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Title
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Keeping the (heart)Beat: Music Therapy in the General Music Classroom
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Creator
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Elizabeth Lovell
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Degree Name
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Master of Arts in Teaching (initial licensure)
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Project Type
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Action Research Project
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Date
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6/15/2025
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Abstract
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This action research project investigates the effectiveness of integrating music therapy techniques into the elementary general music classroom as a response to the prevalence of trauma among students. The study explores how music therapy aligned activities impact student emotions, classroom environments, and student regulation. The study is grounded in the pedagogical theories of E. Thayer Gaston and trauma-informed education. Teaching journals, student self-assessments, behavioral observations, and informal feedback were assessed using qualitative research methods. Three main themes emerged: improvising together to improve relationships, creating and sharing to improve confidence and personal agency, deep listening for environmental and self-regulation. The research suggests that embedding music therapy principles into general music curriculum can create a more inclusive, expressive, and healing educational environment. This study advocates for the intentional integration of music therapy with music education.
Keywords: music therapy, elementary music education, trauma-informed teaching, student relationships, student agency, environmental regulation
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Keywords
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music therapy
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elementary music education
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trauma-informed teaching
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Committee Member
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Amy Bowden
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Melanie Landon-Hayes
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Rights
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Western Oregon University Library has determined, as of 06/20/2025, this item is in copyright, which is held by the author. Users may use the item in accordance with copyright limitations and exceptions, including fair use. For other uses, please ask permission from the author.
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https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en
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Language
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eng
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Type
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Text
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Identifier
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ElizabethLovell_ARP_2025
