In the last post I made, I discussed how classrooms should begin to use more of a hybrid technique to teaching music. The kids in the video engage with many musical concepts discussed in Perceptions, Patterns and Processes (pg. 89-91)? By working on projects that include vocals, they’re experimenting and creating music with various dynamics, melodies, rhythms, and tone colors.
If I wanted to make the connections between the musical engagement and musical concepts explicit to the people if this took place in my hybrid classroom, I would simply ask the students. How do YOU think that we are learning about these thing? OR How well do you think you’ve covered these topics so far? What topics are you not considering that might help make your music better or more interesting? How can I help you learn more about different vocal timbres, for example? How can we increase the amount of harmony you’re using in the production of your song?
- What are your perspectives on Dr. Lee’s work with us on Tuesday?
On Tuesday we had a great class with a professor from Ireland. He didn’t talk about rhythm, he didn’t mention any quarter, sixteenth notes or break down any musical concepts. He just said for us to feel the beat, and started building with one beat on top of another, while spreading out the musical responsibilities. After one hour, we were able to go into the main part of campus and actually impress several students with what we were able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. Some random students joined in.
- How might his practice and approaches he discussed relate to our class and new types of music courses?
Perhaps the traditional methods we have been following are not the best way to help students “latch on” to music education. Perhaps the best way is to find a fun way of doing it by a quicker method. After a few minutes, we were already contributing to the group and creating a musical engagement, without having studied the exact mouth positions of a selected instrument we were slowing latching ourselves to for life.
- In what ways were you engaging with the musical concepts discussed on pages 5-7 as you engaged with Samba Reggae music?
One thing that we don’t typically introduce into music making is dance. As we learned the new beat, Dr. Lee told us to move our bodies, to feel the beat. He motioned for us to move in a certain direction, and we followed, without being asked. He SHOWED us, and INVITED us to do it, and we did it, without being told to do anything.
- How might you help students make connections between similar types of engagement as what we did on Tuesday and musical concepts in your own hybrid classroom?
Try to teach a class without using words; instead by showing them, or encouraging them to join in. It would be a significantly different approach from the traditional approach of trying to develop virtuosos in the ensemble. Perhaps it would have a significantly different result.
Jonathan Newey 