Annie Thiese
Music 23241
10/20/11
Campbell, Patricia. (2008). Musician & teacher; Chapter 13.
This chapter is about assessment. The importance of assessment is often overlooked, but in order to understand what teaching approach works, a teacher must accurately assess the students. There are three kinds of assessment, Diagnostic, Formative, and Summative. There are four steps for effective assessment, step one is too identify the goals. Step two is to specify the learning outcome. Step three is develop a strategy to achieve the outcome. Step four is to record the students, and give them feedback. There are many ways to give the student feedback including rubrics, performance tests, and music reports. Take into account performances and concerts in evaluating students. One of the benefits of evaluation is it helps you explain to parents why their child is having trouble, and how you can help the student.
My band director only had a few types of assessment. In marching band at my high school, grades were based on what music you had memorized, and your attendance. If you were not testing music off your grade was lower. The only assessment my director had for the concert bands was the audition. In my high school band program, it was difficult to get a low grade in band, because there was so little assessment going on. The only time I can remember, in my experience, a playing test was in sixth grade, it was to make sure we were practicing at home.
I agree wit this chapter about how important assessment is. If a parent is concerned about their child's performance, and you do not have records of them playing, you cannot accurately tell them what their child needs to improve. Though you may listen to the student in class, you cannot be sure how well they are playing based on full ensemble practice. If you have proof the student is having difficulty, the proof makes the parent feel better, and helps them support your program.
The assessments also help students improve. The knowledge that a student has can be put onto paper when they are assessed. Once you let the student be assessed, you will know the playing level of the student, and how they can improve. These tests will also motivate the student to practice. If a student knows they will be taking a playing test, they will be more likely to work harder on what is being tested, so they get a good grade. This boost of morale helps the ensemble environment as well.
When one student works harder the competition in students increases. If a student begins practicing more for a test, and starts improving, they may move up a few chairs in the ensemble. When the student moves up a few chairs, their classmates begin to get competitive. This competitive nature will help the band, because the sections will begin improving. The tests also help the director figure out who needs help, and who is exceptional in the band.
Bauer, William. Authentic Assessment in Instrumental Music Education.
I would be interested in reading "Assessment as Learning". This title sounds interesting because it seems to discuss how a teacher can learn through assessment. I think this is important because when you learn from assessing, you realize what is wrong, and try to fix the problem. I would also like to read "Developing Grading and Reporting Systems for Student Learning". This title sound interesting because it sounds as though it sets guidelines on how to assess students. Setting guidelines is important because it helps teachers who have not had the experience to create their own assessment tool. I would also be interested in "Tests & Measuring for People Who (Think They) Hate Tests & Measurement". This title sounds interesting because it sounds as though it explains tests and measurement differently than most people think. It seems to bring new light to the ideas of tests and measurement to trick people into learning.
The first link I went to was the Music Assessment Home Page. The home page is for the University of Miami. The site provides students with observation forms to better the learning experience of watching someone teach. The site also provides a glossary for music terms, to better the knowledge of students. The site also has a page of links for more resources on music. The page also provides a link to a page about rubrics and what rules you should create to help your students.
The second link I went to was the Smart Music link. This site provides information for both students and educators. The site also provides scores for anyone who needs music. There are links to the store, support and the community. Under the community there are examples of how smart music has helped different communities. The smart music website also provides equipment to help a person not only teach, but also perform to the best of their abilities.
Burrack, Fredrick. (2002). Enhanced assessment in instrumental programs.
This article is about what you should be looking for in assessment. You should look for thinking skills such as problem solving and creative thinking. The students should learn to assess themselves and be able to know how to make an accurate assessment to better improve themselves. Teach the students to assess the large ensemble so they learn about listening to the large group and making an assessment. The assessments should be linked to the grades of students, to help them improve and raise their grade. Students find that assessment is a good motivator, and they work harder when they are being assessed.
I agree with this article because there are many advantages to assessing students. Students need to learn for themselves, and the best way to do that, is to have them do the assessment. This form of activity not only gives students the opportunity to use their creative thinking and judgement, but it also makes them aware of how to asses, and how it helps. If the students assess themselves it gives them a greater understanding of what they need to improve, and that can help them in the long run.
When the students assess themselves they are only learning about what they as an individual need to improve. The students should then be made to assess the large ensemble. This will help the students gain more experience on assessment and how improvements can be made. Along with helping the student, this large group assessment also allows the large group learn about what they need to improve on. When the students are assessing the large group, it also helps them learn to listen to the group and not focus on their own music.
