Kansas Music Standard #2: The teacher of music has skills in improvising melodies, variations and accompaniments.

Knowledge

• The teacher understands how to perform written accompaniments on the music keyboard or chord instrument and how to transpose accompaniments to appropriate keys.

Performance

• The teacher improvises accompaniments that are stylistically appropriate.
• The teacher improvises original melodies in a variety of styles, over given harmonic progression each in a consistent style, meter, and tonality.
• The teacher uses resources to illustrate and teach improvisation.
• The teacher performs simple accompaniments appropriate for classroom use.
• The teacher transposes on musical instruments at sight.

Improvisation is important in the music classroom because it not only builds upon prior musical knowledge but is a real-time application of that knowledge and creativity. To supplement improvisation in the classroom I have many experiences and plans. I plan to improvise melodies and accompaniments while in the classroom. In my piano class, one of the assignments we would practice during class was improvisation of accompaniment given only a chord progression as seen through this exercise example. This will allow me to model improvisation for the students as well as making students more comfortable with improvisation. I have lesson plans which reinforce the necessity of improvisation with the students. As seen through the lessonplan, my participation and planning will allow the students to become more comfortable with improvisation so future lessons could build upon this improvisation and aid the students through their learning.