This insightful and engaging collection of pre-band instrument learning experiences will help guide students from their unique, place-based lived experiences with music towards an understanding of music literacy. Through a collaborative and student-centred culture of learning, students will engage in a variety of music-making activities (improvisation, dictation, and composition) to prepare them to be competent readers and writers of the graphic or conventional notations they will soon be playing.
 
There is no one way to teach music, and probably not even a best way.  “Best Practices” should describe your own best practice as a music teacher, and the material that follows is just that - my personal attempt to achieve my best personal teaching practice.  Please feel free to adapt any of my suggestions to best suit your unique and personal best practice. 
Paul Hutten