Repositioning ‘The Elements’: How Students Talk About Music
Rose, L. S., & Countryman, J. (2013). Repositioning ‘the elements’: How students talk about music. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education 12(3): 45–64.
After reading, Repositioning ‘The Elements’: How Students Talk About Music I thought that it was interesting to observe how the approach to music education in grades K-12 so closely resembles pedagogies of courses in mathematics and the sciences. There seems to be a great focus on enforcing a traditional method of education where new terms and concepts are systematically taught and then tested to access the students ‘understanding’ of music. It seemed strange to me for music educators to apply the same methods of teaching used in very fact based and objective courses, to one that is so centered in emotion, subjectivity, and relationships.
The primary factor that surprised me by reading this article was that most young adults claim that listening to music is their favorite activity yet less than 6% of Ontario students enroll in Grade 12 music. Considering that music can have such a strong influence on their dialogue with themselves and others, and their disposition, I thought that this seemed unfortunate. This makes me question how the approach to music education can be enhanced to create a more inclusive environment for students that have such diverse musical backgrounds. I was also surprised that adolescents are able to “hear music in more complex ways than their school curriculum suggests they should” (Rose & Countryman, 2013). Students were able to express what they heard and observe how they formed relationships with music and with other people. It’s surprising to me, that the curriculum intended to further education, in this case, is limiting it.
It can frustrate me that music education is not respected or valued to the same degree that many other fields of study appreciate. This helps me realize why many music educators gravitate towards methods of teaching that emulate classes that are more highly valued. However, this approach often restricts diversity and individuality. We know that even university level music classes are composed of students with varying musical backgrounds. When a hierarchy in music education is created based on musical genres it devalues, and automatically excludes many students.
Enrollment in Grade 12 music in Ontario is 5.7%. I would ask the authors of Repositioning ‘The Elements’: How Students Talk About Music how student enrollment in high school music classes varied across the Canada, and how the cultural influences and musical genres that may be more strongly represented in various geographical locations can affect a student’s likelihood of enrollment.
Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education's Sake
Dawe, L. (2016). Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education’s Sake, Canadian Music Educator, (57)2, pp.22-24
While I was reading Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education’s Sake by Lesley Dawe, I found it interesting to observe the authors process in reexamining her role as a teacher. I appreciated her honesty in acknowledging that she was afraid to stray away from traditional methods of teaching for fear that she may be viewed as lacking in control and knowledge. It was also interesting to watch her transition from a stage of security, relying heavily on the traditional methods of music education that she was brought up with, to one where she is a co-learner in her student’s education.
When she was at the University of Toronto, It surprised me that when put in a setting where she was the student, playing on bucket drums, she suddenly felt vulnerable. Although she had experience leading activities very similar to this herself, it seemed unusual that she would feel so self-conscious about this. I also found it surprising that the author found it difficult to admit to her students that she didn’t know everything. This level of insecurity from a teacher in an educational setting was slightly surprising to me.
It was frustrating that the author had been allowed very little flexibility for her own interpretation in her musical education throughout elementary school and high school. It was also difficult to watch her replicate these methods during her first year of teaching. It seemed so strange to me for her previous teachers to reserve creativity for the end of the year when the concerts and festivals were complete. Perhaps the quality of music presented at these festivals and concerts would be enhanced if more opportunities for creativity had been incorporated into the class throughout the year. Reading her description of her musical education as very black and white, with no grey area seemed unfortunate. Although she initially thrived in this overly regulated environment, to me, it seemed to be an atmosphere that could not be entirely beneficial or sustainable.
I enjoyed reading Lesley Dawe’s article about the care that she took in creating an environment in music education that was safe for students to take risks and be creative. It is great to see that she consistently evaluates her own work to search for areas where she can improve to facilitate a positive environment for the students.
The invisible student: Understanding social identity construction within performing ensembles
Hourigan, R. M. (2009). The invisible student: Understanding social identity construction within performing ensembles. Music Educators Journal, 95(4), 34-38.
I found this article to be greatly insightful to how students may be feeling in an ensemble environment, and the steps that can be made to ensure that everyone feels valued, and appreciated as part of the group. While reading this article I felt very empathetic towards Jason and his struggle to communicate with his peers. The article explains that Jason gave up on trying to make friends a long time ago, and it has been months since he has spoken to anyone in band, including his teacher. After reading this, it made me reflect on how lonely and isolated some students feel, even when surrounded by a large group. It allowed me to realize that I should try to be more attentive in recognizing students that may feel “invisible”, and in identifying what I can do to create an encouraging environment that fosters success for them.
The parts of the article that were of greatest interest to me included the identification of “invisible students”, and what can be done at all levels to facilitate their growth. It was tremendously beneficial to me, as a student, to understand how to determine which students are at risk of feeling “invisible”; such as new students, students with special needs, and even students who are just shy. I thought that understanding the importance of modeling positive and inclusive behavior from the beginning of the year was greatly beneficial in reducing the risk of allowing a social hierarchy to form between the students.
Although I realized that Jason felt lonely and isolated, I was slightly surprised that this was also accompanied with feelings of inadequacy as a musician. Even though he had a thorough understanding of his part and how it should be performed, he considered himself to be a poor musician. I hadn’t fully realized how closely self-concept and group behaviour were related.
I would like to thank the author for writing an article centered in helping students that are vulnerable to feeling invisible. I would also ask the author how this research can be applicable to teachers. Usually classes are composed of one teacher and several students. Clearly, just like there are new students; there are also new teachers, and shy teachers, who may feel just as isolated and alone.
