Financing the BOJC Program

In a perfect world, our music programs would be funded with our school budgets.  Anyone who has graduated from such a program, or a parent having a child in a music program, can attest to having the task of fundraising each year for the music program.  As a parent with an already strained household budget, I complained more than I care to admit when it came to yet another fundraiser while my daughter was in school.  But comply I did, because in my value system, arts education is very important.

I would find it very awkward if the administration's attitude, upon noting how helpful parents can be at contributing financially to the music ;program, is that we can fund the program that way.  It is a fine line that we walk.  I support targeted fundraising that is focused on an enrichment that is simply not in the school budget. I would not fundraise for school instruments, for example.  I would be open to soliciting donations of instruments, hardware, software, etc. that would enhance the music program, however.  In tough economic times, I cannot say "no" to any donation, even if there is a risk that administration will expect the same every year.  I can see that fundraising and the music budget will be an ongoing issue.

Critique on article: "Creating Musical Flexibility through the Ensemble"

I appreciate the efforts of our Secondary Methods professor, author and music educator Brandt Schneider, to encourage us to create musicians through the school ensemble experience.  As a product of a school system that "feed" students through the school levels, from the elementary grades through high school, it is still easy to find students at the college level lacking necessary skills in sight reading and music theory.

By establishing musical discipline, it is possible to have students learn to transpose music, and be familiar with all 12 keys.  How many times have I groaned when I looked at a composition written in five flats until I started playing and transposing to all keys?  At the very least, early exposure to music theory, and incorporating practical exercises for just a few minutes of each class will eliminate anxiety when students are presented with a music challenge during the course of their budding musical careers.

It is especially important to incorporate theory into a program that does not have a formal class.  As a music educator, I find myself looking ahead when I think of teaching.  What benefit my students when they reach the next level?  How can I prepare them now?

I am still not sure how I feel about student composing at the elementary and secondary levels.  I tend to look at composing as a higher level skill.  However, I think that there are many opportunities for students to arrange music in their ensembles.  Especially when it comes to selecting their "fun" pieces.  I remember asking my junior high music teacher to let us play Barry White's "Love's Theme" back in the day.  (Barry White made playing strings cool!) He asked me to bring in the record, and away we went.  His arrangement, I thought, was not as soulful as the record, but looking back, I would have loved to help him arrange the song.  I can't help but think how I could have made the arrangement better.  (or at least sound more like the record!) But, hindsight is 20/20 as they say.  As a teacher, you know the  abilities of all of your students.  I would have liked just knowing why he made the choices he did.  So, yes, I believe that students and the teacher should collaborate on arrangements as soon as there is an interest expressed.

I agree that there is such an overarching emphasis on performing in ensembles.  If there is a separate music theory class available, then that is ideal, but mostly that will not be the case.  Ensemble teachers should be ready to develop their instrumentalists into well-rounded musicians.

Technology in the Music Classroom

Urban high school digital music recording classroom.

Technology in the classroom has been around for a long time.  Once upon a time, a television set was considered technology.  Then, VHS tapes and players came along.  Technology has come a long way.  It now includes computers, overhead projectors, the Internet, DAW, and numerous apps and devices.

Elementary music classroom in need of updating.

The prime considerations is purpose.  Will the technology be self-contained or is there a desire to interface with other content areas?  Is future collaboration an objective to address down the road?  Most music classrooms use technology in a self-contained way, but is is interesting to think of ways to collaborate across the disciplines.  Language Arts classes where students use laptops to access Google Docs is a great place for a music-ELA partnership.

Technology need not be big to be useful.
Microphone/recorder found on high school band director's desk.

At the very least, all music classrooms should have at the very least, one computer where the teacher has access to the Internet.  A projector and screen is an ideal addition to that setup.  There are many options when it comes to speakers.  A good system that can play CDs and tapes is great. I know one teacher who uses small speakers on a low volume with her computer set-up so that students have to be quiet to listen.

K-8 music classroom. Computer with internet access, projector, and screen.

For example, NAfME music education standards for eighth grade state: " MU:Cr1.1.8a: Generate rhythmic, melodic and harmonic phrases and harmonic accompaniments within expanded forms (including introductions, transitions, and codas) that convey expressive intent."

High school music lab.  Carbon49 MIDI conotrollers and iPads/w Garageband.

Can technology be incorporated to attain those standards?  The answer, of course is an emphatic, "Yes!" Can these standards be reached without technology?  Again, the answer is yes.  However, technology in the music classroom is very attainable.  As technology improves, size and cost decrease.  In order to avoid acquiring technology for its own sake, the purpose must be  considered. Can the objectives be reached with a single computer workstation, or are several laptops or ipads needed?  Will you need a recording tech for an advanced high school course in DAW?  Perhaps there is a knowledgeable student who can fit the bill, thereby relieving the teacher of having to learn everything. I have found many useful articles on the Internet that suggest ways to incorporate technology in the music classroom.  Here are a few:

• Four Ways Technology can Make your Music Lessons Sing
• How Technology is Being Used in Music Classrooms
• Technology in the Music Classroom

AsI have subbed in various music classroom environments, I have documented the technology (or lack thereof!).  I have included of those photographs illustrating music classroom technology both big and small.

