Guest Blog: Georgia Neophytou

Music education in Cyprus is undergoing a reform, and from September will have a new curriculum. Inspector for Secondary Schools Georgia Neophytou tells us how she wants Musical Futures to help transform music learning in classrooms.

Music departments in Cyprus are often conservative, narrow minded, and traditional. The goal by implementing MF is to transform the whole classroom into a workshop. I want the desks and chairs removed, and for the students to be creative.

MF will help them with cooperative learning, to find out what their skills are, what strengths they have, to be more reflective, to take risks, and to enjoy learning. These are the skills they will need for their lives.

By implementing MF, I believe there will be more happiness and joy, and this is very important! With new technology our children are isolated, and this will give them the facility to come closer to their friends again. Also with their families, sharing their work, and helping them to feel their interests are valued in and out of school.

Most teachers were taught in a traditional way. So, they teach the way they were taught. Teacher training is part of the new reform, a new air in the classroom. I believe as an inspector, the greatest barrier we have is tradition. If you insist on something different, if you give training and persuade them this is a new way to engage our children, we will slowly see positive change. We have to be patient!

From September, I am insisting that we transform our system into a student orientated education, and through this we will achieve better results. I believe that Musical Futures will help us to succeed with this.