Assessment is also a good tool for motivation. When students are assessed, they are given a challenge to do the best that they can do. Challenges are one of the best ways to motivate people. When the student knows they will be assessed they tend to practice more so they do well on their assessment. When one student begins improving, that in turn motivates the others in their section to try to keep up. When assessments are happening, the entire band can improve simply because there is more motivation to do the best that they can do.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Readings #6
Annie Thiese
Music 23241
10/13/11
Lehman, Paul. The power of the national standards for music education.
This article is about the effectiveness of National Standards in Music Education. The Standards are very helpful because it helps music educators understand what they need to be teaching their students. The article states that a common misunderstanding over the standards is that teachers do not realize that in some cases their students already know what needs to be known. Most teachers already teach the standards, and have no problem implementing them in their classes, but others may not have been teaching certain standards, and it can be stressful for them to figure out how to teach them. Standards benefit students because they set goals for the teachers to teach. The students learn more under standards than if the teacher had nothing to base their lessons on. Having standards also plays a big role in helping a music educator keep a music program, because it helps administrators take it seriously. Standards help administrators make sure the music educator is doing a good job, by what standards have been taught to the students.
My high school band director was very good at teaching most of the standards. One of his weakest standards was composition. He was excellent at composing parts and pieces, but there was no class offered to learn about it, and he never implemented it in band. With other standards he was excellent. The one standard that I did not learn, that I wished I had learned was improvisation. I do not know how to improvise, because I was never taught. I will try to learn in college, so that if I become a band director I can effectively teach my students how to improvise.
I agree with this article because I believe the standards are very important and helpful to teachers. Without standards, teachers have no goals for teaching. A teacher cannot effectively teach if they do not know what needs to be taught. With standards, there is a set of ideas that need to be implemented into the class so the students get the most out of their education. These standards will help the students as well because if they know what they need to learn, they will be able to learn more effectively.
Another benefit from standards is evaluation. When you have standards, it is easier to evaluate how well a teacher is teaching. If the music educator has students who do not know a large amount of the standards after years of being taught by one educator, it is likely the educator is not effective. This helps administrators find bad teachers, so they can replace them with better ones, for the benefit of the students. They will be able to find a teacher who knows the standards and how to effectively teach them, and the students will learn what they need to.
When music educators ignore some of the standards, they are not helping their students become well rounded. Some of the standards are very easy to teach, and are common sense for any music educator, but others are more difficult, but just as important. When you only teach some of the standards, your students will never know all there is to music, and it will hinder them in their learning. When all standards are taught, students gain a large understanding in music, and they will be more likely to be successful in music later in life.
Lehman, Paul. (2004). Raising the bar.
This article is about how the national standards changed music education. Paul Lehman believes that the standards have helped music education immensely. The standards helped people realize the importance of music in schools, and how serious it is. Lehman talks about how the state standards are different than the national standards, but are based on the national standards. The teachers in states with poor state standards can depend on national standards to help them teach their students. The main problems Lehman sees in how the standards are implemented are not with the music educators, or the standards themselves, but in the education system in our society. Achievement levels in music and students in music have improved through the ten years with the standards. After the standards were given, people in education began accepting music as a curriculum.
In my school district music has been accepted as an important class. The school had not tried to cutting parts of the program until just this past year. My high school band director is in charge of the music education in the school system, and he is very good at following the standards, and using them as an argument. He was able to stop the school from cutting parts of his music program, because he mentioned how that would effect the standards he teaches. The school board listened to his argument, and agreed that it would take away from the education of the students, and so the music program was not cut.
I agree with this article because the standards have helped music education become a respected subject. Having standards has made school systems realize that students can learn from the music classes. When they looked at music education before the standards, they did not see it as important or effective. Now, with the standards in lace, the schools see he effects music has on students, and what they can learn, and it gives the music programs more respect.
Music educators have also been more effective in teaching their students. With standards, they are able to look at a set of guide lines to help them educate students. Before the standards, some teachers were not sure of what they should teach, and it made it difficult on the teacher and the students. The standards help the teachers know what to teach, and it gives the students a well rounded education which helps them in their future.
The music programs now have a more effective argument against program cuts. The schools who try to cut programs, must look at the standards and decide if the students would lose education without the music classes. The music educators can use the standards as an argument to keep their programs and help the students learn music effectively. With out the standards the music programs would have virtually no defense, and they would not be able to stay in schools.
Reimer, Bennett. (2004). Preconceiving the standards and the school music program.
