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How Children Ascribe Meaning to Improvisation and Composition: rethinking pedagogy in music education (Reading 1)
January 12, 2020
This article is about a study, conducted by Pamela Burnard, about how children’s musical experiences contributed to their overall idea and approach to playing through improvisation and compositions. Ms. Burnard interviewed eighteen, 12-year-old children and learned about their positive and negative musical experiences. From the data they collected, they discovered that most children defined improvisation and composition as separate and distinct, interconnected, and as the same concept, no differences. I think that improvisation and compositions are distinct and separate concepts. Even though they may share some similar qualities, they are both very different. Before I read this article, I thought that improvised works and compositions were similar because sometimes you can use an improvised piece in a composition. However, I discovered, while reading the article, that when you take an improvised piece, write it down and add more layers, it becomes a composed piece. I found it a bit surprising near the end of the article when Ms. Burnard said that based on the data she collected; they should include improvisation in the music curriculum for younger music students. This surprised me because I was always taught to play exactly what was on the page. Adding improvisation to the curriculum encourage a whole new generation of musicians to play with a sense of freedom and creativity, through both improvisation and internalizing composed works. Ms. Burnard also mentioned that if music students are able to reflect on and talk about improvisation and compositions, they will have the right necessities to bring new pieces to life and improvise their own musical phrases. All musicians are different, so the way they internalize music, especially improvised works, will vary depending on their musical style. So, the way that each student interprets improvisation and composed works was the main focus of this article, and I think it would be an effective concept to teach to up and coming musicians.
References
Burnard, P. (2000). How Children Ascribe Meaning to Improvisation and Composition:
rethinking pedagogy in music education. Music Education Research, 2(1), 7-23. doi:
10.1080/14613800050004404.
January 12, 2020
This article is about a study, conducted by Pamela Burnard, about how children’s musical experiences contributed to their overall idea and approach to playing through improvisation and compositions. Ms. Burnard interviewed eighteen, 12-year-old children and learned about their positive and negative musical experiences. From the data they collected, they discovered that most children defined improvisation and composition as separate and distinct, interconnected, and as the same concept, no differences. I think that improvisation and compositions are distinct and separate concepts. Even though they may share some similar qualities, they are both very different. Before I read this article, I thought that improvised works and compositions were similar because sometimes you can use an improvised piece in a composition. However, I discovered, while reading the article, that when you take an improvised piece, write it down and add more layers, it becomes a composed piece. I found it a bit surprising near the end of the article when Ms. Burnard said that based on the data she collected; they should include improvisation in the music curriculum for younger music students. This surprised me because I was always taught to play exactly what was on the page. Adding improvisation to the curriculum encourage a whole new generation of musicians to play with a sense of freedom and creativity, through both improvisation and internalizing composed works. Ms. Burnard also mentioned that if music students are able to reflect on and talk about improvisation and compositions, they will have the right necessities to bring new pieces to life and improvise their own musical phrases. All musicians are different, so the way they internalize music, especially improvised works, will vary depending on their musical style. So, the way that each student interprets improvisation and composed works was the main focus of this article, and I think it would be an effective concept to teach to up and coming musicians.
References
Burnard, P. (2000). How Children Ascribe Meaning to Improvisation and Composition:
rethinking pedagogy in music education. Music Education Research, 2(1), 7-23. doi:
10.1080/14613800050004404.
Musical Rivers
January 12, 2020
January 12, 2020
My musical experience began when I was about 2 years old, my parents signed me up for group piano lessons. I started private piano lessons when I was 4.
When I was about 4 years old, my Montessori School class went on a field trip to Aeolian Hall to see a musician perform. He had drums, guitars, and a piano and he asked if someone from the audience wanted to join him on stage and play something. So, little 4-year-old me raised her hand, and the guy picked me to go up on the stage. So, I sat on the piano bench (my feet couldn’t even reach the floor) and I played a few pieces I knew from my Piano Suzuki Book, and I got a standing ovation.
I went to my first elementary school at age 6, and I became part of the choir. At the time, my friends dropped out of the choir and tried to get me to leave as well. However, I enjoyed singing in the choir so much, so I stayed despite what my friends said because it’s what I wanted to do.
When I was in grade 4, my mom had me audition for St. Mary Choir and Orchestra School. I was accepted and switched schools that fall (the school teaches children from grades 5-8). At St. Mary’s, I learned how to play the violin and sing in a more advanced choir.
When I was 9 years old, I asked my mom if I could start taking flute lessons. So, my parents got me a flute for my birthday, and I started taking flute lessons a few weeks later. My first flute teacher was amazing, she was kind, encouraging, and a great teacher. One time, she ran a contest for her students, those who won would be given the opportunity to play with her and her orchestra. I was the youngest student chosen and playing with that orchestra was such an incredible experience.
My flute teacher moved away after teaching me for about a year. I was sad when she left because she was incredible. Later that year my parents signed me up for flute lessons with a different teacher, this teacher was pretty good. But about a year or so later, she moved away as well. So, I gave up on playing the flute because I didn’t think I’d find a teacher that would actually stay. I think I was 12 when that happened.
Even though I quit playing the flute, I continued playing the violin, because it was through my school, and the piano. I took my grade 6 piano exam when I was in grade 7.
When I went to high school (Catholic Central High School), I was in both the vocal and string programs. There, I met the string teacher who became one of my role models when I thought about post-secondary education. Not many people liked her for their own reasons, but I looked up to her and admired her as a teacher and a person. I also got a couple music awards every year at CCH which sort of helped influence my love for music because I felt like this is something I enjoy and that I’m sort of good at.
Sometime in grade 9, I took to take my grade 8 piano exam and I also started private violin lessons. I considered stopping piano lessons after that exam because I felt that I wanted to play the violin more than the piano. After a few arguments with my parents we decided that I would finish my lessons till the end of high school, but I didn’t have to take any more exams.
In March of grade 11, I switched violin teachers so that I could work on more advanced repertoire for when I would audition for universities. Grade 11 was also the year I felt that music, especially the violin, was something I wanted to continue in my post-secondary education.
My string teacher at CCH, my parents, and my violin teacher were all very supportive and helpful when I began preparing for my university auditions. It was not an easy process.
Part-way through my grade 12th year, I started feeling afraid of going to university, and because of that, I didn’t practice as much, and I started to fall behind. All because of that fear. I had a lot of arguments with my parents because of this.
One day, there was this random spark inside of me and I realized that I really want to go to university (Western as my first choice). I wanted to learn more about music, meet new people, and work hard so that one day, I can become a teacher and inspire young students the way my mom and music teachers inspired me.
When I was about 4 years old, my Montessori School class went on a field trip to Aeolian Hall to see a musician perform. He had drums, guitars, and a piano and he asked if someone from the audience wanted to join him on stage and play something. So, little 4-year-old me raised her hand, and the guy picked me to go up on the stage. So, I sat on the piano bench (my feet couldn’t even reach the floor) and I played a few pieces I knew from my Piano Suzuki Book, and I got a standing ovation.
I went to my first elementary school at age 6, and I became part of the choir. At the time, my friends dropped out of the choir and tried to get me to leave as well. However, I enjoyed singing in the choir so much, so I stayed despite what my friends said because it’s what I wanted to do.
When I was in grade 4, my mom had me audition for St. Mary Choir and Orchestra School. I was accepted and switched schools that fall (the school teaches children from grades 5-8). At St. Mary’s, I learned how to play the violin and sing in a more advanced choir.
