Adult and child's hands on a piano

Music’s Lisa Huisman Koops and alumni publish research on music education

Lisa Huisman Koops, associate professor of music, was involved in the publication of two recent articles on music education. She and PhD graduates Christa R. Kuebel (GRS ‘17, music education) and Vanessa L. Bond (GRS ’12, music education) had an article published in the Journal of Music Teacher Education titled “Cultivating teachers of general music methods: The graduate school years.”

Additionally, Huisman Koops had an article published in General Music Today titled “Classroom Management for Early Childhood Music Settings.”

“Cultivating teachers of general music methods: The graduate school years”

Huisman Koops and PhD graduates Kuebel and Bond’s research essay, “Cultivating teachers of general music methods: The graduate school years,” is an autonarrative inquiry. It explored the professional identity development and mentoring relationships of three general music teacher educators during their time at one university. They used experiences from the General Music Methods course at Case Western Reserve University, serving the roles of educator, learner and co-learner over a ten-year period. Investigating the process of becoming a general music methods instructor provided important insights concerning the impact of time, people and places on the transition from music teacher to music teacher educator.

Read “Cultivating teachers of general music methods: The graduate school years.”

“Classroom Management for Early Childhood Music Settings”

In Huisman Koops’ article “Classroom Management for Early Childhood Music Settings,” she argued that classroom management is a common concern for pre-service teachers and can be a key to success for in-service teachers. She discussed six strategies for classroom management:

  • Designing and leading engaging music activities;
  • Employing music-rich transitions;
  • Balancing familiarity and novelty;
  • Planning for success;
  • Communicating clear expectations; and
  • Practicing mindfulness.

Read “Classroom Management for Early Childhood Music Settings.”