I like the idea of allowing students freedom in what they listen to (and what they listen for). However, students should reflect on what they listen to. The idea of utilizing a blog could be helpful. As teachers, we are involved in the business of creating lifelong learners. Teaching every student to begin a blog and creating opportunities that facilitate intuitive music listening that leads to reflection can be beneficial. With formal listening in the classroom and encouraged intuitive listening and reflection students can be taught to be skilled and discerning music consumers. From an educational standpoint, getting students to reflect on what they listen to helps them to actively listen instead of simply hear and brings music out of the background and into the forefront of their perception.
As a teacher, I would expect that a student would be able to distinguish more about a piece of music they were examining and describe those characteristics in more detail after spending time in my classroom. This provides a unique opportunity to create almost a "hidden portfolio" where students don't realize that they are creating a portfolio demonstrating their ability to process and describe music. Between critical thinking, writing across the curriculum, formative assessment, and cross-curricular activities, there are enough current educational buzzwords to melt the heart of even the sternest administrator. We all remember reading books in Language Arts that were good, but we didn't enjoy them simply because we were forced to read them. If we give students enough choice, what is to say that they won't eventually fall upon Whitacre's Sleep or Beethoven's Egmont Overture?
In section four of this week's lecture, Dr. Barzan mentioned that there is research suggesting that music is a "primary need" by teenagers; that is, that music is considered by teenagers to be almost as important as food and shelter. If that is the case, how can we better tap into that need? How can we meet students where they are to bring them somewhere else? If we were to ask students to create a Spotify playlist, what could we learn about them? I can't help but imagine that it would positively impact both our instruction and our effectiveness.
Bauer, W. (2014). Assessment of Music Learning. In Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music (pp. 101-129). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
As a teacher, I would expect that a student would be able to distinguish more about a piece of music they were examining and describe those characteristics in more detail after spending time in my classroom. This provides a unique opportunity to create almost a "hidden portfolio" where students don't realize that they are creating a portfolio demonstrating their ability to process and describe music. Between critical thinking, writing across the curriculum, formative assessment, and cross-curricular activities, there are enough current educational buzzwords to melt the heart of even the sternest administrator. We all remember reading books in Language Arts that were good, but we didn't enjoy them simply because we were forced to read them. If we give students enough choice, what is to say that they won't eventually fall upon Whitacre's Sleep or Beethoven's Egmont Overture?
In section four of this week's lecture, Dr. Barzan mentioned that there is research suggesting that music is a "primary need" by teenagers; that is, that music is considered by teenagers to be almost as important as food and shelter. If that is the case, how can we better tap into that need? How can we meet students where they are to bring them somewhere else? If we were to ask students to create a Spotify playlist, what could we learn about them? I can't help but imagine that it would positively impact both our instruction and our effectiveness.
References:
Bauer, W. (2014). Assessment of Music Learning. In Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music (pp. 101-129). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Ben,
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea to have students utilize a blog to assist with music reflection. This will still allow students freedom, but will also insure the building of listening skills! It is so important that our students develop the critical listening skills. This will help them not only in music situations, but will help in everyday life.