When I was 9 years old, I asked my mom if I could start taking flute lessons. So, my parents got me a flute for my birthday, and I started taking flute lessons a few weeks later. My first flute teacher was amazing, she was kind, encouraging, and a great teacher. One time, she ran a contest for her students, those who won would be given the opportunity to play with her and her orchestra. I was the youngest student chosen and playing with that orchestra was such an incredible experience.
My flute teacher moved away after teaching me for about a year. I was sad when she left because she was incredible. Later that year my parents signed me up for flute lessons with a different teacher, this teacher was pretty good. But about a year or so later, she moved away as well. So, I gave up on playing the flute because I didn’t think I’d find a teacher that would actually stay. I think I was 12 when that happened.
Even though I quit playing the flute, I continued playing the violin, because it was through my school, and the piano. I took my grade 6 piano exam when I was in grade 7.
When I went to high school (Catholic Central High School), I was in both the vocal and string programs. There, I met the string teacher who became one of my role models when I thought about post-secondary education. Not many people liked her for their own reasons, but I looked up to her and admired her as a teacher and a person. I also got a couple music awards every year at CCH which sort of helped influence my love for music because I felt like this is something I enjoy and that I’m sort of good at.
Sometime in grade 9, I took to take my grade 8 piano exam and I also started private violin lessons. I considered stopping piano lessons after that exam because I felt that I wanted to play the violin more than the piano. After a few arguments with my parents we decided that I would finish my lessons till the end of high school, but I didn’t have to take any more exams.
In March of grade 11, I switched violin teachers so that I could work on more advanced repertoire for when I would audition for universities. Grade 11 was also the year I felt that music, especially the violin, was something I wanted to continue in my post-secondary education.
My string teacher at CCH, my parents, and my violin teacher were all very supportive and helpful when I began preparing for my university auditions. It was not an easy process.
Part-way through my grade 12th year, I started feeling afraid of going to university, and because of that, I didn’t practice as much, and I started to fall behind. All because of that fear. I had a lot of arguments with my parents because of this.
One day, there was this random spark inside of me and I realized that I really want to go to university (Western as my first choice). I wanted to learn more about music, meet new people, and work hard so that one day, I can become a teacher and inspire young students the way my mom and music teachers inspired me.
Repositioning ‘The Elements’: How Students Talk About Music, by Leslie Stewart Rose and June Countryman (Reading 2)
January 19, 2020
I think, based on the article, that it is important for young students to learn the elements of music because they provide a solid foundation for general musical learning. Elements such as pitch, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, timbre, texture and form are significant in all pieces of music. I found it interesting how David Elliot (the editor of the article) said that the technical approach to music curriculum “controls teachers, framing them as deliverers of objective, non-negotiable truths” (Rose and Countryman 47). I agree with him because the music curriculum is very specific in terms of what is expected of music students from different ages. However, I also disagree with Mr. Elliot because teachers do not necessarily need to follow the curriculum exactly. Of course, this would depend on the musical skill level of each student, and in most music classes, there are some students who have more experience in music than others. From what I read; the article suggests that music has become very academicized, meaning rather than teaching students to internalize their musicianship, they have been taught through learning definitions and writing tests. In my opinion, I think that testing students on their musical knowledge is just as important as teaching them how to internalize music and make connections to the pieces they are playing. I understand that it is important for musicians to present their musical knowledge through their physical playing abilities. However, I also know that, understanding the terms, basic music theory, and other things are important and will actually improve one’s musical talents. The more one understands about the concept of music, the more they will improve their playing ability. Physically playing an instrument will strengthen and improve with practice, and these skills will further improve when the students have acquired a basic understanding of the musical elements. Basically, the old curriculum may be very strict, but it can change overtime, meaning we can add and take away learning skills that students should obtain through their musical leaning.
References
Rose, L. S., & Countryman, J. (2013). Repositioning ‘the elements’: How students talk about music. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music
Education, 12(3), 45– 64.
January 19, 2020
I think, based on the article, that it is important for young students to learn the elements of music because they provide a solid foundation for general musical learning. Elements such as pitch, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, timbre, texture and form are significant in all pieces of music. I found it interesting how David Elliot (the editor of the article) said that the technical approach to music curriculum “controls teachers, framing them as deliverers of objective, non-negotiable truths” (Rose and Countryman 47). I agree with him because the music curriculum is very specific in terms of what is expected of music students from different ages. However, I also disagree with Mr. Elliot because teachers do not necessarily need to follow the curriculum exactly. Of course, this would depend on the musical skill level of each student, and in most music classes, there are some students who have more experience in music than others. From what I read; the article suggests that music has become very academicized, meaning rather than teaching students to internalize their musicianship, they have been taught through learning definitions and writing tests. In my opinion, I think that testing students on their musical knowledge is just as important as teaching them how to internalize music and make connections to the pieces they are playing. I understand that it is important for musicians to present their musical knowledge through their physical playing abilities. However, I also know that, understanding the terms, basic music theory, and other things are important and will actually improve one’s musical talents. The more one understands about the concept of music, the more they will improve their playing ability. Physically playing an instrument will strengthen and improve with practice, and these skills will further improve when the students have acquired a basic understanding of the musical elements. Basically, the old curriculum may be very strict, but it can change overtime, meaning we can add and take away learning skills that students should obtain through their musical leaning.
References
Rose, L. S., & Countryman, J. (2013). Repositioning ‘the elements’: How students talk about music. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music
Education, 12(3), 45– 64.
Creativity as the Core Competency in Music Education with Dr. Carolyn Barber (Guest Speaker 1)
January 19, 2020
The main idea of the workshop was to show us not only how creativity is important in our musical experiences, but how we can improve our creativity from understanding the meaning of the word. Dr. Carolyn Barber began her presentation by asking us about our high school musical experiences. We talked about our high school orchestras, choirs, bands, and the many music teachers we learned from over the years. After talking about our musical experiences in high school, Dr. Barber began discussing a list of quotations that defined creativity. For example, Robert Fritz said that “The most important developments in civilization have come through the creative process, but ironically, most people have not been taught to create.” This statement explains how creativity is a process, it is something that can be developed over time. It also said that some people have not been taught creative techniques, so they may not know how to practice creativity. I thought that this was interesting because I had not considered creativity to be a concept that people needed to practice, I thought some people were naturally creative and others had difficulty with it. Now I understand that everyone has creative potential, but some people use it more than others. It was interesting when Dr. Barber used the Ursa Major constellation to show us the process of creativity. For example, the head of Ursa Major represents, in our own heads, creativity as an independent capacity based on cognition. This refers to the states and processes involved in knowing. Dr. Barber explained that cognition has both unconscious things and conscious things. Unconscious things include our intuition and emotions while conscious things involve our intention and mindfulness. It is creativity built from our emotions (i.e. improvisation) versus creativity with a purpose (i.e. composing). The main concept that Dr. Barber said was that creativity is a “whole brain” process. It is something within everyone that can grow and develop through practice. When I first read the title of the presentation, I assumed that we would be talking about how creativity is a crucial part of being a musician. I also thought the presentation would be about how we can incorporate teaching children to be creative with structured techniques. By understanding the meaning of creativity and making connections to our own personal ways of thinking, we can practice our creativity and become better musicians. It was a pleasure to have Dr. Barber as our guest speaker today! I am happy that I now have a better understanding of the creativity and that I can look for techniques that would improve my creativity and make me a better musician.
