Oh man, I'm not even sure where to begin on this post. I've learned so much in this class. This is the class that opened my eyes on how to apply these educational concepts to music. Not just concepts from this class, but from others.
In the oral final, I discussed how to apply comprehension instruction to rehearsal through using well structured warm ups that ease students into more challenging passages in their numbers, using background knowledge to help students make predictions reviewing concerts and discussing what went well and what didn't. The thing is, many music teachers do this already, but we don't know that what we are doing is "comprehension instruction" or that when we incorporate a wide variety of music at varying difficulties it's "differentiation." We just know that it's good to do it and so we do.
Now the biggest hurdle we have to get past is finding the time to do all this and rehearse. It would be nice if all we needed to do was teach basic music and how to sing or play an instrument, but we have to perform as well. I'm not begrudging performance. I love it! Why else would I have stayed in choir and then majored in it? But I feel like it's harder for us to do it all. I know for a fact that my high school choir director (who was heralded as a fantastic director, who won awards for being such a great teacher, who produced and directed extravagant, spectacular musicals each year) didn't even sort of incorporate these things into her lessons plans. She was all about rehearsal and making sure everyone sang the right note at the right time at the right dynamic with the right vowel. Why do I bring this up? She was seen as one of the most successful directors in my district, but she didn't even cover a fourth of the state standards. It's just a weird dynamic going on with music education that I still am trying to grasp.
To ideally use all of the techniques I've learned this semester (and past semesters) I feel like I'd have to have several non-rehearsal periods so I could teach history, appreciation, theory, and songwriting among others. But that when would I be able to rehearse my choirs? It may get to the point where we would need more choir directors than one per school. Gasp! Imagine that! (Actually in the midwest and Texas that's not uncommon. Actually it's not uncommon to have vocal coaches/teachers on staff as well as choreographers, professional accompanists, and assistants! And people wonder why I would ever want to leave Utah which makes me fight for the existence of my job.
Sorry, I got off on a tangent. The way I see this truly incorporating this into my teaching style in an ensemble setting is to have 10-20 minutes (depending on length of a period) devoted to teaching music concepts, studying musical texts (that aren't our repertoire), and historical information. And then dive into rehearsal for the rest of the time, because that is what music teachers are judged mostly on. The performance of our students (which other subjects are just now feeling). I know Marcia Neel has structured classes this way in Nevada, where music is a core subject (I mean really, come on Utah. Get with it!) I imagine me using the same structure while still incorporating as much as I can to the rehearsal portion as mentioned at the beginning of this post.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Self-Selected Project
I chose to read two high-interest texts from the music content area, specifically musical theatre. I also had my neighbor read these texts. Afterwards, we sat down and had our own mini "book club." Our first text was the libretto from the musical, The Secret Garden.
My neighbor and I have very similar feelings on almost everything, so it wasn't surprising that we both had many of the same thoughts on The Secret Garden. We discussed what we did and didn't like about the books. We felt that it could have been clearer as to what was going on (a way to fix this with students is to provide some scaffolding before reading). I feel like staging would have helped solve this, and this particular libretto had no stage notes so we were left with just the dialogue (with occasional soliloquy). The ghosts seemed too present, we weren't sure if it was going for deux ex machina or not. We could have done with a little less from the dead people. In the musical, they sort of teach how to speak "yorkshire." We both felt that was pretty cool and it was a good way to separate the servants from the homeowners. We weren't sure by the end whether or not Dr. Craven actually wanted the house or not. The characters themselves were very round and dynamic. You can see a lot of growth in all the main characters. The servants were used as instruments to accomplish that goal.
The way to use this in classroom instruction would depend on the class, but for a music history class we could do a unit on American musical theatre. We could aslo use this as a style of music for music appreciation. And lastly it would fit perfectly in a musical theatre class.
Allen (my neighbor) said he enjoyed reading this literature, but he was burnt out by the end. He doesn't see himself reading again too soon. What was really nice about the libretto is that it allows the reader to get a story in a very short amount of time.
There are so many ways to integrate this into a classroom. We could do basic book reports, or we could chose a selection and perform it. Have students' write a character analysis. Compare their project with others while providing constructive criticism to peers. We could also put on a variety show, showcasing the student's hard work.
