Ahhhh! A Sigh of relief as we conclude this semester with my final assignment "using music in the foundation phase".

What did you learn from your individual reflection? As a unique individual I was able to reflect on the work and ideas that I had put together. This has given me a chance to motivate myself in everyday life to be the best I can be.

What did you find challenging? Being a distant student it was difficult for me to keep up with the updates and with our current load shedding situation it simply became very challenging.

Did you find the individual reflections meaningful? Please motivate your answer.

Yes, it was meaningful as I was able to reflect on all my thoughts and ideas about music. Lskm has broadened my understanding of music . The elements of music help to broaden my knowledge and understand better.

What would you change if you had the opportunity in future?

As a Music lover I would have had more zoom interactive meetings with students and motivate one and other about the various avenues that music hold.

What did you find interesting and meaningful?

Music develops a child holistically and they are a contributing factor to having fun.

What challenged you, and what do you still struggle to understand?

Assignments because all the ideas I had were already stated on the internet. I found it challenging because as a distant student to tackle so many assignments for one module.

What didn’t you find valuable for your future teaching practice?

The content we received from Lskm 221 has given me a chance to understand music better.

Hi everyone!

Hope you guys are well and catching up on the latter parts of our assignments and tests. LSKM is a very interesting module as it has shown me how children in foundation phase can learn through music. LSKM has guided me a  future foundation phase educator to incorporate music in my subjects so that they are fun and children begin to display a sense of being focused and entertained.

What could the reason be that assessment is neglected in performing art and music in the foundation phase?

• Teachers feel that Mathematics and English are far more important than music.
• There are not enough qualified educators in Music and performing arts.
• Insufficient resources as this indicates that learners are not exposed to Music on a large scale but only by pictures.
• The timetable that is set out by the school does not cater for music assessments.

Explain how you would advocate for higher awareness about the importance of assessment when speaking with your HOD about your concerns in this regard.

• Firstly I will indicate that music is part of the life skills curriculum.
• Demonstration will be done as to how music benefits a child.
• By identifying learners that had learning problems in  and how music transformed them by gaining their attention.
• Showing the HOD how children gain self confidence.
• Children are more outspoken/ express their feelings.

Music lessons must be set out in advance and it must cater for all learners in the classroom. A teacher should prepare the lesson before coming to the classroom. This simply planning tool can make teaching and learning easy.

Hi guys ,hope you all are well and safe. Remember to wear your mask , sanitize regularly and maintain social distance when going out in public as we are still experiencing this pandemic. This week has been crazy with all the assignments , tests and blogs that we need to update. 

Study unit 3 has made understand how important play is in the foundation phase as it helps learners to develop psychologically, intellectually , emotionally and socially. The characteristics of play has shown me how an individuals experience can help one to be motivated and learn through play. The levels of social play has shown me how each one is different and these levels has shown me that as a foundation phase educator I need to expose my learners to the various levels of social play. Many researchers has shown us that the elements of play cultivates a child to develop in all areas from an early age.

After reading the scenario I have noticed that embarrassment is a key factor that is displayed by this learner merely because it is not the language that one can identify with and the other learner made it known that it is against her religious values to dance therefore this made her feel uncomfortable. This has shown us how children are suffering with the education system that does not favor their beliefs and values. Educators need to research the various background of learners before commencing with lessons.

As a foundation phase educator  the teacher from the scenario should give learners option as to what they are comfortable with or rather teach them in their in their mother tongue so that they are comfortable.  In the future regular questions and feedback should be given to learners. These learners need to gain a sense of confidence so that they feel free to express themselves. Currently with the large numbers at school it is difficult to accommodate every learners cultural backgrounds so therefore we as foundation phase educators need to consider learning and thinking styles that are universal amongst learners. Our role in learning support is to provide a safe and nurturing environment where the holistic learner is being accommodated.

1. As Foundation phase teacher I would choose indigenous African music as it has various social components such as story telling, games ,develops learners language and communication skills. African music style teaches learners to practice what they have learnt as they sing and play together by rhythmic singing and clapping to learners games.

2. Yes, study unit 2 covers a broader aspect of the components of music that is inclusive for foundation phase learning. Therefore activities should be formulated to create for the diverse learners needs and interests. 

3. I will adapt more interactive activities that learners can enjoy in fun ways. I would firstly teach leaners on the songs and the types musical instruments that they enjoy and then build on the knowledge that they have. As Piaget indicates learners assimilate on their existing knowledge by forming schemas and then they equilibrate the information for better music understanding.

1. I firmly believe  that art integration in foundation phase develops a child holistically, physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. Especially in foundation phase art enriches a child's learning experience because it provides multiple pathways for children to learn. It develops fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. it captivates learners and their attention span, therefore this decreases disciplinary problems in class. The art integrated program provides children with opportunities to experiment with materials, but express what they are learning by using visual and spatial symbols. This also allows for children to express their ideas and emotion when learning arts.

2. a) I found learning about music integration and it's concepts to be very enriching. As music plays a vital role to enhance learners musical knowledge and also learnt music can be expressed in six different ways. After reading over study unit 4 I have learnt that children develop their motor skills, language skills, social skills and inventiveness through the art of music.

b) What i found challenging is that integrating music with other subjects may confuse learners with music and maths hence learners won't be able to identify division and multiplication related to note values.

1. My confidence level has allowed me to widen musical horizons and ambitions. As a Foundation Phase teacher I'm very enthusiastic about teaching and learning music. Hence music brings out one's self confidence that they enjoy. Therefore I embark on teaching learners to be able to cope with emotions that can be expressed through music. The music skills, knowledge and confidence will allow me to teach with a more deeper understanding and an enjoyable experience.

2. Music education plays a vital role in the holistic development of a child. In the foundation phase classes learners are taught rhymes that they enjoy and utilize their bodies during performing arts. A child cognitive levels are expanded when they assimilate ideas from one to another. As Vygotsky indicates learners learn best through social interaction. Therefore learners are grouped when delivering activities. Learners personal development is tested when they are given projects that needs to be accomplished by themselves. Numeracy and literacy development becomes more understandable when they sing a poem/rhyme that they can identify with. Most children express their emotions through music.