January 19, 2020
The main idea of the workshop was to show us not only how creativity is important in our musical experiences, but how we can improve our creativity from understanding the meaning of the word. Dr. Carolyn Barber began her presentation by asking us about our high school musical experiences. We talked about our high school orchestras, choirs, bands, and the many music teachers we learned from over the years. After talking about our musical experiences in high school, Dr. Barber began discussing a list of quotations that defined creativity. For example, Robert Fritz said that “The most important developments in civilization have come through the creative process, but ironically, most people have not been taught to create.” This statement explains how creativity is a process, it is something that can be developed over time. It also said that some people have not been taught creative techniques, so they may not know how to practice creativity. I thought that this was interesting because I had not considered creativity to be a concept that people needed to practice, I thought some people were naturally creative and others had difficulty with it. Now I understand that everyone has creative potential, but some people use it more than others. It was interesting when Dr. Barber used the Ursa Major constellation to show us the process of creativity. For example, the head of Ursa Major represents, in our own heads, creativity as an independent capacity based on cognition. This refers to the states and processes involved in knowing. Dr. Barber explained that cognition has both unconscious things and conscious things. Unconscious things include our intuition and emotions while conscious things involve our intention and mindfulness. It is creativity built from our emotions (i.e. improvisation) versus creativity with a purpose (i.e. composing). The main concept that Dr. Barber said was that creativity is a “whole brain” process. It is something within everyone that can grow and develop through practice. When I first read the title of the presentation, I assumed that we would be talking about how creativity is a crucial part of being a musician. I also thought the presentation would be about how we can incorporate teaching children to be creative with structured techniques. By understanding the meaning of creativity and making connections to our own personal ways of thinking, we can practice our creativity and become better musicians. It was a pleasure to have Dr. Barber as our guest speaker today! I am happy that I now have a better understanding of the creativity and that I can look for techniques that would improve my creativity and make me a better musician.
What Can Educators Learn from Popular Musicians? by Lucy Green (Reading 3)
January 26, 2020
The main idea of this article was to address what music educators can learn from popular musicians, and how popular musicians should develop a certain knowledge about music when creating music for their careers. I gathered that popular musicians can learn the importance of being able to read music notes (and other musical markings on a score). Music educators can understand that teaching their students to learn music by ear will help them understand music both orally and through the notes on a score. Many pop musicians learned to sing or play their instruments by ear. So, not many of them have the ability to read musical notation. However, learning music by ear is not a bad thing. Being able to play pieces by ear can be helpful, if combined with the ability to read music notation. The article states that when students learn music by ear, they become limited to what they can produce from the given music through their own interpretation of the piece. However, I think that listening to a piece gives a musician an idea of how it can sound so that they can connect it to the way the piece was written on the score. In my experience, when I learn a new piece on my violin, I listen to different recordings of the same piece so that I can see how different violinists internalized that work, which gives me inspiration and ideas of how I can play the piece the way I feel that it should sound. It is good to expand our knowledge about music, which includes listening to pieces and connecting them to the written notes, as well as learning how other people interpret the pieces to inspire us to internalize the piece in our own way. I think that this can apply to all, if not, most musicians, because to me, listening to the piece is just as important as learning music from the original score. It is important for musicians to be able to read music when singing or playing an instrument, however, it is also essential that musicians train their ears through listening to the music and connecting it back to the scores. Which I think will improve the musical abilities for both pop and classical musicians.
References
Green, L. (2017). “What Can Music Educators Learn from Popular Musicians?” Music
Education as Critical Theory and Practice 13, 225–240. doi:10.4324/9781315090887-12.
January 26, 2020
The main idea of this article was to address what music educators can learn from popular musicians, and how popular musicians should develop a certain knowledge about music when creating music for their careers. I gathered that popular musicians can learn the importance of being able to read music notes (and other musical markings on a score). Music educators can understand that teaching their students to learn music by ear will help them understand music both orally and through the notes on a score. Many pop musicians learned to sing or play their instruments by ear. So, not many of them have the ability to read musical notation. However, learning music by ear is not a bad thing. Being able to play pieces by ear can be helpful, if combined with the ability to read music notation. The article states that when students learn music by ear, they become limited to what they can produce from the given music through their own interpretation of the piece. However, I think that listening to a piece gives a musician an idea of how it can sound so that they can connect it to the way the piece was written on the score. In my experience, when I learn a new piece on my violin, I listen to different recordings of the same piece so that I can see how different violinists internalized that work, which gives me inspiration and ideas of how I can play the piece the way I feel that it should sound. It is good to expand our knowledge about music, which includes listening to pieces and connecting them to the written notes, as well as learning how other people interpret the pieces to inspire us to internalize the piece in our own way. I think that this can apply to all, if not, most musicians, because to me, listening to the piece is just as important as learning music from the original score. It is important for musicians to be able to read music when singing or playing an instrument, however, it is also essential that musicians train their ears through listening to the music and connecting it back to the scores. Which I think will improve the musical abilities for both pop and classical musicians.
References
Green, L. (2017). “What Can Music Educators Learn from Popular Musicians?” Music
Education as Critical Theory and Practice 13, 225–240. doi:10.4324/9781315090887-12.
Inspirational (Influential) Teacher Interview
February 2, 2020
February 2, 2020
Interviewer: Brooklyn Harriman
Influential (Inspirational) Teacher: Carolyn Martinelli, from Catholic Central High School
Elementary School, Grades 5-8: St. Mary Choir and Orchestra School
High School: Catholic Central High School
University: Western University
1) When did your musical journey begin? (i.e. How old were you? Which instrument(s) did you first learn?)
Influential (Inspirational) Teacher: Carolyn Martinelli, from Catholic Central High School
Elementary School, Grades 5-8: St. Mary Choir and Orchestra School
High School: Catholic Central High School
University: Western University
1) When did your musical journey begin? (i.e. How old were you? Which instrument(s) did you first learn?)
- 6 years old, played around with keyboard (gift from her parents to her and her brother)
- Piano lessons at age of 8
- Violin at age of 10, grade 5 (St. Mary’s Choir and Orchestra School)
- Didn’t like the violin at first, it was a lot harder to learn than the piano (at the time), she said that with the piano you just hit a key and there’s the note, the violin is a bit more complex than that
- She really had to work at the violin, and as a child, she didn’t like that very much
- Pivotal moment about violin was at the end of the year in grade 5
- Her parents took her to buy her own violin, at St. Mary’s they have violins to use, but Ms. M was more amazed, as a child, to have her very own instrument to use that she didn’t have to carry back and forth from school
- She said it was nice and shiny, and she liked that it was her very own instrument to take care of and got to pick out herself
- Piano teacher: Sister Elain Flood
- Inspired Ms. M’s confidence in piano, she believed in Ms. M and her talents as a pianist
- She encouraged Ms. M to continue forward with the piano and to continue working hard at it
- Violin teacher: Joan Hysen
- Made biggest impression on Ms. M, she was her first violin teacher
- She gave Ms M a second chance when she made a turnaround, in grade 6, and wanted to play the violin well and to work harder at it
- Joan didn’t give up on her
- Ms. M felt she was blessed with many remarkable teachers in terms of their artistry, kindness and performance standard
- She ended up at the same RCM level on violin and piano (I think it was level 9 working on level 10), was asked to practice about 4 hours per day by both teachers, her piano teacher wanted her to do her grade 10 piano exam
- Even though she learned the violin after the piano (it came second in her music experience, technically), she felt that she could express herself more musically on the violin than the piano
- She had to work even harder on the piano, (she had to work hard on both) but she felt that she could put more emotion into her violin playing than the piano, which she felt was challenging technically
- Last year of high school, she didn’t have a specific target in terms of teaching, at the time
- She felt that she wanted to become a teacher because she thought it would be a good way to share her talents
- At the time, she didn’t know what her potential was as a performer, since she was just finishing high school
- However, she had an impression or an awareness of where her strengths would lie and thought about teaching, even before moving onto her post-secondary education
- French and String (currently)
- String, already explained, she wanted to share her musical talents through teaching
- French, she loved the language and really enjoyed learning and speaking it
- It was a huge learning curve for her in university, because even though it was difficult, she very much enjoyed speaking French and really wanted to learn the language, so she did and is now currently teaching it, along with her string classes, at Catholic Central High School
Dr. Wright, EMAIL (Guest Speaker 2)
February 2, 2020
Dear Dr. Wright,
I would like to thank you for your presentation today about the Musical Futures Project. It was truly mind-blowing. It made me think more about how everyone has musical potential, but they turned away from it, partially because they didn’t like the way they were being taught music. And that is not anything against the teachers per-say, because everyone learns differently and not everyone is interested in exploring their musical potential. I realized that it’s possible to teach students in a way that is educational, effective, and fun. A new music pedagogy, as you said. This informal way of learning encourages students to take risks and work with their peers to learn music creatively, with few restrictions then if they were given a notated score.
