Teaching Popular Music in the Classroom explores approaches to teaching popular music from culturally rich communities in the United States. Students in the course will learn teaching methods that engage youth with the basics of improvisation, technology, songwriting, arranging film score, and writing to the strengths of small bands. The course models how to integrate principles of authentic cultural relevance and positive youth development with contemporary music instruction, while providing tools for assessing and documenting learning and program progress.
Students in the course will refine their own pedagogical skills, applying principles of contemporary music instruction. Content and approaches are intended for secondary music programs, but can be adapted for elementary grade levels. All lessons are based in core standards for music education with recommendations for assessments.
Status: Developing Training Materials
Developing Training Materials
Status: Music
Music
Intermediate·Course·8 hours
Featured reviews
4.0
·Reviewed Jan 7, 2021
we should have one on one vedio lessons with the tutors inorder to achieve even better learning process and also guidance.
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 2, 2024
I learned a lot from this course. thank you so much!
5.0
·Reviewed May 16, 2021
A well-thought-out course that dwells into the formalization of the music education ecosystem with assessments, technology, and lesson objectives.
5.0
·Reviewed Oct 14, 2020
It's an opportunity to step out of the box and create a culture of open-minded music educators.
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 24, 2022
Very helpful for me as a music teacher who teach in a large number of studetns's class. An definitely upgrade!
5.0
·Reviewed Apr 5, 2020
I wish it could be longer and with more videos of ALEXIS teaching. He is an inspiration!
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T
Theophilus
5.0
·Reviewed Sep 16, 2020
Excellent course! Great for educators. Enables and with various ideas and concepts guides the teacher on what to focus and what course of action to take in a lesson. The course takes into account one's culture without putting any one idea or style on a pedestal which everyone has to follow.
D
David
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 23, 2020
Excellent work, thanks for sharing, this course gives me tools to work with my students remotely and when possible in person
L
Luísa
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 18, 2020
I highly recommend this course for music teachers! Many interesting thoughts and great approach to different topics.
C
César
5.0
·Reviewed Oct 14, 2020
It's an opportunity to step out of the box and create a culture of open-minded music educators.
L
Laia
5.0
·Reviewed Apr 6, 2020
I wish it could be longer and with more videos of ALEXIS teaching. He is an inspiration!
R
Ricardo
4.0
·Reviewed May 2, 2020
It gives valuable points to take in consideration for teaching.
Great for teachers with experience or for people who want to teach in the future.
The downside is the final project. It took me two weeks to get it reviewed, it was frustrating.
K
Katrina
4.0
·Reviewed Nov 18, 2020
Thank you for the course! It was short, but I had some ideas during that for my own experience. I expected a bit more, but I guess, it is ok.
G
Georgios
4.0
·Reviewed Dec 7, 2020
Nice course and very good instructors
C
Chiara
3.0
·Reviewed Apr 3, 2020
The course is really nice however I feel it was lacking some depth. I am talking in comparison with other Berklee courses offered on Coursera (on other topics) and which offer many more insights and learning opportunities.
E
Erkan
3.0
·Reviewed Sep 20, 2020
Video tutorials covering apps could be a bit more.
F
Faith
5.0
·Reviewed Sep 27, 2023
The course covered a wide range of topics related to music education, including assessment and rubrics. I appreciated how the instructors emphasized the importance of using rubrics to evaluate student progress and provide feedback on their work. Overall, I feel much more confident in my ability to teach popular music in the classroom thanks to this course. Highly recommend it to anyone looking to expand their teaching skills!
J
Joy
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 29, 2026
I enjoyed taking this course so much! It gave me new ideas to explore in teaching, and challenged me in a good way of how I can incorporate contemporary music into my own teaching. I also very much appreciated the student focus and cultural awareness encouraged in the teaching style presented within this course.
D
Daniel
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 9, 2021
Excellent course! Teaching Improvisation, working with and setting up an ensemble, basics of improvisation, technology, songwriting, arranging, using DAW for both recording tracks as well as used for rehearsal backing tracks, teaching the wide cultures of music across the U.S.
L
Luis
5.0
·Reviewed Apr 14, 2021
Me gustó mucho el curso, me mostró recursos que no había implementado en mis clases y la forma en cómo tener control y creatividad en la clase de ensamble.
D
David
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 23, 2022
el curso es excelente, muchas gracias por permitirme hacer este curso, me gustaria mucho que estuviera subtitulado a español todo el curso.
gracias
R
Rahul
5.0
·Reviewed May 17, 2021
A well-thought-out course that dwells into the formalization of the music education ecosystem with assessments, technology, and lesson objectives.
W
Wee
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 25, 2022
Very helpful for me as a music teacher who teach in a large number of studetns's class. An definitely upgrade!
M
Maarten
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 13, 2025
I really loved the approach of this course and have enjoyed everything. Thanks again!
G
Gautam
5.0
·Reviewed Mar 12, 2023
This is a great course for any performing musician looking to get into the classroom.
A
Arturo
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 1, 2020
Excelente curso, excelentes ejemplos. Grandes maestros.