Music Education Course

Music Education Course, Primary and Secondary Education

Teachers equipped with music performance skills and practical teaching skills

Teachers do not just teach to children what they have learned from the university professors – they strive to create their own classes. To do this in the field of music, they work not only to improve their own musical performance, but also to acquire a deep understanding of the theoretical aspects of music. The goal is to create classes where music is understood as a component of human culture, and where music experiences are interpreted broadly, from the processes and background to musical works and performances.

Prospective Students

• Individuals who have a strong desire to work in the teaching profession, and the ambition to improve both their musical performance skills and practical teaching skills.
• Individuals who are interested in acquiring skills to develop music learning activities that are needed in contemporary education.

Students start studying in their freshman year the fundamental skills necessary for conducting a music class, skills which must be gradually acquired with practice. From the second year, they deepen their understanding of both the practical and theoretical aspects of subject specialization. At the same time, in terms of subject pedagogy, they engage in the practical study of the education and classroom theories that apply to music as a subject, and the use of ICT in education. At the "Regular Concert" which is held every February, and planned and organized by the students themselves, they demonstrate the outcomes of their first year of study and reflect back on what they have learned.

Classes are held within a system that equips students with the ability to use the knowledge and skills learned in their subject specialization classes in the school classroom based on the theories of subject pedagogy. For example, many vocal and piano lessons are held in a format where performances in groups can be compared and critiqued by other students. This allows students to experience the actual processes introduced in the music education methods class by which children express themselves and acquire skills through the ingenuity of musical expression. When conducting mock classes or demonstration classes, we have a system whereby students receive advice from faculty members in both subject specialization and subject pedagogy.

To acquire practical teaching skills, students accumulate teaching practicum experience over their four years of university study, from the observation-based practicum (compulsory for freshmen) to experiential practicums (elective for sophomores), and through their basic teaching practicum (compulsory for juniors), and a supplementary practicum (elective for seniors). Efforts are made to connect each teaching practicum opportunity to the Music Education Course classes.

Areas of Study

Music Education, Musical Instrument (Piano, Percussion, Koto, Shamisen), Vocal Music, Musicology, Musical Composition