Enhancing General Music through the Ukulele

After finding a cheap orange ukulele at a music store during her first year of college, music teacher Shelbi Busche has made the instrument an important part of her classroom experience — from arrangements, to demonstrations, to developing extensive ukulele curricula.

In a recent article on the the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) website, Busche shares information from her clinic, "All Uke Can Do: Enhancing General Music through the Ukulele" — the focus of which is four-step sequence on how to use it in your classroom.

• Experience — Because students are more motivated to learn a song they feel positive about, try to create a positive experience in how the song is introduced (through a story, dance, game, etc.)

• Comprehension — Help students learn the full musical staff, with the help of color-coding and stickers.

• Application — Allow students to apply their comprehension to the music of the ukulele, and have the students themselves choose the way in which they want to work. 

• Extension — After students have mastered a song, allow them to create (and eventually perform) their own arrangement of the song, which will give them a sense of pride and accomplishment.

View more details on Busche's "All Uke Can Do" website (or if you happen to be attending the NAfME National Conference in October, you can attend her clinic for more concrete tools of ukulele classroom instruction).