Experts in child psychology and pedagogy concur that how children are schooled today seriously conflicts with how they learn and develop. Children are being left behind and the promises and possibilities of childhood are slipping away. This book aims to disclose a deeper understanding of music's importance in children's lives and their need to know, explore, wonder, and play. Directed toward music teachers, teacher educators, and scholars, this text invites inquiries and provides insights into contemporary challenges to learning and teaching in an era of standardization. A compendium of essays, classroom voices and vignettes is supported by relevant research in music education and companion disciplines in psychology, philosophy, and sociology. Storytelling with scholarship contributes authenticity and strengthens the premise of this book.

Danette Littleton is a retired professor of music education and a former music teacher in elementary and preschools. She lectures and writes on children's musical development, specifically the relationship between music learning and play. Her first book When Music Goes to School: Perspectives on Learning and Teaching is available through Rowman and Littlefield.