We also looked at the vocal selections from The Lion King. Things that excited us are: Rafiki has a song (and it's a really good song)! This particular setting of the musical is more geared toward adults as opposed to the movie. There is a wide range of difficulty that allows students' to push themselves. There are a few really grant african chant numbers. This production also has more focus on the ensemble than the movie.
This book could be used in classroom by letting students' search through it and pick their solo work. They could aslo use their songs to create a variety show which would could use as a fund raiser (as part of a dinner and a show type thing). They could also use this book as a means to find music for their bi-termly project (a self-selected project that they need to complete twice each term). This would also be great music to create a song analysis from.
As for reading for pleasure, this is definitely a favorite. As Allen said, "It was fantastic! Music is fun!" It was fun to see the similarities and differences between the book and the 90's film. Even the differences between the book and the original broadway cast! The characterizations that the choose to add are awesome!
While speaking with Allen, we discussed how fun and complex the rhythms were for The Lion King and we talked about how we could use those rhythms as dictations for the class. Since they are so difficult, I probably would keep them for extra credit until they are more used to rhythm dictations. But if they got comfortable enough with rhythm dictations to do The Lion King ones, it would be a great indicator as to how far they have come.
My neighbor and I have very similar feelings on almost everything, so it wasn't surprising that we both had many of the same thoughts on The Secret Garden. We discussed what we did and didn't like about the books. We felt that it could have been clearer as to what was going on (a way to fix this with students is to provide some scaffolding before reading). I feel like staging would have helped solve this, and this particular libretto had no stage notes so we were left with just the dialogue (with occasional soliloquy). The ghosts seemed too present, we weren't sure if it was going for deux ex machina or not. We could have done with a little less from the dead people. In the musical, they sort of teach how to speak "yorkshire." We both felt that was pretty cool and it was a good way to separate the servants from the homeowners. We weren't sure by the end whether or not Dr. Craven actually wanted the house or not. The characters themselves were very round and dynamic. You can see a lot of growth in all the main characters. The servants were used as instruments to accomplish that goal.
The way to use this in classroom instruction would depend on the class, but for a music history class we could do a unit on American musical theatre. We could aslo use this as a style of music for music appreciation. And lastly it would fit perfectly in a musical theatre class.
Allen (my neighbor) said he enjoyed reading this literature, but he was burnt out by the end. He doesn't see himself reading again too soon. What was really nice about the libretto is that it allows the reader to get a story in a very short amount of time.
There are so many ways to integrate this into a classroom. We could do basic book reports, or we could chose a selection and perform it. Have students' write a character analysis. Compare their project with others while providing constructive criticism to peers. We could also put on a variety show, showcasing the student's hard work.
We also looked at the vocal selections from The Lion King. Things that excited us are: Rafiki has a song (and it's a really good song)! This particular setting of the musical is more geared toward adults as opposed to the movie. There is a wide range of difficulty that allows students' to push themselves. There are a few really grant african chant numbers. This production also has more focus on the ensemble than the movie.
This book could be used in classroom by letting students' search through it and pick their solo work. They could aslo use their songs to create a variety show which would could use as a fund raiser (as part of a dinner and a show type thing). They could also use this book as a means to find music for their bi-termly project (a self-selected project that they need to complete twice each term). This would also be great music to create a song analysis from.
As for reading for pleasure, this is definitely a favorite. As Allen said, "It was fantastic! Music is fun!" It was fun to see the similarities and differences between the book and the 90's film. Even the differences between the book and the original broadway cast! The characterizations that the choose to add are awesome!
While speaking with Allen, we discussed how fun and complex the rhythms were for The Lion King and we talked about how we could use those rhythms as dictations for the class. Since they are so difficult, I probably would keep them for extra credit until they are more used to rhythm dictations. But if they got comfortable enough with rhythm dictations to do The Lion King ones, it would be a great indicator as to how far they have come.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Digital Literacy
I charted my use of technology for two weeks and I have come to the conclusion that I use them far too often. I had technology with me almost 24/7! I had my phone with me throughout the day and next to me at night. There was one day while I was in Dallas that my phone went dead around 10:30 in the morning and I was cut off from my group for the rest of the day. I used my phone as a way to fill in boring bits of the day, connect me to others (near or far), to do quick research, log onto email, use as digital boarding passes and concert tickets, etc. I had my ipod as well. I had that playing during most spaces of free time. I don't usually use it as much, but I used it as a tool to help me memorize my recital pieces. I also used it with my mikey attachment to record lectures and accompaniments. As for my laptop, I use it almost constantly. As background music, to watch T.V. or movies, to use social networks, to do research, to write papers, to write blogs about my technology use ;)
Pretty much, technology is integrated into our lives (at least mine) and is continuing to become more so. I'm almost always online in some way or another. My reprieves from screens include practicing (and even then I often use a computer or my phone as a metronome or accompaniment) and sleep. I know that I use technology a bit more than others, but I use it productively most of the time.
