Yesterday, I wrote about developing students as engaged learners. Today, as luck would have it, the benefit of engaged learners played out in my classroom. The plan was to review a two-part vocal arrangement of "Wade In The Water." I asked the class to begin by singing the bass ostinato, and then continue while I … Continue reading Engaged Learners In Action In The Music Classroom
Month: November 2014
Developing Engaged Learners in Music
There is much to recommend developing our students into independent and engaged students. The two are related: engaged students go beyond what is asked or required, and generate their own questions that drive their learning. By contrast, dependent students are often compliant, but not engaged. It is easy to settle for a compliant student, even … Continue reading Developing Engaged Learners in Music
Using New Learning to Focus and Structure Music Lessons
One of the risks of begin an arts teacher is that my lessons will be perceived as unplanned and lacking in structure. While I always have both plans and structure to every lesson I teach, the highly interactive nature of a music class sometimes gives the illusion that we are only responding to the moment … Continue reading Using New Learning to Focus and Structure Music Lessons
What Solfege Is, And What It Is Not
The use of solfege syllables in teaching singing and music reading is one of those things that music educators cannot seem to come to a consensus on. some use solfege, some do not. some prefer to use letter names, some numbers, some no note names at all, just a neutral syllable. Some try using solfege, … Continue reading What Solfege Is, And What It Is Not
Teaching Music To Special Needs Students
Billy Rueckert is 13 years old. And he likes to prove people wrong...Billy has cerebral palsy, and he was barely 10 when he peeked into the band room...and informed Miss Roggen he’d like to learn to play an instrument. Anything. He wasn’t picky.” I remember him coming through that door with his walker,” says Tammy … Continue reading Teaching Music To Special Needs Students
With An Eye To Differences in How Students Learn
Giving students meaningful choices can teach me quite a bit. Today, I was teaching hip-hop rhythms to a seventh grade class so that the students could perform a groove and improvise over it. One student was successfully playing the high-hat rhythm, while another student was attempting to play the back beats. Although I had introduced … Continue reading With An Eye To Differences in How Students Learn
Small Group Instruction in the Music Classroom
Small groups are all the rage these days in education. They are an effective way of differentiating instruction, and enable teachers to give students meaningful choices affecting their learning. A group leader who may be the teacher or a student can teach students in small groups, or students can teach students and collaborate in the … Continue reading Small Group Instruction in the Music Classroom
Components of Exemplary Teaching for Music Teachers
Exemplary teaching in today’s educational climate can be broken down into three areas each of which dictates to some extent what teachers do and what students do. While these nine areas apply to teachers in all disciplines, they can be discussed at the application level within a single discipline such as music. Today I will … Continue reading Components of Exemplary Teaching for Music Teachers
Four Pieces of Advice for Improving Music Teaching and Learning
Recently, Patrick McKenna published an insightful article on begin an effective leader. The main point was that good leaders understand the importance of relationships with those they lead, and take a genuine interest in their needs and wants. This is not only good for business; it is also good for teaching. Music teachers are in … Continue reading Four Pieces of Advice for Improving Music Teaching and Learning
mister a music place 
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