For those of us who received most of our musical training within the context of classical music, we sometimes forget that music is not primarily a written art, like the literary masterworks of Shakespeare or Milton, but an auditory art. While this may seem obvious, it is not so obvious to those who observe or … Continue reading Some Thought on Teaching Rhythm
Author: mramusicplace
We Just Gave Our Concert, Now What?
There is always anticipation and excitement leading up to a concert, and then the high energy level of the concert itself. So many hours have gone into preparing a school concert, the performance is given and then there is the inevitable release when it is over. There may be a school assembly performance, but the … Continue reading We Just Gave Our Concert, Now What?
Where Do I Begin?
For most music teachers, organizing instruction into units makes a lot of sense. Typically, we see see students once or twice a week, or every day for a few weeks out of the school year. Teaching a series of lessons all grounded in a single topic helps reinforce important points from week to week, and … Continue reading Where Do I Begin?
A Fable from the Land of Music Notes
Children love stories. Sometimes stories can be used to teach difficult concepts. I remember a story that a music teacher used to tell to explain dotted quarter notes, and some 58 years later, I still remember it. Here's is another story about note values. I hope you enjoy it. There once was a land where … Continue reading A Fable from the Land of Music Notes
The Nuts & Bolts of Running a Classroom
A school classroom is a complex environment. There are many students in a room together and within that group of students their are varying interests, abilities, attitudes, and life circumstances, all of which impact what and how students learn. Imposed on these classrooms of students are expectations that every student can succeed, and every student … Continue reading The Nuts & Bolts of Running a Classroom
“How Do You Know What The Notes Are”?
From time to time as I am writing a melody on the board that I want my students to play or sing, they will notice that I am not looking at music, and that I am singing quietly to myself (though apparently loud enough for them to notice) as I write. They are fascinated by … Continue reading “How Do You Know What The Notes Are”?
What You Evaluate Says A Lot About What’s of Value in Your Program
Let me begin today by asking you a question. If you direct a large music ensemble such as a choir, orchestra, or band, how do you assign report card grades to your students? I've been teaching music for over thirty years. "Back in the day" it was perfectly acceptable to give any student that warmed … Continue reading What You Evaluate Says A Lot About What’s of Value in Your Program
The Learning Sequence for a Unit Plan
Previously, I have written about writing objectives and assessments for students. Today I will discuss the learning sequence across a unit. A unit consists of a well-sequenced series of lessons that guides students along to a final goal. While the teacher uses a lesson plan for each lesson within the unit--a plan in which activities … Continue reading The Learning Sequence for a Unit Plan
“But I Am Listening”
The direction to listen to music can mean different things to different people. To a music educator, listening to music usually involves giving attention to recorded music being played or to music being performed live, and also involves listening with a stated purpose. For example, a class might be asked to listen for a singer's … Continue reading “But I Am Listening”
What’s In A Word? The Importance of Music Vocabulary
Only in recent years have I come to realize how important naming a thing is to teaching children. We all use a lot of words when we are teaching. Between introducing new content and concepts, redirecting students, reviewing, guiding, facilitating, asking leading questions and so forth, we use hundreds, maybe thousands of words every day … Continue reading What’s In A Word? The Importance of Music Vocabulary
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