THE USE OF METAL AND PLASTIC WASTES IN THE TEACHING OF MUSIC IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTING
Abstrak: The teaching of
simple musical production is one of common practice in Indonesian early childhood
education. This however is accompanied by the fact that most Indonesian early childhood
centers has no ability to provide musical instrument to supports their
children’s learning. Considering that
exposure to music
is essentially importance
to encourage children’s sense of
aesthetics the Semarang University’s Department of Early Childhood Education initiated
a short course
on the teaching
of music to
young children for
the teachers of disadvantaged
centers. Unlike typical
course on music,
in this short
course plastic and metal
wastes were used
to substitute musical
instruments. The wastes
were those, which can produce the sound of percussions, such as used
water gallons, jerry cans, and
metal biscuit cans.
Percussions are chosen
considering the fact
that the teaching
of music in Indonesia
is combined with
fine motor development
stimulation. In addition, percussion is
much simpler for
children to play compared to
others. At the
end of the short course, the department has learnt
that not only the program has given an alternative for the
teachers of how
to teach music
to their children,
but also has
given them much confidence to do that. On the other
hand, even though the use of plastic and metal wastes were also an emergency
exit strategy, somehow the teachers have learnt to not depend on the “real”,
mostly expensive musical instruments amidst the lack of financial support. This
has also allowed teacher to not ask for more money from the parents.
Author: Agustinus Arum Eka
Nugroho
Journal Code: jppaudsdgg120002
