At the Antoni Botey school in Llefia de Badalona, a unique musical project takes place – the Botey Band. This project brings an innovative approach to teaching music education, which enables children to learn and get to know music in a practical way. We had the opportunity to visit this project, as part of the Equality and network training course within Erasmus+, on Friday, December 15, 2023.
Entering the classrooms where the Botey Band takes place was extraordinary. The lively sounds of various musical instruments created an atmosphere of creativity and learning from a distance. The children were divided into groups according to the musical instrument they liked. Those who knew a little more taught those who were not so good at playing instruments. Even older students who no longer attend the school come back to help the younger ones. Despite the initial impression of chaos, an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual learning was noticeable.
In the beginning, they only had a few instruments, which were either already available or were kindly donated by the teachers. Over the years, their collection grew and grew and is now very extensive. From various guitars, drums, various pianos and percussion instruments. The number and variety of instruments was truly impressive. I think this is excellent because there is something for everyone’s liking. That also enables each child to have their own instrument, making learning faster and more effective.
The project is based on ‘Learning for service’ system (L4S). This means that children have the opportunity to learn something and then give back to the community by showcasing their knowledge. To give something back. In the case of our project, they do this with concerts where children demonstrate their newly acquired skills. The children also played a piece they had learned for us. It’s quite inspiring how well children play instruments despite having no formal musical education. You can see that sparkle in their eyes when they are really enjoying it.
This innovative approach to music education should, in my opinion, become a standard in educational institutions around the world. By encouraging hands-on learning and creativity, children can develop their musical talent and love for music. The Botey Band sets an example of how creativity and a different teaching approach can foster a child’s personal and artistic growth. If you would like to see what they do in practice, you can visit them on their Instagram profile @boteyband. I would like to thank the school for introducing us to their project and to association La Rotllana, which made it possible for us to experience it.