This article is about the problems in music education surrounding he standards and how to implement them in the classes. The author talks about wanting to move on from the past, and teaching different things in schools to better fulfill the needs of the standards. He states that we need to change our programs if we want people to start respecting music more. We are hurting ourselves by only focusing on the first two standards, but none of the others. The author believes you should focus on the roles of the standards, and what you must focus on to complete the standards.
I agree with some aspects of this article. I do not agree with what the author believes about the programs that are set forth. I do believe that the programs in schools have the potential to teach students all of the standards. The music educator may need to make an effort, but it is possible. The band and choir and orchestra programs which are most common, have the potential to teach the standards, even if they do not already teach all of them. The program may need to change slightly, but not to the effect that the author of this article believes it must.
I do agree with the thought that schools only focus on the first two standards. The first two standards are the easiest standards to teach as a music educator, because they are purposes of having a music program. The issue that needs to be solved is how to incorporate all of the other standards. This could be as simple as adding different segments to your lessons, or as difficult as changing the whole program. The author believes educators need to change the entire program, but I disagree.
I also agree with what the author said at the beginning of the article. I believe the standards help the music educators have a helpful argument against having their program cut. The standards give music education a purpose, and that helps the educators defend the values of the music programs. The standards also show what the students could potentially learn from the classes which is helpful also in showing how music education can help students become successful in the future.
Music 23241
10/13/11
Lehman, Paul. The power of the national standards for music education.
This article is about the effectiveness of National Standards in Music Education. The Standards are very helpful because it helps music educators understand what they need to be teaching their students. The article states that a common misunderstanding over the standards is that teachers do not realize that in some cases their students already know what needs to be known. Most teachers already teach the standards, and have no problem implementing them in their classes, but others may not have been teaching certain standards, and it can be stressful for them to figure out how to teach them. Standards benefit students because they set goals for the teachers to teach. The students learn more under standards than if the teacher had nothing to base their lessons on. Having standards also plays a big role in helping a music educator keep a music program, because it helps administrators take it seriously. Standards help administrators make sure the music educator is doing a good job, by what standards have been taught to the students.
My high school band director was very good at teaching most of the standards. One of his weakest standards was composition. He was excellent at composing parts and pieces, but there was no class offered to learn about it, and he never implemented it in band. With other standards he was excellent. The one standard that I did not learn, that I wished I had learned was improvisation. I do not know how to improvise, because I was never taught. I will try to learn in college, so that if I become a band director I can effectively teach my students how to improvise.
I agree with this article because I believe the standards are very important and helpful to teachers. Without standards, teachers have no goals for teaching. A teacher cannot effectively teach if they do not know what needs to be taught. With standards, there is a set of ideas that need to be implemented into the class so the students get the most out of their education. These standards will help the students as well because if they know what they need to learn, they will be able to learn more effectively.
Another benefit from standards is evaluation. When you have standards, it is easier to evaluate how well a teacher is teaching. If the music educator has students who do not know a large amount of the standards after years of being taught by one educator, it is likely the educator is not effective. This helps administrators find bad teachers, so they can replace them with better ones, for the benefit of the students. They will be able to find a teacher who knows the standards and how to effectively teach them, and the students will learn what they need to.
When music educators ignore some of the standards, they are not helping their students become well rounded. Some of the standards are very easy to teach, and are common sense for any music educator, but others are more difficult, but just as important. When you only teach some of the standards, your students will never know all there is to music, and it will hinder them in their learning. When all standards are taught, students gain a large understanding in music, and they will be more likely to be successful in music later in life.
Lehman, Paul. (2004). Raising the bar.
This article is about how the national standards changed music education. Paul Lehman believes that the standards have helped music education immensely. The standards helped people realize the importance of music in schools, and how serious it is. Lehman talks about how the state standards are different than the national standards, but are based on the national standards. The teachers in states with poor state standards can depend on national standards to help them teach their students. The main problems Lehman sees in how the standards are implemented are not with the music educators, or the standards themselves, but in the education system in our society. Achievement levels in music and students in music have improved through the ten years with the standards. After the standards were given, people in education began accepting music as a curriculum.
In my school district music has been accepted as an important class. The school had not tried to cutting parts of the program until just this past year. My high school band director is in charge of the music education in the school system, and he is very good at following the standards, and using them as an argument. He was able to stop the school from cutting parts of his music program, because he mentioned how that would effect the standards he teaches. The school board listened to his argument, and agreed that it would take away from the education of the students, and so the music program was not cut.