About My Teaching Philosophy: Reflections on Booneshaft

As I learn the art (and science) of teaching formally, I find that I agree with much of the insights of Peter Booneshaft in his book Teaching Music with Purpose. In particular, I relate to his discussion on the powerful personality in a very personal way:

Booneshaft's discussion of the powerful personality is one that causes me to think about the most memorable of my own music teachers.  I am reminded of D. Jack Moses, a choir conductor at the HBCU that I spent my freshman college year attending.  It was in D. Jack's choir (that I reluctantly joined because there was not an orchestra as I had expected) that I learned about the rich history of the Negro Spiritual, and of the legacy of the Fisk Jubilee Singers.  We learned the nuances of proper pronunciation and how to move an audience emotionally.  I also learned that the organist kept making goo-goo eyes at the tenor section (because one day, D.Jack suddenly turned the organ around 180 degrees -  with the organist still seated at it),  and that we were absolutely not to join the school protests that were raging on campus at the time (because D. Jack was personal friends with the embattled college president).  I learned how one can be gifted with talent and throw it away (when one of our basses sang O Holy Night, it could make the devil cry, but he was an alcoholic. D. Jack hated that so much but never kicked him out of the choir).  Once D. Jack's hair turned green from a bad hair-dye job, and upon entering the choir room that day simply roared, "No one say a word!"  We all knew what had happened, but we did not say a word about his hair.

D. Jack knew that I played the cello, and his entire countenance would glow when he told me how much he loved the cello solo in Saint Saens' The Swan. He would often put me on a pedestal before the other students because of the classical training in music that I had and that they for the most part lacked, but I believe he did it to make then aware of the reality that there was nothing wrong about being black and being interested in classical music.

Yes, I not only learned about music that year, I learned about life.  And it was D. Jack who delivered those lessons. D. Jack Moses had fiery, passionate presence that you ignored at your peril. In all of his madness, he brought out the best in us, and even though years later I found out that he faked his diploma from Julliard and was forced to resign in disgrace, I will never forget the man or his passion for the music.

My teaching philosophy:

• Lifelong learning
• Spoonfeed only for a short time
• Remember why we do this (we love it)
• Speak softly to draw them in

Ten Minute Lesson on Woody Guthrie: A Reflection

I was less nervous doing this lesson than I was for my assignment of teaching the trumpet. Still, I cannot say I was fully confident in my ability to deliver the best 10 minutes of my lesson.  The reason is not the obvious, i.e., not being comfortable with the material, but rather the opposite - I had difficulty deciding what my 10 minutes should focus on.  While I had heard of Woody Guthrie and learned the song This Land Is Your Land as a child, I did not know that Guthrie wrote the song and just how important an American musical figure Guthrie was.  I quickly found out, and really enjoyed learning about him, his life, and his music.  Plus, I have always loved Dorothea Lange"s WPA photos of the Dust Bowl era and was familiar with the Grapes of Wrath, having read the book and seen the movie. I quickly realized that Woody Guthrie was the missing link in my own body of knowledge on the subject. I decided to use the 10 minutes to focus on the song, This Land Is Your Land, exploring why it was written and discuss the lyrics according to a lesson plan I found via the Woody Guthrie Learning Center.  Going on the assumption that the class has already heard the song in a previous lesson, and learned a bit about Guthrie, I made the lyrics of the song the main part of the lesson.  One of the great takeaways from our instrumental 5 minute lessons I learned is that you cannot do everything in such a small space of time.

I chose to incorporate teaching strategies that I was learning in my reading content class, and settled on the KWL (Know/Want/Learned) method found in our text, 50 Instructional Routines to Develop Content Literacy. With this method, I could organize my 10 minutes by listing with the class what we already knew about Woody Guthrie, what we wanted to know, and then summarize what we learned. Even with this structure, I felt that I could have been more organized.  I played This Land Is Your Land, and now reflecting, I think the time would have been better spent playing the 4 minute video biography I had found on Youtube instead. Then I would of had time to summarize the lesson and have the class share what new information they learned.

 Also, feedback from a classmate was helpful. I had a small activity I could have given the class while I wrote on the board.  I had it in my packet, but did not know what to do with it.  Now that I know the value of having an activity, especially  as exemplified by classmate Rayene's great job teaching her lesson,  I will develop that part of my lesson more. I am glad that I will have a chance to do this lesson over.  I think it will be much improved with the feedback I received from my classmates and instructor.

I should mention that I was the second person to teach my to teach lesson, and that was challenging because I would not have the benefit of learning from my classmates.  I think having a clear teaching strategy helped me not worry too much about being one of the first.  My suggestion to those classmates who have not yet presented their lesson would be to find a teaching strategy that fits your content.  That alone will be a big help in getting through your 10 minutes of fame!

Source:
Fisher, D., Brozo, W. G., Frey, N., & Ivey, G. (2015).  50 Instructional routines to develop

            content literacy, 3^rd edition.  Boston, MA: Pearson.