commercial. As the differences between approaches to teaching music for my target age group (0-5) are vast, it was not easy to choose one approach. After extensive reading, I have decided to explore the approach of prominent Hungarian musicologist and theorist Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967). Kodaly combined well-known teaching techniques (hand-singing, use of rhythm syllables, solfa) with quality folk and art music in a child-centred curriculum where children sequentially developed their skills through discovery (Forrai, 1998; Tacka and Houlahan, 2008; Choksy, 1999). Researchers describe the Kodaly method as highly sequential, child developmental, based on active music-making, with the ultimate goal of producing universal music literacy, lifelong skills, excellent music ears, and the fullest development of musicianship inherent in all people (Choksy et al, 2001).
Kodaly believed that music education to be most effective should start at a very young age (Forrai, 1998). Adopted by Forrai to the kindergarten context, the Kodaly Method of music teaching proved to be effective both in Hungary and around the world.
The idea of singing as the basis of learning resonated with me. Likewise, I shared the appreciation of folk songs as a child’s musical mother tongue (Choksy et al., 2001). Kodaly advocated presenting musical skills and concepts from simple to complex, known to unknown (Mason, 2012), taking into consideration the child’s age and stage of development.
From Kodaly’s perspective, high-quality art music is nourishment, a comforting elixir. It multiplies all that is beautiful in life (Houlahan & Tacka, 2008, p. 19). For that reason, I started to build up a classical music library that included lively, calming, mysterious compositions.
My list included:
- “Anitra’s Dance”
- “Morning” and “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from Peer Gynt by Grieg
- “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev
- “Carnival of Animals” by Saint Saens;
- “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Rimsky-Korsakov;
- Gymnopedie No. 3 by Erik Satie;
- “Swan lake” and “Nutcracker” by Tchaikovsky;
- “Devil’s Dance” by Stravinsky, to name a few.
Every day I introduced a piece of music to the children and encouraged them to listen to it during quiet rest time. Sometimes I asked them to reflect on how the music makes them feel, or which kind of music they like best. I also encouraged children to quietly move, walk, slide and dance to the music.
Implications
The sociocultural approach (Vygotsky, 1978) emphasises the interactive nature of learning. More knowledgeable others play a significant role in children’s development and learning. DeVries discusses intergenerational music engagement as a great example of creating a “community of learners” (Wenger, 2004). Older people have “funds of knowledge” (Gonzalez, Moll, Amati, 2005) and desire to share their experiences and interact with others.
So such collaboration in musicking is a positive experience for both age groups. I can see the benefits of utilising the musical experience of older people in school and preschool settings.
I would start with getting to know the families attending the centre and the music experiences they are already involved in. If found, interested volunteers will be invited to participate in classroom experiences of music making, e.g. introducing the musical instrument they can play during circle time. Like reading helpers at Prep, older people can be involved in formal and informal music sessions. That’s when musically educated older adults can participate and get involved.
