Part 1:

I am feeling very confident at the moment. I have completed all my tasks before the due dates, which usually never happens in my case. I have decided to hand in all my work on the submission date rather than waiting to submit on the actual due date; this has helped me a lot and I am managing my time regarding studies much better. I am a single mom, and I have a full time job so managing my time has always been an issue. Luckily I am getting better at it and I give 100% of my time, effort and energy to all three areas. So far my week has been great, and I am in a good mindset at the moment. 

Part 2:

I learnt a variety of new things regarding music and what should be taught in the Foundation Phase. The most interesting and significant concept I learnt and was made aware of is how the different ages have specific requirements on how grasping the concept of music; this is very important because if you teach music and you are not aware of these developmental stages you could actually harm the process of the child's development when it comes to teaching music in a specific age group within the Foundation Phase. Piaget's cognitive development theory and how this module interlinks the teaching of music according to the operational stages was very insightful. 

Part 3:

1. I am very confident at the moment in teaching music through movement in the FP. I studied music and obtained UNISA certificates in playing the piano. I am very passionate about music in general and this module has taught me insightful things that I can use to improve my understanding of the 'actual' teaching of music. I teach 4 year old's at the moment and I incorporate music in most activities on a daily basis. My confident levels have definitely improved, due to the fact that I have gained so much knowledge regarding teaching and integrating of music in the FP.

2. If I had to choose between the two, I would lean more into choosing music education. The reason for this choice is as follows: Children in general are very active at school, they learn through play in most aspects and concepts. Physical development happens either way, whereas music is not that present in most school curriculums. Music education has many benefits regarding the holistic developmental needs of children. According to Martin (2014) music enhances language skills; this can aid learners in improving their communication skills and also learning additional languages. Music has been proven to enhance the scores of written tests; Martin (2014) states that children who have music education in their curriculum have better test scores than those who do not. Music is a confidence booster and children develop a better self-esteem (Martin,2014). I can totally agree with this, children love to be acknowledged and enjoy anything when it is fun and creative. Music is a platform which allows children to experiment, learn knew things, and express themselves in a creative way which automatically boosts their confidence levels. Music has also shown improvement in Listening and Mathematical skills. Music and Mathematics go hand in hand; if a child understands certain concepts of Music they understand Mathematical concepts as well (Martin, 2014). Overall I find Music education has more pros when it comes to the holistic developmental needs of a child, and schools should incorporate music education into their curriculums. Many studies have shown that Music is an important aspect in a child's development, especially cognitive development and this just proves how important Music education actually is.

Martin, L. (2014) 10 Benefits of Music Education for Students, Available at: https://www.learningliftof.com/ten-benefits-of-music-education-for-students/ (Accessed: 12 August 2021).