A Little Town in Northern Italy and Community

In the city of Reggio Emilia there are a group of early childhood educators who have changed the way many people envision education. The pre-school teachers who work in the Municipal Preschools of Reggio Emilia believe, among other things, that their schools must be an integral part of their local communities or neighborhoods. In a city that was designed for foot traffic rather than automobile traffic, this is more easily accomplished, logistically. At any rate, the idea is that the preschool and the community are in a relationship. The school is not seen as something apart from the everyday life of the community.

If this bond between school and community is important to the health and well-being of children’s education, then we might say that a similar connection should be part of each level education. And, if it’s important for each level of education, then it should be beneficial for each domain within education. Therefore, let us assume that a strong connection between music education and community is the ideal. The question we are left with is how might we accomplish this?

It’s easy to say “do this” and you will succeed; that mindset is folly. There are no silver bullets. Each community, each neighborhood, each school has its own unique social-cultural values. For example, a small community in the “bible belt” may not object to a musical celebration that combines the musical forces of local churches with those from the local schools. In another part of the country it might be that there is a strong tradition of Celtic music. Regardless of where we live and where we work and make music there are local communities of active participants in music that could enhance our students experiences by witnessing live music made by members of the local community.

In her book “How Popular Musicians Learn,” Lucy Green contends that making music once occupied a larger place in our society and that with a change of thinking and pedagogy, it can resume its place as a family and communal activity that all can enjoy. The question, then, is how might we change our thinking and pedagogy so that Green’s vision becomes a reality?