Online texts I have read include a few tweets, facebook statuses, journal articles, blogs, classic novels, etc. I exchange emails, tweets, and statuses with friends, colleagues, future employers, experts in my field, and others.
I would love to use technology in my class. One way that I've really liked while attending conventions, is this software called Smartmusic. It helps me fill a lot of the standards I need to encompass while still getting in rehearsal time. I can have kids go into a room and record themselves singing and the computer program will grade them on note accuracy and rhythm. I can use it for sight singing or testing on pieces we will be performing. The students can also use it for practice. It seems like a great technology that would make things much easier as an educator to fill all those standards. It also shows each student's progress and shows them what they missed and how I as a grader wasn't being subjective (which happens in music).
In a history or appreciation class, I could find countless online articles for them to read about composers and the like. In my choir class, I could help them develop videos for an Eric Whitacre virtual choir. It's a simple process and I could set up a practice room to streamline it. I would love to use edmodo or something similar to keep them updated with announcements and such, but I'm not sure that they would log in every day to see it.
The biggest technologies I see changing how I do things are Smartmusic, or Gradecam, or those test writing/grading websites. Most technologies I'd like to use are used here at the school and not at their home. They could easily ask me questions, but as I demoed some of this tech, it was very simple and basic. It was set up to be hard to not be able to do right.
I'm excited to get out there and teach and when I look at the technology developing for my field, I just get more and more excited!
Pretty much, technology is integrated into our lives (at least mine) and is continuing to become more so. I'm almost always online in some way or another. My reprieves from screens include practicing (and even then I often use a computer or my phone as a metronome or accompaniment) and sleep. I know that I use technology a bit more than others, but I use it productively most of the time.
Online texts I have read include a few tweets, facebook statuses, journal articles, blogs, classic novels, etc. I exchange emails, tweets, and statuses with friends, colleagues, future employers, experts in my field, and others.
I would love to use technology in my class. One way that I've really liked while attending conventions, is this software called Smartmusic. It helps me fill a lot of the standards I need to encompass while still getting in rehearsal time. I can have kids go into a room and record themselves singing and the computer program will grade them on note accuracy and rhythm. I can use it for sight singing or testing on pieces we will be performing. The students can also use it for practice. It seems like a great technology that would make things much easier as an educator to fill all those standards. It also shows each student's progress and shows them what they missed and how I as a grader wasn't being subjective (which happens in music).
In a history or appreciation class, I could find countless online articles for them to read about composers and the like. In my choir class, I could help them develop videos for an Eric Whitacre virtual choir. It's a simple process and I could set up a practice room to streamline it. I would love to use edmodo or something similar to keep them updated with announcements and such, but I'm not sure that they would log in every day to see it.
The biggest technologies I see changing how I do things are Smartmusic, or Gradecam, or those test writing/grading websites. Most technologies I'd like to use are used here at the school and not at their home. They could easily ask me questions, but as I demoed some of this tech, it was very simple and basic. It was set up to be hard to not be able to do right.
I'm excited to get out there and teach and when I look at the technology developing for my field, I just get more and more excited!
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Affective Dimensions of Writing
So I don't mean to go in order, but the prompts I want to do just happen to be. I'll switch it up next time. Promise.
My experience as a writer is limited. And I don't consider myself much of one. Most of my writing is for myself. I have kept a journal off and on since I was in second grade. I keep a notepad near my bed so that I can write what comes to me right before I sleep since I feel that is when I get the most random moments of clarity (and if I don't write them down, my brain will refuse to go to sleep). I actually have written a book that has been left unfinished for years. It stands at 300 pages right now and I'd like to get it bound one day. I have also kept this blog and another (I'm more consistant on the other). Most of my emails are business related, but since I have friend's across the world right now, I do send them snail mail every once in a while. When I write Facebook status updates, I try to put thought into them, not just, "I'm eating a sandwich."
