Chapter 6 Reflections - Models of Instructional Design/Constructivism

I strongly agree with the notion presented in this chapter that teaching is both an art, influenced by our unique experiences and personality, as well as a science, where we can identify effective strategies for teaching almost anything.

As far as the scientific aspect of teaching is concerned, the concept of teaching through'constructivist' theory fascinates me. What's interesting is that through this theory, learning always builds upon knowledge that a student already knows, and constructivists suggest that learning is more effective when a student is actively engaged in the learning process rather than attempting to receive knowledge passively. I think this would especially lend true for students who process information and learn kinesthetically, though it is debatable as to whether or not all students, especially those at a younger age, can be considered 'kinesthetic' learners. Additionally, I was surprised at how many different methods claim to be based on this theory or some form of guided discovery where the teacher avoids most direct instruction and attempts to lead the student through questions and activities to discover, discuss, appreciate, and/or verbalize the new knowledge.

With this being said, it is no surprise that in the constructivist classroom, students work primarily in groups where learning is interactive and dynamic through activities like research projects, field trips, films, and class discussions. There is a strong focus on social and communication skills, as well as collaboration and exchange of ideas. Depending on what you believe the role and purpose of formalized education is, I think this is extremely important. In my opinion, the purpose of the classroom goes far beyond learning basic academic knowledge, and the experience of learning how to communicate and function with others socially is even more significant.

Lastly, the role of teachers in the constructivist classroom are to prompt and facilitate discussion. Thus, the teacher’s main focus is on guiding students through asking questions that lead them to develop their own conclusions on the subject. However, while I believe this strategy is one important way to implement in the classroom to allow students to think both critically and independently, utilizing only one method of instruction can be equally as limiting for students, and other methods of instruction should also be used simultaneously.

"Teacher as transmitter"/Instrumental Teaching Observations

"Teacher as transmitter"

This concept is especially relevant after observing instrumental music educators "in action" this past week at Greenview. How the teacher presents and passes along information to students is critical to the success of them actually gaining the knowledge and appreciation for the subject matter. With this being said, teachers, first and foremost, must know the subject matter, the music, concepts, and techniques to be taught extremely well. This requires much preparation and planning beforehand. Also, the effective teacher must serve as a live model for students because many performance skills are learned though imitation or observing the behaviour of the teacher. Verbal explanations in the realm are far less effective. Finally, the teacher must present the information with energy and enthusiasm to keep the students constantly involved and excited about the information they are to learn. If we cannot convince our students that they are learning about something that is significant, then the likelihood that they will retain any of the knowledge we have presented to them is very low.

Seeing different teachers and their methods of "transmitting" information to students was extremely valuable this past week. It was especially interesting to compare a new teacher with someone with over twenty years of experience, and how their methods of classroom management and instruction have undoubtedly changed over time. I look forward to observing more of their teaching and gaining further insight into beginning instrumental instruction.

Method Book/Suzuki Reflections

There are many aspects and features to take into account while choosing an appropriate instrumental method book for a fourth or fifth grade beginning instrumental program. However, while performing an analysis of The Essential Elements 2000 beginning band books, I was reminded of my own beginning instrumental studies on piano. Instead of having the personal experience of going through a band program and using a similar methods book, I studied piano privately using the Suzuki method and the respective books. With this being said, I have always wondered the actual effectiveness of the Suzuki method on multiple instruments in comparison to other instrumental programs.

The Suzuki method, over all, is a musical philosophy which strives to make students high-achieving performers while instilling a love of music and good character within a loving environment. Through this, students primarily study on a single instrument, often violin or piano, like myself. The 'nurture' aspect of this is modeled after an early childhood education which Shinichi Suzuki "observed in native language acquisition, such as immersion and encouragement". The term "Suzuki method" can also refer solely to the Suzuki repertoire of sheet music books and audio recordings, both of which I utilized in my formal instruction.

Through listening to the audio recordings hundreds of times before learning to read traditional music notation through the Suzuki method, the development of my performance poise, musical expression, and aural skills were more than enhanced. However, with the lack of stress on physically reading music, I do feel like I am still behind since it was not introduced or stressed until much later in my studies. However, I would be interested to see research on how the Suzuki method and books are effective in comparison to other traditional method books. In my personal opinion, I think a hybrid of Suzuki supplemented and mixed with other traditional techniques would be highly effective. I think this would be especially effective if the books were somehow expanded to all of the traditional band instruments, instead of just strings and piano.

Scheduling and Grouping of Elementary Instrumental Music Classes

I cannot exactly speak from personal experience since I was not involved in beginning instrumental music when I was in middle school, (I was involved in choir, but we did not have any type of special schedule as instrumental music did) but I did observe many of my classmates who were in band at the time and can vaguely remember what their experience was like at the time.

Over all, I think the most effective way to schedule any instrumental music program is completely dependent on the individual school district and situation. Ideally, private lessons should be implemented from the beginning and continued on until high school, though not all students will want to continue on. In conjunction with this, I think homogeneous classes in the very beginning (first year or half-year) are most helpful for students to learn balance and blend when they are only focusing on one specific timbre - that of their own instrument. Once they are more experienced playing within their section, they can then learn to listen and blend their sound within the context of other timbres and instrument colors within heterogeneous classes, or full ensemble rehearsal.

Also, while many classes utilize "pull-out" programs, instrumental music, from the beginning, should be treated like a regular class with a regularly scheduled time, such as like the situation at my middle school. If student's first impression is that instrumental music is an "extra-curricular" class, the motivation to stay participated can be negatively effected in the long-term. However, this may be the only option for many schools with limited scheduling options. I can remember my classmates always being confused as to what time their lesson was since the times were different every week, which resulted in people forgetting to bring their instrument to school when they needed it or always leaving it at school and never practicing. Ideally, administrators and music educators should sit down and make these scheduling decisions together after taking into account their specific situation and program, the teacher's individual goals, the support from the community, and the needs of the individual students.

OMEA Reflections

One of my favorite professional developement opportunities is the annual Ohio Music Educators Conference, mostly due to the diversity of informative sessions to attend. One of the greatest sessions I attended at OMEA this year was one titled, "Building Artistry Through Repertoire and Programming" by Dr. Joe Miller of Westminster College.

His sessions focused on the importance of programming interesting, exciting, and well-balanced repertoire. One of his key points was to find your personal inspiration through live performance, reading, visual art, conversations, and/or family. Discovering what people,including ourselves, "feel" and how this translates into the music we are selecting for our ensembles serves as a vehicle for the artist to serve their fellow man through music and "elevate the human condition".

More broadly speaking, Dr. Miller discussed how choosing repertoire is simply the key to building a successful ensemble. Learning to balance student learning objectives, community awareness, personal treats and building music literacy is a challenge that faces all music educators. First, we need to identify the needs of our students, including literacy and vocal needs, texts, historical perspectives, and culture. Further, consider your unique community. What are its values? What role should music hold in shaping it? What brings everyone together?

Lastly, thematic programming can be a great tool to allow you and your ensemble to explore new repertoire. More importantly, it can also allow you to form a "mission to market" to your students and the community and open a world of collaboration while focusing a deeper discussion on the role of art. Collaborations can be with other arts groups or with charitable organizations. Matching your goals with theirs will only further improve the musical experience for you, your students, and your audience.