I agree with this article because the standards have helped music education become a respected subject. Having standards has made school systems realize that students can learn from the music classes. When they looked at music education before the standards, they did not see it as important or effective. Now, with the standards in lace, the schools see he effects music has on students, and what they can learn, and it gives the music programs more respect.
Music educators have also been more effective in teaching their students. With standards, they are able to look at a set of guide lines to help them educate students. Before the standards, some teachers were not sure of what they should teach, and it made it difficult on the teacher and the students. The standards help the teachers know what to teach, and it gives the students a well rounded education which helps them in their future.
The music programs now have a more effective argument against program cuts. The schools who try to cut programs, must look at the standards and decide if the students would lose education without the music classes. The music educators can use the standards as an argument to keep their programs and help the students learn music effectively. With out the standards the music programs would have virtually no defense, and they would not be able to stay in schools.
Reimer, Bennett. (2004). Preconceiving the standards and the school music program.
This article is about the problems in music education surrounding he standards and how to implement them in the classes. The author talks about wanting to move on from the past, and teaching different things in schools to better fulfill the needs of the standards. He states that we need to change our programs if we want people to start respecting music more. We are hurting ourselves by only focusing on the first two standards, but none of the others. The author believes you should focus on the roles of the standards, and what you must focus on to complete the standards.
I agree with some aspects of this article. I do not agree with what the author believes about the programs that are set forth. I do believe that the programs in schools have the potential to teach students all of the standards. The music educator may need to make an effort, but it is possible. The band and choir and orchestra programs which are most common, have the potential to teach the standards, even if they do not already teach all of them. The program may need to change slightly, but not to the effect that the author of this article believes it must.
I do agree with the thought that schools only focus on the first two standards. The first two standards are the easiest standards to teach as a music educator, because they are purposes of having a music program. The issue that needs to be solved is how to incorporate all of the other standards. This could be as simple as adding different segments to your lessons, or as difficult as changing the whole program. The author believes educators need to change the entire program, but I disagree.
I also agree with what the author said at the beginning of the article. I believe the standards help the music educators have a helpful argument against having their program cut. The standards give music education a purpose, and that helps the educators defend the values of the music programs. The standards also show what the students could potentially learn from the classes which is helpful also in showing how music education can help students become successful in the future.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Readings #5
Annie Thiese
Music 23241
10/6/11
Campbell, Patricia. (2008). Musician & teacher, chapter 4, Systems and standards of music education.
This chapter is about the difference in ideas relating to what should be taught about education in schools. Many different cultures think differently about what is most important in music. it talks about how the culture helps determine what students in music will learn. There are four common types of music that are considered more important depending on where you are; performance, listening, creativity, and musical knowledge. Every country has a different idea of what is important, and it reflects on the education they give their children, some put a high emphasis on music in the schools, while others feel it is common knowledge.
I notice how much my musical experience has been effected by culture. our culture is based more on performance than any of the other ideas. I had not thought about any of the other ideas as much as I should have because I have followed culture, and focused more on the performance aspect. It was not until college that I started thinking about the importance of having a well rounded knowledge of music. I realize now that I cannot think of just performance anymore.
I agree with this chapter because the author brings up a good point about other countries. Our country is very much performance based, and we are good at what we do. The problem with this is that we only know how to perform. To be truly successful, you must focus on all forms of knowledge in music. A person could learn very much from looking at another country, because it give the person a new perspective on how music can be looked at.
It is important to understand the other countries and why they focus on certain ideas over others. The cultural differences can be astounding sometimes, and it is hard to understand other countries. If we try to understand the culture of countries, it will help us realize why they prefer certain musical skills over others. By learning about other countries and their beliefs, we can better ourselves in music. We can borrow ideas from other countries and in doing so we can grow even more in our knowledge and love of music.
I believe it is important to understand the other ideas. The ideas are all important in their own way. It is important to be well rounded in the ideas, and to try not to focus on one over the others. The ideas work hand in hand and are all connected to each other. To be the best teacher I can, I must have the ability to teach my students all I can about all music. I cannot be expected to effectively teach students about music if I am only focusing on one kind.
Doty, Amy. (2004). Using the Ohio standards: easier than you might think.
This article is about the standards for music education in schools. The article states that these standards are important because they help music educators know what needs to be taught, and how they should teach it. It also says that having a list of standards given is important because it shows that the school district finds music important enough to have standards. One of the standards is incorporating the history of music in the class. The teachers should try to teach different music from different times, and teach the students about that time period. Another standard is creativity, and teaching students how to improvise parts. A music educator should teach students how to analyze and assess other performers. The students should learn to connect with other musicians.
