The Yamaha Music In Education (MIE) is a turnkey program that uses technology to make teaching and learning more efficient and enjoyable for teachers and students. MIE uses a classroom of state-of-the-art keyboards as the learning interface. Students still sing, move and discuss music but also are able to play and compose.
The curriculum is concept-based, teaching the same musical concepts (note reading, melody, harmony, rhythm, form, texture etc) that would normally be taught in general music programs.
The six components of the MIE system are:
- Curriculum
- Music Literacy through Literature
- Technology
- Group Instruction
- Individualized Assessment
- Expert Thinking
Keitha Bledsoe, who teaches choral music and general music at Davidson Middle School in Crestview, Florida, said a pallet of MIE equipment boxes was waiting for her back at school. She said her music classrooms have been remodeled to accommodate the new equipment.
The 3-day training includes instructions on installing the Yamaha MIE equipment as well as well as the other system components like music literacy and individualized student assessments. Bledsoe said, “I am excited about what this to what this will mean to my students.”
She said there is strong support for the arts and a multi-disciplinary approach to music education in the Okaloosa school district where Davidson Middle School is located.
Keitha Bledsoe
Photos by Roz Fehr
Roz Fehr, NAfME Managing Editor for News, July 12, 2013. © National Association for Music Education
