Informal Learning That Captures Curiosity and Builds Creativity
At Monrad Intermediate, music is designed to spark curiosity, capture imagination, and offer students a broad taste of what music-making can be. Music Specialist Jon Clark leads a highly practical, hands-on programme that prioritises engagement over written work, recognising the limited time available for classroom music.
Learn more about Jon's inspiring program in this quick interview:
Students explore a wide range of instruments, including pitched and unpitched percussion, ukuleles, guitars, and keyboards. Lessons are energetic and interactive, often built around games and collaborative activities that draw students into music quickly. With only 10 to 20 hours of music lessons per year, the focus is on meaningful experiences rather than formal assessment.
Afternoon specialist groups provide pathways for students who want to go further, offering opportunities in bands, instrumental learning, and digital music. These groups extend the informal ethos of the classroom into deeper musical exploration.
After attending his first Musical Futures course several years ago, Jon Clark made significant changes to his teaching practice. Resources such as Everyone Can Play and Groove Your Classroom became central, particularly for ukulele and percussion, and were adapted to suit the school’s context. Over time, this approach has continued to evolve, shaping both classroom and specialist programmes.
Check out Jon's personal blog here for more on how his program has developed in innovative ways
Digital music now plays a growing role, informed by Musical Futures models such as Explore, Recreate, and Create, alongside video resources focused on Electronic Music Pedagogy. Band ensemble resources have also proven valuable as starting points for school rock bands, supporting students to collaborate and perform with confidence.
Freed from the constraints of strict curriculum or examination requirements, the programme remains highly responsive to student interests. Using familiar and relevant music as a starting point helps build immediate connection, while an increasing emphasis on creativity has led to high-quality outcomes. Recent student work includes digital compositions, remixes, and an original song created by the school band.
At Monrad Intermediate, informal learning is not a philosophy in theory, but a lived practice that allows students to discover music as something personal, social, and worth pursuing.
Read more about some of the work Jon has been doing at Monrad Intermediate here.