In my high school band, my director incorporated many different time periods in the music we played. When we would play music from a new time period, my director would tell us about the age and how that influenced the music we were playing. I was never in Jazz band, and my director did not have us improvise parts, so I was lacking on this technique and I have no experience with it. One thing my director would do for concerts, is he would have us critique the other bands and then he would give our critiques to the other bands to be read. This not only helped our band learn to critique other ensembles, it also helped the other bands know what they could improve.
I agree with these standards and this article because all of these things can create a well rounded student. A student who is taught by these standards will have a better understanding of music. The standards can also help a music educator who is unsure of what needs to be taught to students. When the standards are written, they are given great thought so they cover all aspects of what a well rounded student needs.
To understand the music you are playing, you should learn about the piece, and what time period it was written in. When you know the history of the piece, it gives you a better understanding of why the composer wrote the piece and what could have influenced them. Once you know what influenced the composer, you can try to think like them, and in doing so, you can play the music like it was meant to be played. A teacher should try to play music from all kinds of time periods so the students know more about all music, and are not stuck knowing only a fraction of what there is to know.
When I become a teacher, I will try to teach the students all I can about music. The standards will help me realize what should be taught, and what I might not have thought of. Teachers can rely on standards to give them guidance in their teaching, in case they miss something. Students who learn from a teacher who follows the standards are more likely to succeed because they are learning important things that the school district wants them to. When students succeed in one class, they are more likely to succeed in other classes. It will be my job as a teacher to be sure all of my students succeed in music.
Hayslett, Dennis. Applying the national standards in school band programs.
This article is about how teachers can effectively use the standards. The article states that the standards are difficult to incorporate in the education because there are financial problems and scheduling conflicts which come with being a director. The article gives suggestions as to how a teacher could incorporate these standards in their classroom to better the learning of the students. The article talks about having your students sing, and compose music and improvise. All of the activities provided in the article are there to help boost creativity in the students.
My band director would make us sing our parts in high school. We never understood why, and always complained and said we were not in choir. I now understand that my director was only trying to help us become better. Though we never composed or improvised in high school, I did have a teacher in the third grade who would have us improvise on the piano. That teacher was setting me up for success in music and I didn't even know it.
I agree with this article. It is very difficult for a teacher to incorporate the standards in a classroom. Not only does the teacher have to change the way they teach, but they also have to deal with financial problems and other everyday issues. Some of the standards can also be hard to comprehend. The main goal that the teacher must remember is to have their students succeed and gain an understanding for music.
Singing is an important way for someone to get an understanding of music. Even if the student is an instrumental student, they should learn how to sing. Not only is singing a good way to get pitch and rhythms down, everyone knows how to do it. When students complain about singing it is because they do not understand why they need to, and how it will help. It would be a good idea for a teacher to explain the reasons to a student, so they can grow through the experience.
Composing and improvising are also very beneficial to the understanding of music. Composing gives students an understanding of the rules of music. When a student composes it gives them a sense of pride while it teaches them how to use the rules of music to make something beautiful. Improvisation is also a good way for students to learn the rules of music. It gets the students to think on the spot about what they want to play, and to put it together to create something that is theirs and only theirs. All of these techniques can help a teacher learn to meet the standards, and help students grow to their fullest potential in music.
Music 23241
10/6/11
Campbell, Patricia. (2008). Musician & teacher, chapter 4, Systems and standards of music education.
This chapter is about the difference in ideas relating to what should be taught about education in schools. Many different cultures think differently about what is most important in music. it talks about how the culture helps determine what students in music will learn. There are four common types of music that are considered more important depending on where you are; performance, listening, creativity, and musical knowledge. Every country has a different idea of what is important, and it reflects on the education they give their children, some put a high emphasis on music in the schools, while others feel it is common knowledge.
I notice how much my musical experience has been effected by culture. our culture is based more on performance than any of the other ideas. I had not thought about any of the other ideas as much as I should have because I have followed culture, and focused more on the performance aspect. It was not until college that I started thinking about the importance of having a well rounded knowledge of music. I realize now that I cannot think of just performance anymore.
I agree with this chapter because the author brings up a good point about other countries. Our country is very much performance based, and we are good at what we do. The problem with this is that we only know how to perform. To be truly successful, you must focus on all forms of knowledge in music. A person could learn very much from looking at another country, because it give the person a new perspective on how music can be looked at.