I also had a lot of fun working with my peers and learning Royals by Lorde informally. There were a few challenges, such as figuring out which instruments to use and how to use them, especially if we hadn’t played the instruments before. There were other challenges, logistics wise, but the process as a whole was positive and a lot of fun. I didn’t really know a lot of the people in my group because they were all in the other class and I had only become acquainted with a couple of them. When we presented, I was really nervous, but I get like that a lot before any performance.
I remember when I first played the glockenspiel (with my group), I was able to figure out the melody of the song pretty quickly. I didn’t know this until later today, but when I first started learning music (when I was like 3 or 4 years old), I learned to play the piano by ear before switching to notation reading a few years later. I don’t have perfect pitch; however, I’ve always been able to do this, I just didn’t know I was trained this way as a very young music student. Overall, it was really awesome to experience what your program is teaching to children whose musical experiences have just begun.
Looking back at that today, and thinking about your presentation, I realized that as important as it is to learn about notation, it is equally important for music students to learn by ear and really internalize the piece. Whether it is a classical work, or a pop song from the radio. As long as the students are engaged and enjoying the experience, it doesn’t matter how they’re being taught. There are some teachers who neglect to consider that the way musical pedagogy has been set up is not necessarily the only way to teach music to children. I know that now more than before. You showed us how the sky’s the limit when it comes to teaching music to children. Thank you again, I hope you have a wonderful week!
Sincerely,
Brooklyn Harriman
Ps. If you would like to email me back, my email is [email protected].
February 2, 2020
Dear Dr. Wright,
I would like to thank you for your presentation today about the Musical Futures Project. It was truly mind-blowing. It made me think more about how everyone has musical potential, but they turned away from it, partially because they didn’t like the way they were being taught music. And that is not anything against the teachers per-say, because everyone learns differently and not everyone is interested in exploring their musical potential. I realized that it’s possible to teach students in a way that is educational, effective, and fun. A new music pedagogy, as you said. This informal way of learning encourages students to take risks and work with their peers to learn music creatively, with few restrictions then if they were given a notated score.
I also had a lot of fun working with my peers and learning Royals by Lorde informally. There were a few challenges, such as figuring out which instruments to use and how to use them, especially if we hadn’t played the instruments before. There were other challenges, logistics wise, but the process as a whole was positive and a lot of fun. I didn’t really know a lot of the people in my group because they were all in the other class and I had only become acquainted with a couple of them. When we presented, I was really nervous, but I get like that a lot before any performance.
I remember when I first played the glockenspiel (with my group), I was able to figure out the melody of the song pretty quickly. I didn’t know this until later today, but when I first started learning music (when I was like 3 or 4 years old), I learned to play the piano by ear before switching to notation reading a few years later. I don’t have perfect pitch; however, I’ve always been able to do this, I just didn’t know I was trained this way as a very young music student. Overall, it was really awesome to experience what your program is teaching to children whose musical experiences have just begun.
Looking back at that today, and thinking about your presentation, I realized that as important as it is to learn about notation, it is equally important for music students to learn by ear and really internalize the piece. Whether it is a classical work, or a pop song from the radio. As long as the students are engaged and enjoying the experience, it doesn’t matter how they’re being taught. There are some teachers who neglect to consider that the way musical pedagogy has been set up is not necessarily the only way to teach music to children. I know that now more than before. You showed us how the sky’s the limit when it comes to teaching music to children. Thank you again, I hope you have a wonderful week!
Sincerely,
Brooklyn Harriman
Ps. If you would like to email me back, my email is [email protected].
Non-Music Majors Interview
February 24, 2020
February 24, 2020
More recently, I thought a lot about how, everyone has music potential but not everyone has explored that possibility. When I thought about the non-music majors I wanted to interview, I considered the people I know who have little to no musical experience, and those I know who do, but chose a different path in terms of their education. I know a lot of current and former musicians. But I decided to interview my friends Mark, Erik, Meredith, Ryli, and my mom. During each interview, I got to know more about their views on music.
My friend Mark is a first-year student at Western for Health Sciences. Mark and I went to Catholic Central High School here in London, and he is a very talented vocalist. He enjoys listening to R&B (Rhythm and Blues), rap, pop, and Broadway music. Mark is pretty experienced in music, so I asked him why he chose health sciences over music for his post-secondary education. He said that part of the reason is that he is interested in the sciences, but also because his older brother, who is a third year at Western for Music Performance. Mark said he does not feel intimidated by his brother and that he did not think he would be able to make a career out of music. I found this very meaningful because, after talking to Mark, I got the sense that he felt discouraged about his musical abilities. I remember Mark was compared to his brother a lot in high school because they are both talented vocalists. I suppose he just wants to pursue a career that’s different and something he can call his own. He still considers music to be a big part of his life, even if it’s now just for fun.
I met my friend Erik in my astronomy class back in September. He’s is a first-year student at Western for Bioarcheology, and enjoys listening to a variety of musical genres, mainly alt. rock and pop. He has very little musical experience, however, he believes that music is still a big part of his life. He said that he listens to music all the time. During the interview, I found it very meaningful, how Erik connected music to his emotions. He said that, depending on the type of song he was listening to, he would remember a time where his feelings matched the mood of the song, and he would feel those emotions as he listened. For example, Erik mentioned this song called “Try” by Jostens J Cole always makes him feel happy when he listens to it because he used the song, in the past, for something fun and he remembers feeling really happy. This, in particular, stuck out to me because I am not very close with Erik and I thought it was really cool to learn how he connected with music despite not being a musician himself.
My Meredith is also someone whom I met in my astronomy class. She is also a first-year student at Western for Sociology and enjoys listening to classical, rap, and pop music. Meredith’s musical background included the guitar, the violin, the piano, the alto saxophone, and currently, the ukulele. She only took formal lessons for the piano a long time ago. The reason Meredith stopped playing the other instruments was because she felt that she wasn’t consistent enough with practicing and eventually just lost interest. However, she still listens to music all the time, she danced for many years, and still plays the ukulele for fun. What interested me most during this interview was when Meredith described her thoughts about music. She said that its interesting how differently people express themselves through music, whether it’s their own music or someone else’s. And that sometimes, music can make a person feel more understood and less alone, especially if they’re in that mindset.