I like to express my ideas and emotions numerous ways. It depends on my mood. For some subjects, I will write about it (those seem to be the complex yet concrete things I can apply logic to). Harder topics that I'm not quite sure how to express my thoughts on, will be dealt with some major doodles. The more emotional ideas will be express through music. I'll arrange or write a diddy or two here and there, but mostly I'll find a piece or song that fits what I'm going through and will play or sing it until I feel satisfied.
Whenever I can think of a writing assignment I actually enjoyed, it was always about a subject that I enjoyed. The subject material was usually picked by me. I talked about this particular experience in class, but I'll use it again because I really enjoyed it.
In an English class we had to do book reports for books that we were reading on our own. The book I read was Bram Stoker's Dracula. My teacher gave us a list of different ways we could do our book report and I chose to write the front page of the paper that could be printed during the plot of the book. I was able to write about an abandoned ship found out in the sea, an attack on a local girl, and all the crazy things that happen in Dracula. It was a perfect book for this project. It was fun to act as reporter and editor for a fictitious newspaper. This project allowed us to be creative and I like how we got to decide how to present the knowledge we gained while reading.
When I think of writing assignments that I hated (and that is to put it mildly) it actually comes from the same class. We had to put together a poetry anthology. We had to write 10 poems and analyze 10. It doesn't sound too bad, but my teacher assigned it during the busiest time of the school musical on purpose because she hated how much attention it got when the debate team was practically ignored (I'm not making assumptions, she right out told us that is why she picked the date). Most of my poems I wrote spoke about how much I didn't appreciate what she did to us and how terrible of a teacher that made her (that could have bit me in the butt, but luckily I still got an A).
When I assign writing assignments, I would like to leave a lot up to the students to decide. It helps them write about something they care about or in a way that they might enjoy it. I also plan on not following the example of my teacher and being vindictive when choosing due dates. And this goes beyond writing. I would like to make as much as I can personalized towards the students. I want them to have the opportunity to perform, compose, analyze, etc. what interests them. This is something I've planned to have in my curriculum since the get-go.
My experience as a writer is limited. And I don't consider myself much of one. Most of my writing is for myself. I have kept a journal off and on since I was in second grade. I keep a notepad near my bed so that I can write what comes to me right before I sleep since I feel that is when I get the most random moments of clarity (and if I don't write them down, my brain will refuse to go to sleep). I actually have written a book that has been left unfinished for years. It stands at 300 pages right now and I'd like to get it bound one day. I have also kept this blog and another (I'm more consistant on the other). Most of my emails are business related, but since I have friend's across the world right now, I do send them snail mail every once in a while. When I write Facebook status updates, I try to put thought into them, not just, "I'm eating a sandwich."
I like to express my ideas and emotions numerous ways. It depends on my mood. For some subjects, I will write about it (those seem to be the complex yet concrete things I can apply logic to). Harder topics that I'm not quite sure how to express my thoughts on, will be dealt with some major doodles. The more emotional ideas will be express through music. I'll arrange or write a diddy or two here and there, but mostly I'll find a piece or song that fits what I'm going through and will play or sing it until I feel satisfied.
Whenever I can think of a writing assignment I actually enjoyed, it was always about a subject that I enjoyed. The subject material was usually picked by me. I talked about this particular experience in class, but I'll use it again because I really enjoyed it.
In an English class we had to do book reports for books that we were reading on our own. The book I read was Bram Stoker's Dracula. My teacher gave us a list of different ways we could do our book report and I chose to write the front page of the paper that could be printed during the plot of the book. I was able to write about an abandoned ship found out in the sea, an attack on a local girl, and all the crazy things that happen in Dracula. It was a perfect book for this project. It was fun to act as reporter and editor for a fictitious newspaper. This project allowed us to be creative and I like how we got to decide how to present the knowledge we gained while reading.
When I think of writing assignments that I hated (and that is to put it mildly) it actually comes from the same class. We had to put together a poetry anthology. We had to write 10 poems and analyze 10. It doesn't sound too bad, but my teacher assigned it during the busiest time of the school musical on purpose because she hated how much attention it got when the debate team was practically ignored (I'm not making assumptions, she right out told us that is why she picked the date). Most of my poems I wrote spoke about how much I didn't appreciate what she did to us and how terrible of a teacher that made her (that could have bit me in the butt, but luckily I still got an A).