Think Everything’s “Normal?” Then It’s Time To Reconsider And Promote A New Narrative Of Disability.
Serres, D. (n.d.). Think Everything's "Normal?" Then It's Time To Reconsider And Promote A New Narrative Of Disability. Retrieved 2017, from https://organizingchange.org/think-everythings-normal-then-its-time-to-reconsider-and-promote-a-new-narrative-of-disability/
There were some ideas presented in this article that I agreed with. The author mentions that what is considered normal today is different than what was considered normal 100 years ago, or even as recently as 10 or 20 years ago. I also recognized that there is frequently a belief that everyone wants to meet these norms.
The author describes doctors, psychologists, and other healthcare professionals as being caught up in classifying their patients as being “abnormal” and in need of “fixing” as well as identifying them by their condition alone rather than by their personal character. Statements like this make the author sound very ignorant of the motivations surrounding many people who work in healthcare. I volunteered in a Cancer Clinic and in Day Surgery for two years, and throughout that time I never saw a patient being treated as if they were only “condition X requiring Y”. There was always a great amount of care taken in knowing what each patient’s wishes were, and trying to accommodate them. I found most people working in healthcare to be substantially better at communicating with other people regardless of their disability.
The author also discusses the interconnected relationships in the Medical Industrial Complex. He talks about how the corporatization of medicine has resulted in higher profits and therefore higher rates for consumers. I realize that the author is American and is referring to the American healthcare system. The way that the Canadian healthcare system is administered is greatly different from the American system. Many of the problems that the author presents regarding healthcare either do not exist in Canada, or are not nearly as prominent.
Throughout elementary school and high school I consistently saw much of the excellent work being done by educators to help children with disabilities. These teachers truly cared about helping students both socially and academically, and never would have done anything to intentionally hinder their growth. The author spends a lot of time in the article making very biased and condescending generalizations of teachers who work with children that have disabilities. I find that the author (Serres), is very passionate about improving the lives of people with disabilities through many different avenues. However, I found that this article was unprofessional and poorly researched.
The Power of Limits and the Pleasure of Games: An Easy and Fun Piano Duo Improvisation
Thibeault, M. (n.d.). The Power of Limits and the Pleasure of Games: An Easy and Fun Piano Duo Improvisation. Retrieved 2017, from http://journals2.scholarsportal.info.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca/details/10483713/v25i0003/50_tpolateafpdi.xml
I appreciated that this method of learning how to improvise is applicable to all levels, from beginner to professional. This allows beginners to develop an understanding of improvisation from the start of their training. For more experienced instrumentalists, it creates a natural transition between standard technical exercises and improvisation. I play violin and have no experience at all with improvisation. I know that I would be uncomfortable improvising, especially alone, without any structure or sense of direction. However, I love practicing scales. Developing a game of improvisation within the limits of scales seems so much more approachable to me.
Approaching a new technique as a game is a great idea. Rules are just part of the game to allow it to go on more seamlessly. Employing both limits and fun to a game makes the process of acquiring a new skill so much more enjoyable. I thought that it was interesting that the author noted the importance of keeping the game centered in something that is joyful, because this way you are helping students who worry too much about failure.
The bass line in the game consists of a one octave major scale ascending and descending. The upper part includes the improvising line, which is two octaves and travels in contrary motion to the bass. The author emphasizes the importance of the two players switching roles frequently especially in the early stages of learning how to improvise. I thought that this was a great idea that would assist in comprehending how each part could compliment the other. It would also create a more solid foundation of understanding for later on when players start to add variations to their parts such as experimenting with articulation, chromaticism, and different modes.
Understanding the positive aspects of this game from a teacher’s perspective was greatly beneficial. The author explains that when he plays this game with students he listens for their musicality, various improvisational ideas, struggles, and areas where students become bored. This allows for teachers to be aware of the variety of needs that their students have in learning how to improvise, and to accommodate them in an environment where it is ok to make mistakes.
The Elephant in the Room
Williams, D. A. (2011). The elephant in the room. Music Educators Journal, 98(1), 51-57.
I found this article to be an accurate representation of the current enrollment issues and attitudes towards music education in secondary schools. The article stresses that it is believed that traditional methods of music education such as concert bands and choirs should be the center of music education and that anything extra isn’t really taken seriously. Even though enrollment continues to decline, this idea is still maintained in many schools.
The author (Williams) points out that large ensembles and increasing class sizes are a ‘badge of honor’ for music teachers. I have frequently heard highschool music teachers talk about how pleased they are by the number of students enrolled in their class or band. Although it’s great that there are high schools with a strong interest in music class, since when does increased class size translate to better education? I have never heard of a math, science, or english teacher delighted that they are teaching a class of 80. How could you expect one teacher to effectively teach new concepts to a class that size as well as understand if the students are grasping the new material?
I was very fortunate to have great high school music teachers. At my highschool, band was offered for credit, which motivated many students who were already enrolled in music class to take band as well. Since it was such a large ensemble this lead to the teachers always making all of the creative and musical decisions. However as the teachers became more familiar with the students and musical organizations within the community they started to find ways to collaborate, and they started to select pieces from a wide variety of musical genres. Together these were greatly beneficial efforts that helped in maintaining interest within the ensemble.
Williams made one suggestion in the article that I believe could have a great role in the future of music education. Internet based courses. These can be great alternatives to students with conflicting timetables that do not allow them to enroll in music class. Using internet based courses, music education could include classes in composition, songwriting, or music production – topics rarely covered in traditional high school music classes.