My best friend Ryli and I went to Catholic Central High School (CCH) for 4 years and graduated. In September 2019, Ryli switched to Clark Road for her grade 13, and she’s interested in either Genetics or Forensic Anthropology for her post-secondary education. She listens to pop, rap, R&B, dubstep, and country music. The type of music she listens to depends on how she’s feeling, and sometimes her emotions reflect what the song is if it comes up on the radio for example. Ryli’s musical experience includes the vocal program at CCH for 4 years, piano (self-taught), the recorder in grade 4, the trumpet for a band class one year at CCH, and the violin a long time ago. Ryli only took formal lessons for vocal when she was younger. Despite Ryli’s enjoyment of music, she’s deciding not to continue it in her post-secondary education, mainly because she doesn’t like music theory and she really loves biology genetics.
My mom, Maria has been an English teacher at John Paul Secondary School for about 21 years, and she is now department of four different departments at that school. She listens to mainly classical or pop music. My mom has never taken formal music lessons and she does not sing or play any musical instruments. Her parents immigrated to Canada from Portugal, so my mom didn’t really have the opportunity to take music lessons (for financial reasons). So, my mom and dad gave my sisters and I as many musical opportunities (and other opportunities) as they could so we could experience what they, mainly my mom, couldn’t. During the interview, my mom said that her musical memories mainly connect back to any piano recitals or school performances my sisters and I had, which was very meaningful to me. Coming from a very cultured family, my mom discovered that she loves to dance. She never had dance training, but she’s pretty good and feels that it’s her way of connecting to music, despite not having formal music training. She thinks music is very positive, especially in terms of one’s mental health because music can make people feel happy and it’s a way for people to find their place in the world.
As I interviewed each person. I discovered that they enjoy listening to many different types of music. I found it very meaningful how they all connected music to their lives. Mark is a talented vocalist, but found his interests lied in the health sciences. Erik connects to music emotionally and enjoys listening to all the time. Meredith lost interest in playing musical instruments, however she still loves listening to music and keeping that connection. Ryli loves singing and dancing, and letting her emotions run with whatever song she’s listening to. My mom loves dancing to music and thinks it is good for one’s mental health. I learned more about each person and felt that they could all connect to each other through music because music brings people together and it’s something many people enjoy.
My friend Mark is a first-year student at Western for Health Sciences. Mark and I went to Catholic Central High School here in London, and he is a very talented vocalist. He enjoys listening to R&B (Rhythm and Blues), rap, pop, and Broadway music. Mark is pretty experienced in music, so I asked him why he chose health sciences over music for his post-secondary education. He said that part of the reason is that he is interested in the sciences, but also because his older brother, who is a third year at Western for Music Performance. Mark said he does not feel intimidated by his brother and that he did not think he would be able to make a career out of music. I found this very meaningful because, after talking to Mark, I got the sense that he felt discouraged about his musical abilities. I remember Mark was compared to his brother a lot in high school because they are both talented vocalists. I suppose he just wants to pursue a career that’s different and something he can call his own. He still considers music to be a big part of his life, even if it’s now just for fun.
I met my friend Erik in my astronomy class back in September. He’s is a first-year student at Western for Bioarcheology, and enjoys listening to a variety of musical genres, mainly alt. rock and pop. He has very little musical experience, however, he believes that music is still a big part of his life. He said that he listens to music all the time. During the interview, I found it very meaningful, how Erik connected music to his emotions. He said that, depending on the type of song he was listening to, he would remember a time where his feelings matched the mood of the song, and he would feel those emotions as he listened. For example, Erik mentioned this song called “Try” by Jostens J Cole always makes him feel happy when he listens to it because he used the song, in the past, for something fun and he remembers feeling really happy. This, in particular, stuck out to me because I am not very close with Erik and I thought it was really cool to learn how he connected with music despite not being a musician himself.
My Meredith is also someone whom I met in my astronomy class. She is also a first-year student at Western for Sociology and enjoys listening to classical, rap, and pop music. Meredith’s musical background included the guitar, the violin, the piano, the alto saxophone, and currently, the ukulele. She only took formal lessons for the piano a long time ago. The reason Meredith stopped playing the other instruments was because she felt that she wasn’t consistent enough with practicing and eventually just lost interest. However, she still listens to music all the time, she danced for many years, and still plays the ukulele for fun. What interested me most during this interview was when Meredith described her thoughts about music. She said that its interesting how differently people express themselves through music, whether it’s their own music or someone else’s. And that sometimes, music can make a person feel more understood and less alone, especially if they’re in that mindset.
My best friend Ryli and I went to Catholic Central High School (CCH) for 4 years and graduated. In September 2019, Ryli switched to Clark Road for her grade 13, and she’s interested in either Genetics or Forensic Anthropology for her post-secondary education. She listens to pop, rap, R&B, dubstep, and country music. The type of music she listens to depends on how she’s feeling, and sometimes her emotions reflect what the song is if it comes up on the radio for example. Ryli’s musical experience includes the vocal program at CCH for 4 years, piano (self-taught), the recorder in grade 4, the trumpet for a band class one year at CCH, and the violin a long time ago. Ryli only took formal lessons for vocal when she was younger. Despite Ryli’s enjoyment of music, she’s deciding not to continue it in her post-secondary education, mainly because she doesn’t like music theory and she really loves biology genetics.
My mom, Maria has been an English teacher at John Paul Secondary School for about 21 years, and she is now department of four different departments at that school. She listens to mainly classical or pop music. My mom has never taken formal music lessons and she does not sing or play any musical instruments. Her parents immigrated to Canada from Portugal, so my mom didn’t really have the opportunity to take music lessons (for financial reasons). So, my mom and dad gave my sisters and I as many musical opportunities (and other opportunities) as they could so we could experience what they, mainly my mom, couldn’t. During the interview, my mom said that her musical memories mainly connect back to any piano recitals or school performances my sisters and I had, which was very meaningful to me. Coming from a very cultured family, my mom discovered that she loves to dance. She never had dance training, but she’s pretty good and feels that it’s her way of connecting to music, despite not having formal music training. She thinks music is very positive, especially in terms of one’s mental health because music can make people feel happy and it’s a way for people to find their place in the world.
As I interviewed each person. I discovered that they enjoy listening to many different types of music. I found it very meaningful how they all connected music to their lives. Mark is a talented vocalist, but found his interests lied in the health sciences. Erik connects to music emotionally and enjoys listening to all the time. Meredith lost interest in playing musical instruments, however she still loves listening to music and keeping that connection. Ryli loves singing and dancing, and letting her emotions run with whatever song she’s listening to. My mom loves dancing to music and thinks it is good for one’s mental health. I learned more about each person and felt that they could all connect to each other through music because music brings people together and it’s something many people enjoy.
Erik Mandawe Presentation (Guest Speaker 3)
March 1, 2020
For the presentation, Erik Mandawe, spoke to us about something called land-based learning. Land-based learning is acquiring knowledge and understanding from sources outside of our school experiences. It is meant to create relationships, not just with people, but literally with the land around us. Respecting nature and those who came before us. It involves emotionally connected learning as opposed to solely school-based education. The presentation was very educational and intriguing, exposing us to this new way of learning.
Erik explained how land-based learning includes how our environment and our friends influence our thought. From my experience, I have learned that different people can affect, not only the way you think about yourself and others, but the way you act as well. When I was in elementary school, I was very shy and sometimes had difficulty making friends. So, when I did become friends with some people, I started talking like them and acting like they did because I was afraid of losing their friendship. Some of those ‘friends’ ended up either bullying me or the friendship eventually became one-sided. I have better friends now, but I agree with Erik that people can influence our thoughts, and actions in some cases. However, whether those influences are positive or negative, we can still learn from them and gain knowledge to help us grow as people.