When I assign writing assignments, I would like to leave a lot up to the students to decide. It helps them write about something they care about or in a way that they might enjoy it. I also plan on not following the example of my teacher and being vindictive when choosing due dates. And this goes beyond writing. I would like to make as much as I can personalized towards the students. I want them to have the opportunity to perform, compose, analyze, etc. what interests them. This is something I've planned to have in my curriculum since the get-go.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Connection to Home Experiences
I have been involved with my content area (Music) for a very long time. My mother is a piano teacher and, to my knowledge, has been since before I was born. Either way, I know that one way or another, the moment I developed ears and gained the ability to hear, I was exposed to music.
I started piano lessons when I was five. My sister tutored me on the violin when I was six. My other sister taught me the basics of the flute when I turned eight. I snuck into my brother's room and would noodle on his guitar when he wasn't home. When I was in fourth grade I landed the lead role in the school musical: Scrooge. In fifth grade I joined the Salt Lake Children's choir. Then, in sixth grade, I picked up the cello and joined orchestra. In eighth grade I joined my junior high's choir. That same year I began to teach piano lessons.
I wasn't just involved with lessons and ensembles, though. I loved to write my own music. I entered a few competitions and won! (There weren't many competitors, though...) I have been in almost a dozen musicals and seen countless others, including a handful of operas. And let's not forget the numerous Disney movies I watched over and over again and would sing along to (still do, by the way).
These experiences definitely guided me to choose my major. I loved learning! Every time I could grab hold of a new instrument, a new experience, I would. The experiences that stand out above the rest are my experiences with musicals. I feel such a connection to the characters and text of each musical. I am a pretty empathetic person and the emotion that composers write into their music and characters impacts me. I think it was those waves of emotion that drew me to music. I learned from those characters, their experiences. Nothing was more powerful to me then when a character broke out into a sililoquial (Yes... I made that word up) song as they had reached a turning point in their lives. (Ex. Elphaba when she sings Defying Gravity. Millie when she sings Gimme, Gimme. Percy when he sings Prayer and later She was There.)
This is one major reason I chose to emphasize with choir. So I could be involved with the musical. I wanted to show students what these connections can do for them in their lives. I want them to feel what I've felt. That is what drew me to music.
Now that I've grown a bit, I've realized that it's not just musicals that can do this. It's different for each student, but it falls to me to find what it is for my students that draws them to music. They could love opera or jazz choir. I need to find it for them. I need to expose them to it. So they can find their "jam."
I started piano lessons when I was five. My sister tutored me on the violin when I was six. My other sister taught me the basics of the flute when I turned eight. I snuck into my brother's room and would noodle on his guitar when he wasn't home. When I was in fourth grade I landed the lead role in the school musical: Scrooge. In fifth grade I joined the Salt Lake Children's choir. Then, in sixth grade, I picked up the cello and joined orchestra. In eighth grade I joined my junior high's choir. That same year I began to teach piano lessons.
I wasn't just involved with lessons and ensembles, though. I loved to write my own music. I entered a few competitions and won! (There weren't many competitors, though...) I have been in almost a dozen musicals and seen countless others, including a handful of operas. And let's not forget the numerous Disney movies I watched over and over again and would sing along to (still do, by the way).
These experiences definitely guided me to choose my major. I loved learning! Every time I could grab hold of a new instrument, a new experience, I would. The experiences that stand out above the rest are my experiences with musicals. I feel such a connection to the characters and text of each musical. I am a pretty empathetic person and the emotion that composers write into their music and characters impacts me. I think it was those waves of emotion that drew me to music. I learned from those characters, their experiences. Nothing was more powerful to me then when a character broke out into a sililoquial (Yes... I made that word up) song as they had reached a turning point in their lives. (Ex. Elphaba when she sings Defying Gravity. Millie when she sings Gimme, Gimme. Percy when he sings Prayer and later She was There.)
This is one major reason I chose to emphasize with choir. So I could be involved with the musical. I wanted to show students what these connections can do for them in their lives. I want them to feel what I've felt. That is what drew me to music.
Now that I've grown a bit, I've realized that it's not just musicals that can do this. It's different for each student, but it falls to me to find what it is for my students that draws them to music. They could love opera or jazz choir. I need to find it for them. I need to expose them to it. So they can find their "jam."
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