Building Strong Music Programs: A Handbook for Preservice and Novice Music Teachers

For music education majors and new music teachers of all levels, Ryan (music education, Berkelee College of Music) details how to create and develop a music program. She focuses on the many roles music teachers play and ways to build a community of support within and outside the school. She covers aspects such as repertoire, curriculum, budget, assessment, classroom management, student leadership ideas, activities such CDs, field trips, and music camps, making music education accessible to all students, types of performances and courses, and publicity. There is no index. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Charlene Ryan is associate professor of music education at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and is the former chair of music education at McGill University in Montreal. She has taught at all school levels from pre-kindergarten through secondary school, and specializes in elementary music education. Professor Ryan founded the successful Very Little Musicians and Little Musicians early childhood program in Montreal, and she is past-president of the Quebec Music Educators Association.