Erik explained that land-based learning is about connecting to your environment and to those around you. Using the knowledge gained from our elders and applying it to a more emotionally connected way of learning. I thought this was unusual, at first, because I am more familiar with teachers showing us what needs to be taught, and then teaching it to us. When I consider land-based learning, I like how it involves making personal connections, not just to people, but to the environment as well. Talbot College came to mind for me. The building has been around for a very long time, judging by its architecture and the stones that make up the outside walls. Over the years, the building has been redesigned a bit and additions have been made. However, the history of the building is still there.
The presentation was really cool, and I enjoyed learning about this other means of education. I think we can apply land-based learning to teaching and learning music because it encourages us to listen to each other and make personal connections between what we are learning and our lives. Land-based learning requires a sense of child-like wonder and open-mindedness. I think we can incorporate this in our music learning, and teaching, so that we can further improve both as musicians and aspiring teachers.
March 1, 2020
For the presentation, Erik Mandawe, spoke to us about something called land-based learning. Land-based learning is acquiring knowledge and understanding from sources outside of our school experiences. It is meant to create relationships, not just with people, but literally with the land around us. Respecting nature and those who came before us. It involves emotionally connected learning as opposed to solely school-based education. The presentation was very educational and intriguing, exposing us to this new way of learning.
Erik explained how land-based learning includes how our environment and our friends influence our thought. From my experience, I have learned that different people can affect, not only the way you think about yourself and others, but the way you act as well. When I was in elementary school, I was very shy and sometimes had difficulty making friends. So, when I did become friends with some people, I started talking like them and acting like they did because I was afraid of losing their friendship. Some of those ‘friends’ ended up either bullying me or the friendship eventually became one-sided. I have better friends now, but I agree with Erik that people can influence our thoughts, and actions in some cases. However, whether those influences are positive or negative, we can still learn from them and gain knowledge to help us grow as people.
Erik explained that land-based learning is about connecting to your environment and to those around you. Using the knowledge gained from our elders and applying it to a more emotionally connected way of learning. I thought this was unusual, at first, because I am more familiar with teachers showing us what needs to be taught, and then teaching it to us. When I consider land-based learning, I like how it involves making personal connections, not just to people, but to the environment as well. Talbot College came to mind for me. The building has been around for a very long time, judging by its architecture and the stones that make up the outside walls. Over the years, the building has been redesigned a bit and additions have been made. However, the history of the building is still there.
The presentation was really cool, and I enjoyed learning about this other means of education. I think we can apply land-based learning to teaching and learning music because it encourages us to listen to each other and make personal connections between what we are learning and our lives. Land-based learning requires a sense of child-like wonder and open-mindedness. I think we can incorporate this in our music learning, and teaching, so that we can further improve both as musicians and aspiring teachers.
Thinking Outside the Voice Box, Dr. Bridget Sweet (Guest Speaker 4)
March 1, 2020
Dr. Bridget Sweet spoke to us about adolescent voice changes and how puberty has an effect on both male and female vocal cords. She explained how everyone’s voices go through changes regardless of their sex. Especially during puberty, adolescent hormones change and develop over a period of time. Whether someone is at the age of 12, 18 or even 30, they are going through many changes. Mental, vocal, emotional, and physical developments occur as a ‘chain reaction’ caused by the gonadotrophin releasing hormone which begins the process of puberty. Dr. Sweet also talked about how some teachers do not always realize how difficult it is for adolescents to go through puberty. Whatever way the teacher responds to those changes could impact the student, usually negatively depending on what is said.
What interested me the most about the presentation was when Dr. Sweet emphasized the fact that both males and females go through voice alterations during puberty. She stressed that some people are unaware that some women go through more drastic changes in their voice than others. And it is difficult, especially in a vocal class, to place women properly in the choir in the section that suits their voices. Personally, I did not go through any drastic changes in my voice. However, when I was in grade 5 and went to St. Mary Choir and Orchestra school, I was placed in the alto section of my class’ choir. My voice was not suited for the alto section. I was able to sing the part, however, there were certain notes that were difficult for me to sing, as my voice was, and still is, naturally high.
I think that the information in the presentation would be helpful for us to use as aspiring teachers. It is important for us to keep in mind, especially if we teach adolescents, that they are all going through physical and mental changes. The way we respond to that will have an impact on their confidence and self-esteem. It is good to have that awareness to be able to find out how to help those students and avoid making them feel insecure or self-conscious. Dr. Sweet also said that it we should get to know each student because, if we can make connections with them, they would be more open to listening and taking their educators seriously. The presentation taught me a lot about that. Making connections and being empathetic and aware of the changes that those adolescent students would be experiencing.
March 1, 2020
Dr. Bridget Sweet spoke to us about adolescent voice changes and how puberty has an effect on both male and female vocal cords. She explained how everyone’s voices go through changes regardless of their sex. Especially during puberty, adolescent hormones change and develop over a period of time. Whether someone is at the age of 12, 18 or even 30, they are going through many changes. Mental, vocal, emotional, and physical developments occur as a ‘chain reaction’ caused by the gonadotrophin releasing hormone which begins the process of puberty. Dr. Sweet also talked about how some teachers do not always realize how difficult it is for adolescents to go through puberty. Whatever way the teacher responds to those changes could impact the student, usually negatively depending on what is said.
What interested me the most about the presentation was when Dr. Sweet emphasized the fact that both males and females go through voice alterations during puberty. She stressed that some people are unaware that some women go through more drastic changes in their voice than others. And it is difficult, especially in a vocal class, to place women properly in the choir in the section that suits their voices. Personally, I did not go through any drastic changes in my voice. However, when I was in grade 5 and went to St. Mary Choir and Orchestra school, I was placed in the alto section of my class’ choir. My voice was not suited for the alto section. I was able to sing the part, however, there were certain notes that were difficult for me to sing, as my voice was, and still is, naturally high.
I think that the information in the presentation would be helpful for us to use as aspiring teachers. It is important for us to keep in mind, especially if we teach adolescents, that they are all going through physical and mental changes. The way we respond to that will have an impact on their confidence and self-esteem. It is good to have that awareness to be able to find out how to help those students and avoid making them feel insecure or self-conscious. Dr. Sweet also said that it we should get to know each student because, if we can make connections with them, they would be more open to listening and taking their educators seriously. The presentation taught me a lot about that. Making connections and being empathetic and aware of the changes that those adolescent students would be experiencing.
Disability in the Classroom: Current Trends and Impacts on Music Education, By Joseph Abramo (Reading 4)
March 3, 2020
This article by Joseph Abramo focuses on disability rights and how society’s views on disability impacts the musical education of students with special education needs and services. It also raised questions such as, “What does it mean to have a “disability” in the music classroom? Is it possible that disability is not as clear-cut as it may seem?” (Disability in the Classroom 39). And how ‘disability,’ could mean music students, specifically, are ‘extra able’ rather than ‘disabled.’
I found it very interesting when the article mentioned that people who are born blind have a higher chance of having perfect pitch, or a really good sense of pitch. When they said, in the beginning how Mozart and Beethoven developed disabilities over time but were still able to compose amazing pieces. The article questioned whether their disabilities actually contributed to their famous compositions. I thought that was interesting. They also had instruments modified so they were adapted to disability of the music student.
The article also stated that students with documented visual impairments were eliminated from ensemble auditions because they were not able to complete the sight-reading part of the audition. That is terrible, just because a student is unable to sight-read music, due to circumstanes out of their control, does not give people a right to prohibit them from auditioning for things such as music ensemble. Then I read that they came up with music braille so visually impaired music students can sight-read music, which is pretty cool.
