Abstract:
Beginning school is a significant event in a child,s life. It is what the "big kids" do and promises to be not the beginning, but the continuation, of a life-long educational journey. For some, the transition from early childhood to primary contexts is a major change and a disturbing time for children and their families. This article discusses issues relating to transition including readiness, classroom environment and the child,s voice, with a focus on the role that music plays in enculturating children into a new learning environment. The dialogue is contextualised within the narrative of an imagined boy, Joseph, who is about to start school. Two classroom settings are described and critiqued, and contrasts between the two are discussed. Relevant literature, including Te Whāriki and the New Zealand Curriculum, supports the discussion, with a particular focus on the socio-cultural paradigm of music education in New Zealand and its contribution to classroom environment and learning.