It is important to understand the other countries and why they focus on certain ideas over others. The cultural differences can be astounding sometimes, and it is hard to understand other countries. If we try to understand the culture of countries, it will help us realize why they prefer certain musical skills over others. By learning about other countries and their beliefs, we can better ourselves in music. We can borrow ideas from other countries and in doing so we can grow even more in our knowledge and love of music.
I believe it is important to understand the other ideas. The ideas are all important in their own way. It is important to be well rounded in the ideas, and to try not to focus on one over the others. The ideas work hand in hand and are all connected to each other. To be the best teacher I can, I must have the ability to teach my students all I can about all music. I cannot be expected to effectively teach students about music if I am only focusing on one kind.
Doty, Amy. (2004). Using the Ohio standards: easier than you might think.
This article is about the standards for music education in schools. The article states that these standards are important because they help music educators know what needs to be taught, and how they should teach it. It also says that having a list of standards given is important because it shows that the school district finds music important enough to have standards. One of the standards is incorporating the history of music in the class. The teachers should try to teach different music from different times, and teach the students about that time period. Another standard is creativity, and teaching students how to improvise parts. A music educator should teach students how to analyze and assess other performers. The students should learn to connect with other musicians.
In my high school band, my director incorporated many different time periods in the music we played. When we would play music from a new time period, my director would tell us about the age and how that influenced the music we were playing. I was never in Jazz band, and my director did not have us improvise parts, so I was lacking on this technique and I have no experience with it. One thing my director would do for concerts, is he would have us critique the other bands and then he would give our critiques to the other bands to be read. This not only helped our band learn to critique other ensembles, it also helped the other bands know what they could improve.
I agree with these standards and this article because all of these things can create a well rounded student. A student who is taught by these standards will have a better understanding of music. The standards can also help a music educator who is unsure of what needs to be taught to students. When the standards are written, they are given great thought so they cover all aspects of what a well rounded student needs.
To understand the music you are playing, you should learn about the piece, and what time period it was written in. When you know the history of the piece, it gives you a better understanding of why the composer wrote the piece and what could have influenced them. Once you know what influenced the composer, you can try to think like them, and in doing so, you can play the music like it was meant to be played. A teacher should try to play music from all kinds of time periods so the students know more about all music, and are not stuck knowing only a fraction of what there is to know.
When I become a teacher, I will try to teach the students all I can about music. The standards will help me realize what should be taught, and what I might not have thought of. Teachers can rely on standards to give them guidance in their teaching, in case they miss something. Students who learn from a teacher who follows the standards are more likely to succeed because they are learning important things that the school district wants them to. When students succeed in one class, they are more likely to succeed in other classes. It will be my job as a teacher to be sure all of my students succeed in music.
Hayslett, Dennis. Applying the national standards in school band programs.
This article is about how teachers can effectively use the standards. The article states that the standards are difficult to incorporate in the education because there are financial problems and scheduling conflicts which come with being a director. The article gives suggestions as to how a teacher could incorporate these standards in their classroom to better the learning of the students. The article talks about having your students sing, and compose music and improvise. All of the activities provided in the article are there to help boost creativity in the students.
My band director would make us sing our parts in high school. We never understood why, and always complained and said we were not in choir. I now understand that my director was only trying to help us become better. Though we never composed or improvised in high school, I did have a teacher in the third grade who would have us improvise on the piano. That teacher was setting me up for success in music and I didn't even know it.
I agree with this article. It is very difficult for a teacher to incorporate the standards in a classroom. Not only does the teacher have to change the way they teach, but they also have to deal with financial problems and other everyday issues. Some of the standards can also be hard to comprehend. The main goal that the teacher must remember is to have their students succeed and gain an understanding for music.
Singing is an important way for someone to get an understanding of music. Even if the student is an instrumental student, they should learn how to sing. Not only is singing a good way to get pitch and rhythms down, everyone knows how to do it. When students complain about singing it is because they do not understand why they need to, and how it will help. It would be a good idea for a teacher to explain the reasons to a student, so they can grow through the experience.
Composing and improvising are also very beneficial to the understanding of music. Composing gives students an understanding of the rules of music. When a student composes it gives them a sense of pride while it teaches them how to use the rules of music to make something beautiful. Improvisation is also a good way for students to learn the rules of music. It gets the students to think on the spot about what they want to play, and to put it together to create something that is theirs and only theirs. All of these techniques can help a teacher learn to meet the standards, and help students grow to their fullest potential in music.
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