A Classroom, Reimagined Through Music
When a MAD Leadership Foundation scholar began working in a community music education project in Makhanda, Eastern Cape in South Africa, he entered a setting defined by a familiar reality in many under-resourced schools: committed young learners, but limited access to instruments, structured music teaching, and consistent learning tools.
His role focused on supporting learners’ musical development and personal growth. This meant introducing foundational music concepts such as rhythm, technique, and expression, while creating space for learners to participate actively and learn from one another. Within programme guidelines, he also responded to immediate classroom needs and contributed to regular reflection processes aimed at improving delivery.
Early on, he encountered a practical constraint that would shape his approach. In a session where only one instrument was available for a large group, the lesson could not proceed as planned. Instead of pausing learning, he restructured the class. Learners rotated through stations focused on rhythm clapping, call-and-response theory, and short instrument practice. Peer learning was introduced by inviting confident learners to support others during rotation, ensuring that every learner remained engaged.
What began as an adaptation in one lesson gradually informed a broader way of working.
This approach contributed to three connected programmes within the initiative.
Access Music Project (AMP) Tutoring, a music education centre in Makhanda, provides structured music theory support to approximately 50 learners, aligned with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) standards. Learner progress is tracked through ongoing assessments, supporting steady development from foundational knowledge to more advanced theory.
The Graeme Orchestral Programme was developed through collaboration with Rhodes University’s Music Department, which provided an instrument loan to support learning. The programme offers weekly instrumental lessons, including marimba, while strengthening music literacy and theoretical understanding.
The IMBEWU Project introduces the “My Music, My Classroom” curriculum to foundation phase learners (Grade R–3). Using English and isiXhosa songs and games, it integrates music with numeracy, literacy, and life skills, supported by structured lesson plans and classroom-ready materials.
Together, these programmes extend access to music education in a context where such opportunities are often limited. They also contribute to wider educational outcomes, including participation, confidence, and collaborative learning.
The initiative remains based in Makhanda and operates at a community level, shaped by ongoing refinement and practical experience in classrooms.
Looking ahead, the focus is on strengthening sustainability through train-the-trainer models, expanding partnerships to support instruments and resources, and extending reach to additional schools and community spaces. Central to this next phase is ensuring that local educators and emerging facilitators are equipped to continue and adapt the work over time.
From a single classroom challenge, a practical approach to teaching has taken shape, one that responds to constraints with structure, builds participation through inclusion, and strengthens learning through collaboration.
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