As an aspiring music teacher, I think that it is important to be aware of and address students with disabilities. However, we cannot isolate those students for of their disabilities because it will have an impact on both their self-esteem and overall perception of music. We need to be able to adapt to each students’ needs appropriately and avoid causing unnecessary problems.
References
Abramo, J. (2012). Disability in the Classroom. Music Educators Journal, 99(1), 39–45. doi:
10.1177/0027432112448824.
March 3, 2020
This article by Joseph Abramo focuses on disability rights and how society’s views on disability impacts the musical education of students with special education needs and services. It also raised questions such as, “What does it mean to have a “disability” in the music classroom? Is it possible that disability is not as clear-cut as it may seem?” (Disability in the Classroom 39). And how ‘disability,’ could mean music students, specifically, are ‘extra able’ rather than ‘disabled.’
I found it very interesting when the article mentioned that people who are born blind have a higher chance of having perfect pitch, or a really good sense of pitch. When they said, in the beginning how Mozart and Beethoven developed disabilities over time but were still able to compose amazing pieces. The article questioned whether their disabilities actually contributed to their famous compositions. I thought that was interesting. They also had instruments modified so they were adapted to disability of the music student.
The article also stated that students with documented visual impairments were eliminated from ensemble auditions because they were not able to complete the sight-reading part of the audition. That is terrible, just because a student is unable to sight-read music, due to circumstanes out of their control, does not give people a right to prohibit them from auditioning for things such as music ensemble. Then I read that they came up with music braille so visually impaired music students can sight-read music, which is pretty cool.
As an aspiring music teacher, I think that it is important to be aware of and address students with disabilities. However, we cannot isolate those students for of their disabilities because it will have an impact on both their self-esteem and overall perception of music. We need to be able to adapt to each students’ needs appropriately and avoid causing unnecessary problems.
References
Abramo, J. (2012). Disability in the Classroom. Music Educators Journal, 99(1), 39–45. doi:
10.1177/0027432112448824.
Caroline Blumer EMAIL (Guest Speaker 5)
March 8, 2020
Dear Ms. Blumer,
My name is Brooklyn Harriman, and I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your presentation on disabilities in the classroom. I thought it was very informative and educational. When you worked with me and four of my classmates with “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” I liked how you found subtle ways to address and include students with different kinds of disabilities or impairments. The activity was inclusive and also pretty fun!
I also enjoyed the discussions about medical model vs. social model disability and the words disability vs special needs. When we discussed the different models, I thought about how the way we address or treat people with a disability is very important. Especially if people respond negatively, or in a way that puts that person on the spot for no reason. And the word disability, though it is kind of a label, it is used so that people who don’t have a disability can be aware of or have a better understanding of that person who does.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the video of the violinist. Though she has a physical disability, she is an amazingly talented musician. I am a violinist and I was truly amazed and inspired. She plays with such beautiful tone, vibrato, and passion. She played the violin the same way someone would play a cello, and it was so cool! People like her shows that you can achieve anything if you are determined, hard-working and passionate about whatever it is you want to achieve.
Thank you again for the presentation, I feel that I have learned a lot about how to work alongside students with disabilities. As well as, how to be inclusive and encouraging in the classroom. And knowing how to help students with a disability to feel included and learn like the other students.
Sincerely,
Brooklyn Harriman
P.S. My email is [email protected] if you ever want to email me back! Thank you!
March 8, 2020
Dear Ms. Blumer,
My name is Brooklyn Harriman, and I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your presentation on disabilities in the classroom. I thought it was very informative and educational. When you worked with me and four of my classmates with “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” I liked how you found subtle ways to address and include students with different kinds of disabilities or impairments. The activity was inclusive and also pretty fun!
I also enjoyed the discussions about medical model vs. social model disability and the words disability vs special needs. When we discussed the different models, I thought about how the way we address or treat people with a disability is very important. Especially if people respond negatively, or in a way that puts that person on the spot for no reason. And the word disability, though it is kind of a label, it is used so that people who don’t have a disability can be aware of or have a better understanding of that person who does.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the video of the violinist. Though she has a physical disability, she is an amazingly talented musician. I am a violinist and I was truly amazed and inspired. She plays with such beautiful tone, vibrato, and passion. She played the violin the same way someone would play a cello, and it was so cool! People like her shows that you can achieve anything if you are determined, hard-working and passionate about whatever it is you want to achieve.
Thank you again for the presentation, I feel that I have learned a lot about how to work alongside students with disabilities. As well as, how to be inclusive and encouraging in the classroom. And knowing how to help students with a disability to feel included and learn like the other students.
Sincerely,
Brooklyn Harriman
P.S. My email is [email protected] if you ever want to email me back! Thank you!
Five Reasons to Stop Saying “Good Job!” By Alfie Kohn (Reading 5)
March 8, 2020
This article, by Alfie Kohn, highlights five main reasons why we should stop giving children praise. Kohn discussed five main reasons; manipulating children/offering them some sort of reward if they do as we ask, creating praise junkies/making children more dependent on our praise, stealing a child’s pleasure/ the child how to feel, losing interest/praising eventually losing its meaning and motivation, and reducing achievement/the child may start fishing for praise in whatever it is they are doing.
When Kohn mentioned that children may become more dependent on praise and would as a result, do things we ask just to receive that praise. I do not fully agree with that because there are some children would become dependent on the praise, however, every child is different. Not all children will become reliant praise because they may strive to do better if they disagree with the compliment they received.
When Kohn mentioned that children may ‘lose interest’ through praise that can be true in some cases. I think if we over-praise something a child does or says on a regular basis, eventually, the praise will lose its meaning and the child will become disinterested in whatever it is they are doing. Similarly, with ‘stealing a child’s pleasure,’ Kohn said we are basically telling children how to feel. When I was younger sometimes, I would feel appreciated when I received praise, but other times I felt like had to appreciate it even though I may have felt that I did not deserve it.
The article was very interesting, it highlighted certain aspects of praise that I considered but did not think deeply about. I see now that we should be careful about over-praising children because the concept of praise might eventually become meaningless. However, it is still good to encourage children, at appropriate times, as a way to help their self-esteem as opposed to making them dependent on praise alone.
References
Kohn, Alfie. Five Reasons to Stop Saying “Good Job!” (**). (2020, February 26). Retrieved
from http://www.alfiekohn.org/article/five-reasons-stop-saying-good-job/.
March 8, 2020
This article, by Alfie Kohn, highlights five main reasons why we should stop giving children praise. Kohn discussed five main reasons; manipulating children/offering them some sort of reward if they do as we ask, creating praise junkies/making children more dependent on our praise, stealing a child’s pleasure/ the child how to feel, losing interest/praising eventually losing its meaning and motivation, and reducing achievement/the child may start fishing for praise in whatever it is they are doing.
When Kohn mentioned that children may become more dependent on praise and would as a result, do things we ask just to receive that praise. I do not fully agree with that because there are some children would become dependent on the praise, however, every child is different. Not all children will become reliant praise because they may strive to do better if they disagree with the compliment they received.
When Kohn mentioned that children may ‘lose interest’ through praise that can be true in some cases. I think if we over-praise something a child does or says on a regular basis, eventually, the praise will lose its meaning and the child will become disinterested in whatever it is they are doing. Similarly, with ‘stealing a child’s pleasure,’ Kohn said we are basically telling children how to feel. When I was younger sometimes, I would feel appreciated when I received praise, but other times I felt like had to appreciate it even though I may have felt that I did not deserve it.
