My experience is mostly from Ontario, and some from Nova Scotia, Canada.

I can't much remember my elementary school music teachers. My report cards were not flattering about my music efforts (quite poor actually), in spite of the fact that I had serious private training plus twice weekly choral experience via the church choir. It's likely that my school marks were a function of bad behavior and an unwillingness to look like a sissy to my peers.

I know a few current elementary school music teachers who are very hip and have developed a sort of cult of personality. Music class appears to be way more hip today than when I was in school.

Since I teach private music lessons for a living, I see what little music kids are getting today. Few know anything about reading or theory, or how to sing, and singing appears to be all most schools will do, instruments having disappeared from most schools. There are exceptions, and they appear to be principal and teacher driven, the school boards being disinterested.

It is my belief that rhythm can be taught to primary grades through aural and visual means supported by basic hand drums. I also believe that pitch recognition and basic reading can be taught soon after, using keyboards, pennywhistles (more managable than the current recorders that are used) and ukuleles in the absence of other instruments. If I were king...

Parents complain to me about the unimaginative programs, lack of staffing, very infrequent classes, unruly behavior, and lack of any real objective in elementary school music. I would agree.

Peace, Mooh.