Context is everything. There's a saying, "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." Too often in education, we take a little morsel of knowledge, perhaps acquired at a conference or hastily gleaned from an article or book, and then force it into a position of exclusivity and prominence that assures success will not prevail. I … Continue reading Lesson Planning and Marzano’s Nine Strategies
Instrumental Music
When Performance Requests and Developmental Appropriateness Collide
A music teacher recently asked for suggestions on how to teach The Star Spangled Banner to her kindergarten and first grade classes. She didn't say why she wanted to do this. Perhaps she was asked to have her youngest children sing it for a program, or perhaps she just felt it could never be too … Continue reading When Performance Requests and Developmental Appropriateness Collide
Why Do We Teach Music Reading?
To my surprise, I recently read a discussion thread by music educators on Facebook in which most of the participants found teaching music reading unnecessary. The argument for this position has been around for quite some time. Most of the world's musicians, excellent musicians, do not read music, most of the world's cultures do not … Continue reading Why Do We Teach Music Reading?
Learning Objectives and Essential Questions
If you are a pubic school music educator, then you are accustomed to writing and posting instructional objectives for your students. In my district, student learning objectives must be posted on the front board at all times so that anyone observing the class can easily see what you are expecting the students to know and … Continue reading Learning Objectives and Essential Questions
What Are Ways Students Can Respond to Music?
With the National Core Arts Standards now in their third year, music educators have grown accustomed to thinking of music education in terms of four artistic processes: creating, performing, responding, and connecting. One could argue that responding and connecting are present in creating and performing, so that responding permeates everything a person does with music. … Continue reading What Are Ways Students Can Respond to Music?
Musical Literacy and Inclusion
On September 15-16, 2017 I attended "Tanglewood Conversation" at Boston University. It was a meeting of music educators from within the Boston University music education community to discuss issues of importance to music education in 2017 and to mark the 50th anniversary of the original Tanglewood Symposium held in 1967. What follows are a few … Continue reading Musical Literacy and Inclusion
Keys to Successful Practice
In another post, I discussed why many students don't like to practice. There is an irony at work. A player who is struggling needs to practice more than one who is flourishing, yet it is the one who is struggling who is likely to hate practicing and resist practicing because it is unpleasant to play … Continue reading Keys to Successful Practice
Demystifying Pre-assessment
Pre-assessment can be a confusing, even upsetting thing for teachers and students. Most of the confusion and upsetting arises from a sense of unfairness; how can students be tested on something we know they don't know? When approached in this manner, pre-assessment stirs up anxiety for teachers and students alike. Considering this, the first step … Continue reading Demystifying Pre-assessment
Using Portfolios to Improve Music Instruction
Portfolios in education are collections of student work and of documents related to those pieces of student work. They make possible the documentation of student activity and learning, the reflecting upon work even days or weeks after it is completed, and the charting of progress over time as work collected at various moments is compared … Continue reading Using Portfolios to Improve Music Instruction
After The Concert
Recently, a sort of firestorm on Facebook was started by a music teacher sharply criticizing colleagues who stop teaching the curriculum after the final concert of the year. He stated that in doing so, these teachers are "degrading" their music programs. He went on to vent and in so doing offended some. The post was … Continue reading After The Concert
mister a music place 
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