The article was very interesting, it highlighted certain aspects of praise that I considered but did not think deeply about. I see now that we should be careful about over-praising children because the concept of praise might eventually become meaningless. However, it is still good to encourage children, at appropriate times, as a way to help their self-esteem as opposed to making them dependent on praise alone.
References
Kohn, Alfie. Five Reasons to Stop Saying “Good Job!” (**). (2020, February 26). Retrieved
from http://www.alfiekohn.org/article/five-reasons-stop-saying-good-job/.
Video Clips on Teaching
March 18, 2020
March 18, 2020
Pass the beat around the room game
This video is about a teacher instructing a few of her students how to play the ‘pass the beat around the room’ game. The students look like they might be in grade 6 or 7, but I don’t know for sure. I found this video interesting because the game requires you to keep a steady tempo and keep focused. They eliminated the word ‘beat’ and replaced it with a foot stomp to make the game a bit more challenging. I like the way the teacher instructed her students when teaching the game. She told them exactly what they had to do and did some practice rounds. She also pointed at each student when it was their turn to either speak or do the action, which also helped them keep a steady tempo. It is not a complex game, however there are ways to make it more challenging, which the teacher demonstrates. She is very positive and encouraging and her students seemed to be having fun.
This video is about a teacher instructing a few of her students how to play the ‘pass the beat around the room’ game. The students look like they might be in grade 6 or 7, but I don’t know for sure. I found this video interesting because the game requires you to keep a steady tempo and keep focused. They eliminated the word ‘beat’ and replaced it with a foot stomp to make the game a bit more challenging. I like the way the teacher instructed her students when teaching the game. She told them exactly what they had to do and did some practice rounds. She also pointed at each student when it was their turn to either speak or do the action, which also helped them keep a steady tempo. It is not a complex game, however there are ways to make it more challenging, which the teacher demonstrates. She is very positive and encouraging and her students seemed to be having fun.
How to Start Piano & Singing Lessons Solfege 7 Notes – Frisco PIano TX
This video shows a music class of about 7 maybe 8 young children learning solfege from their music teacher. The teacher is showing the children each solfege phrase in small chunks, the same way we would learn songs and music exercises in our Teaching and Learning class. I chose this teaching clip because I liked the way the teacher broke down the exercise. She would point at herself and sing the phrase, then she would point at the students for them to repeat what she sang. Again, same way we would. One of the children would say ‘fa’ instead of ‘re’ by accident, but everyone laughed a little and the teacher continued with the exercise. The teacher did not get frustrated when the one child kept making the mistake, she brushed it off and continued, because there is no point in making a big deal out of it. The children were happy learning solfege and seem to be having fun as well.
This video shows a music class of about 7 maybe 8 young children learning solfege from their music teacher. The teacher is showing the children each solfege phrase in small chunks, the same way we would learn songs and music exercises in our Teaching and Learning class. I chose this teaching clip because I liked the way the teacher broke down the exercise. She would point at herself and sing the phrase, then she would point at the students for them to repeat what she sang. Again, same way we would. One of the children would say ‘fa’ instead of ‘re’ by accident, but everyone laughed a little and the teacher continued with the exercise. The teacher did not get frustrated when the one child kept making the mistake, she brushed it off and continued, because there is no point in making a big deal out of it. The children were happy learning solfege and seem to be having fun as well.
Teaching and Learning Philosophy Statement
March 22, 2020
Teaching can have many meanings such as, instructing young children on school subjects or sharing wisdom and experiences with others. I think that teaching means forming relationships and gaining a better understanding of people and the world we live in. Teaching does not come from one specific type of person; I believe that anyone can be a teacher in an infinite number of ways. For example, talking to someone about a subject that they are not familiar with or offering advice to help a person resolve a conflict can be ways of teaching. I have had many teachers over the years, through school, extra-curriculars, my parents, and friends. I have learned a lot about what it means to learn and be a teacher that is beyond pedagogical learning.
As I expressed before, I believe teaching means making connections with people based on either shared or diverse knowledge. Similarly, I think learning music is also based on making connections with people and music itself. Music teachers who are able to make personal connections with their students will better understand how each student learns and will discover how to teach music to them. It is important to treat each student differently based on who they are and how they associate with music (or whatever they are being taught).
I believe that music is a way of self-expression and it is something I have grown to love over the years through my many music educators and teachers. I know that I want to inspire people through music like my music teachers did for me. As a music student, one of the main things I have learned is that you do not have to be a musician to understand music. Music can be interpreted in many ways, and people who are not musicians can still make personal connections to music. Whether they are just listening to music or learning songs by ear, music means something different to everyone who has access to it.
Teaching and learning music are about making connections to people, experiences, and music itself. I discovered, through speaking with my high school strings teacher and non-music major friends (including my mom), that everyone connects to music differently. Non-musicians associate themselves through with music because even with very little musical experience, they are still passionate about it in ways beyond singing or playing an instrument.
Music is something that can be shared with everyone. Same thing with teaching or learning; people can choose to be teachers and learn new things all the time. I think some people can have a personal and deep connection with music. I understand more about my teachers through the way they educate me, and they learn more about me through how I respond to their teaching methods. At the end of the day, everyone can teach and learn, whether they are doing it intentionally or unintentionally. I think it matters when people put their heart and soul into it, which can be beneficial and have a positive impact on our community.
March 22, 2020
Teaching can have many meanings such as, instructing young children on school subjects or sharing wisdom and experiences with others. I think that teaching means forming relationships and gaining a better understanding of people and the world we live in. Teaching does not come from one specific type of person; I believe that anyone can be a teacher in an infinite number of ways. For example, talking to someone about a subject that they are not familiar with or offering advice to help a person resolve a conflict can be ways of teaching. I have had many teachers over the years, through school, extra-curriculars, my parents, and friends. I have learned a lot about what it means to learn and be a teacher that is beyond pedagogical learning.
As I expressed before, I believe teaching means making connections with people based on either shared or diverse knowledge. Similarly, I think learning music is also based on making connections with people and music itself. Music teachers who are able to make personal connections with their students will better understand how each student learns and will discover how to teach music to them. It is important to treat each student differently based on who they are and how they associate with music (or whatever they are being taught).
I believe that music is a way of self-expression and it is something I have grown to love over the years through my many music educators and teachers. I know that I want to inspire people through music like my music teachers did for me. As a music student, one of the main things I have learned is that you do not have to be a musician to understand music. Music can be interpreted in many ways, and people who are not musicians can still make personal connections to music. Whether they are just listening to music or learning songs by ear, music means something different to everyone who has access to it.
Teaching and learning music are about making connections to people, experiences, and music itself. I discovered, through speaking with my high school strings teacher and non-music major friends (including my mom), that everyone connects to music differently. Non-musicians associate themselves through with music because even with very little musical experience, they are still passionate about it in ways beyond singing or playing an instrument.
Music is something that can be shared with everyone. Same thing with teaching or learning; people can choose to be teachers and learn new things all the time. I think some people can have a personal and deep connection with music. I understand more about my teachers through the way they educate me, and they learn more about me through how I respond to their teaching methods. At the end of the day, everyone can teach and learn, whether they are doing it intentionally or unintentionally. I think it matters when people put their heart and soul into it, which can be beneficial and have a positive impact on our community.
Teaching and Learning Philosophy Statement, Presentation
March 29, 2020
March 29, 2020
Photo used under Creative Commons from chocolatedazzles