Music Instruction in the Public Elementary Schools in the Division of Quirino Sy 2003 – 2004

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This study intended to assess the Music Instruction in the public elementary schools in the Division of Quirino during the School Year 2003 – 2004.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following problems:

1. What is the profile of the teachers teaching Music as to: age, sex, civil status, highest educational attainment, professional eligibility, designation/position, number of seminars attended in music as to: local/district, regional, national, and special skills/talents in Music?
   
   
2. To what extent is the attainment of objectives of the public elementary Music Education in the Division of Quirino based on the three behavioral domains of learning?
   
   
3. What is extent on the use of the teaching strategies and materials used in teaching music?
   
   
4. What is the degree of difficulty encountered by the pupils in learning music theory and skills based on the three behavioral domains of learning?
   
   
5. What activities teachers have been undertaken by the teachers to enhance music instruction and appreciation of music?
   
   
6. What problems were encountered by the teacher-respondents in the teaching of Music and to what degree are these felt?

The researcher used the Descriptive Survey Method in the research activity covering the entire DepEd division. Questionnaire was the data gathering tool distributed to music teachers jointly identified by the researcher and the Music Supervisor. Weighted Mean was used in treating the data gathered.

Summary of Findings

Majority of the teacher respondents belonged to the early. All the respondents were non-music major but some possessed innate skills/talents in music. Ninety-nine percent of the teacher-respondents were eligible to teach in the elementary.

There were more seminars/training attended in the local/district than in the regional and national levels. There was a satisfactory attainment of the cognitive objectives in music based on the average mean of 3.19 or “good.”

There was a very high attainment of the affective objectives based on the mean of 3.57 or “very good.”

Majority of the provisions under the attainment of the psychomotor objectives were rated “fair” with a mean ranges from 1.55 to 2.34. The extent on the use of the various strategies in teaching music rated “moderately often”.

The use of the various materials and equipment in teaching music rated “slightly often”.

As to the difficulty encountered by pupils in the three domains of learning the cognitive domain was found “slightly difficult” with 2.39 mean; affective domain rated “moderately difficult” with 2.58 mean and the psychomotor had the highest rating of 3.73 mean or “difficult”.

There were various musical activities provided to the pupils to develop their musical inclination but more frequency on most of the activities is needed.

The administrators were supportive morally to their teachers in conducting music activities. However, financial support and lack of planning in developing music appreciation was felt to be “very serious” problems. Moreover, lack of knowledge and interest on the importance of music was felt to be “serious” problem of the school heads.

The data revealed that the teachers need more in-depth knowledge and skills in teaching music.

On problems encountered by pupils in learning music, it was found out that inability to provide required musical devices/instruments was the most serious problem encountered.

As to the problems encountered by teachers on instructional materials in teaching music, lack of musical instruments was felt to be the most serious problem encountered.

Conclusions

Many of the teacher-respondents were young in the field of teaching, thereby more opportunities for professional development be done through formal and informal training particularly in the teaching of music.

There is a need of professionally qualified teachers to teach music in the elementary.

Only a few were qualified based on their innate talent in music.

There is a need to upgrade higher educational attainment of the majority of the teachers.

Very few attended the regional and national seminars/trainings in music.

There was a favorable attainment of the cognitive objectives and very satisfactory attainment of the effective objectives domains of learning. On the contrary, the psychomotor objectives need to be improved on its attainment.

There was a favorable extent on the use of the various strategies in teaching music. The use of the audio-visual materials and musical instruments were slightly often.

There is a serious necessity to solve the problems encountered by the teachers on the four categories such as administrative support, teachers, pupils, and on instructional materials/instruments.

Recommendations

1. There is a need to further uplift the professional development of the teachers through the graduate studies program or attendance to in-service training especially in the regional or national levels.
   
   
2. There is a need for closer supervision of the teachers particularly the newly appointed ones.
   
   
3. There is a need for more learning activities and longer sessions on the application of musical concepts learned to attain the desired objectives of music education.
   
   
4. Better program planning on musical activities is encouraged to be conducted within the school, interschool, or division wide such as children’s choir, creative music and movements, and playing musical instruments.
   
   
5. There is a need to advocate the importance of music to all the teachers and administrators for better support and planning of music education in the public elementary schools.
   
   
6. There is a need for more acquisition of reference materials and musical instruments to effectively realize the objectives of music education.

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