If there's anything that music standards have done to help me improve my teaching over the years, it is to get me beyond singing songs and playing instruments to teaching musical concepts, skills, and processes through singing songs and playing instruments. In other words, standards have taught me that the song is not the objective, it is … Continue reading The Exit Ticket for Music
music literacy
That Elusive Groove
Some years ago, when I was leading a music rehearsal for our church worship team, often tried to stop the band from rushing tempos, while they for their part tried to stop me from dragging those same songs. I remember trying to teach them the groove I was feeling, but without consistent success. They naturally … Continue reading That Elusive Groove
One Size Fits One
If every student learned the same way, and that one way was the same way you learn, then teaching would be easy. But as we all know, everyone doesn't learn the same way, and we as teachers must be alert to how our students are trying to learn, and learn from them how to teach … Continue reading One Size Fits One
Preparing students to attend “The Nutcracker”
One of the delights of this time of year is the yearly field trip to see Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. While literally children of all ages attend performances of this holiday time favorite, I take the fifth grade at my school to a special morning performance our local ballet company puts on for students. Most of my … Continue reading Preparing students to attend “The Nutcracker”
What Is An Effective Approach to Teaching Sight Reading?
One of the perennial challenges for music teachers seems to be teaching sight-reading, particularly to older children who have not developed music reading skills at a young age. Music teachers often believe that students will get better at sight reading by practicing sight reading. This is true if students already know how to read music, … Continue reading What Is An Effective Approach to Teaching Sight Reading?
Engaged Learners In Action In The Music Classroom
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
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
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
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