Grading in a music classroom is sometimes viewed as a difficult feat because music subjective. I feel that grading in music should be based upon many factors. Some of them being
-knowing techniques
-parts of the instruments
-history of music
-history of instruments
-participation
-attendance
-concert participation/ attendance
-playing tests
Playing tests are sometimes disputed because different students embody different abilities on instruments. For example, how do you grade a student who has taken private lessons for 5 years as opposed to a student who has only had playing experience in the public schools? The same rubric can't be used for both the students because they have both had different experiences with learning and playing music. I feel for playing tests, you should test the students on their ability to play the pieces for an upcoming concert. This way you can comment on their improvement and technique. You can also ask critical thinking questions like "how would you use your bow to play this passage with a staccato style?"
For your more advanced students, you could provide them with a higher level of music and use the same rubric, just more advanced music. This allows you to keep your students challenged and still working. Often times students get bored if the content it too easy for them, so applying higher level lessons and music is great way to keep them interested, working, and even provide them with great rep., and skills that will help them if they decide to go further with music in college.
Attached is a possible rubric for playing tests.
Rubric
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Bullying in the Schools
Bullying has become one of the biggest problems in schools today. The bullying has escalated in such a way that students are considering or worse, actually committing suicide and other self harming activities. A past show on MTV really caught my attention, and I thought it was the most effective way of dealing with bullying in the schools.
If you really knew me was a show about students in schools taking part in a program that allowed and required students to get to know their peers. Because so many problems in school stem from ignorance, this program provided the students with activities that helped them learn about themselves and their fellow classmates.
The reactions to thèse activities were astonishing. Students were expressing themselves, talking about problems in school, with themselves, and at home. Students then were able to understand each other. They were able to understand certain actions and reactions of their classmates, why some of then acted the way they did, looked the way they did, and thought the way they did. I feel that more programs like this should be implemented into the schools all over the nation.
If you really knew me was a show about students in schools taking part in a program that allowed and required students to get to know their peers. Because so many problems in school stem from ignorance, this program provided the students with activities that helped them learn about themselves and their fellow classmates.
Taking Trips
No, no...not the drug induced trips. You sly one, you. I mean field trips.
I think that taking field trips, especially in a music classroom, is a MUST. Learning about the different types of music and the different ensembles that perform that music is one thing, but if you have the means and the opportunity to explore those things in real life, then why not go??
I remember at a young age going to see many plays, concerts, and performances that ultimately made me want to be a musician. Giving your students the opportunity to see live performances is a way to expose them to different life experiences. Exposing them to the aspects of a live performance offers more than just live music.
-lights
-mics
-setup
-costumes
-set design
-makeup
-venue
These are all the different elements that can go into a specific performance. This is great exposure to new, possible career choices for your students. There are little possibilities and opportunities to teach about these elements in any school classroom, so its important to show students that music not only consists of instruments and sheet music. Exposing students to these jobs and activities may spark a new interests in your classroom. From there you can start by adding these elements to your lesson plans, creating assignments, and your students can even take part in new activities in the school like makeup for the shows or proms, lighting and mic for performances, costumes for plays, and even set design and architecture for marching band shows, and plays.
I think that taking field trips, especially in a music classroom, is a MUST. Learning about the different types of music and the different ensembles that perform that music is one thing, but if you have the means and the opportunity to explore those things in real life, then why not go??
I remember at a young age going to see many plays, concerts, and performances that ultimately made me want to be a musician. Giving your students the opportunity to see live performances is a way to expose them to different life experiences. Exposing them to the aspects of a live performance offers more than just live music.
-lights
-mics
-setup
-costumes
-set design
-makeup
-venue
These are all the different elements that can go into a specific performance. This is great exposure to new, possible career choices for your students. There are little possibilities and opportunities to teach about these elements in any school classroom, so its important to show students that music not only consists of instruments and sheet music. Exposing students to these jobs and activities may spark a new interests in your classroom. From there you can start by adding these elements to your lesson plans, creating assignments, and your students can even take part in new activities in the school like makeup for the shows or proms, lighting and mic for performances, costumes for plays, and even set design and architecture for marching band shows, and plays.
Garage Band
Garage Band is a great learning tool to use in the music classroom. Teaching your students how to use and operate garage band is a few lessons within its self, but it can also be converted into supporting other aspects of music.
Films
Film scores are often overlooked by your normal student, so introducing film score along with having activities in garage band is an awesome unit to have in your lessons. For example, informing students about the different emotions and feelings music creates in film and then having them create their own in garage band. Garage band hold so many opportunities for a student to create their own sound track. There are sound effects, and then there are effects for the sound the students record themselves.
Making Movies
Garage Band also has an option to include pictures and video. With this, you can inform your students about the different types of ads on the TV or radio and have them create their own. For example, there are many medias that promote smoking. Ex, music videos, music lyrics, TV shows, and even kids movies. You can use Garage Band to form an activity where students create their own ads, music videos, or re-vamp the lyrics to their favorite songs in order to advocate for anti-smoking.
Composition
Garage band hold so many possibilities for students to compose their own music. If you have students who struggle on instruments, or don't know how to play instruments in general but show great interest for creating music, you can introduce them to the wonders of garage band. Through this, students can compose whatever they wish with the many sounds of garage band.
-classical music with strings and brass sounds
-sound effects
-pop music with vocal effects
-blues music with bending and tempo effects
etc etc.
Films
Film scores are often overlooked by your normal student, so introducing film score along with having activities in garage band is an awesome unit to have in your lessons. For example, informing students about the different emotions and feelings music creates in film and then having them create their own in garage band. Garage band hold so many opportunities for a student to create their own sound track. There are sound effects, and then there are effects for the sound the students record themselves.
Making Movies
Garage Band also has an option to include pictures and video. With this, you can inform your students about the different types of ads on the TV or radio and have them create their own. For example, there are many medias that promote smoking. Ex, music videos, music lyrics, TV shows, and even kids movies. You can use Garage Band to form an activity where students create their own ads, music videos, or re-vamp the lyrics to their favorite songs in order to advocate for anti-smoking.
Composition
Garage band hold so many possibilities for students to compose their own music. If you have students who struggle on instruments, or don't know how to play instruments in general but show great interest for creating music, you can introduce them to the wonders of garage band. Through this, students can compose whatever they wish with the many sounds of garage band.
-classical music with strings and brass sounds
-sound effects
-pop music with vocal effects
-blues music with bending and tempo effects
etc etc.
Two Ways to Teach Theory
In any music classroom, theory should always be an element taught to students. Teaching theory in the classroom can propose many problems. Usually, when one person learns about music theory, they learn about it one way. By that, I mean that there are certain tricks and methods to learning and remembering theory that sticks with someone for the rest of their musical career. If that someone were to become a teacher, they would most likely teach theory to their students the way they were taught. This, obviously, does not work for everyone. Teaching something one way means that only a certain number of your students will understand and grasp the information. So, then you have to teach it another way. Some teachers may struggle with that, and sometime its the students who struggle with the information.
A while ago I found a website that provides theory lessons and unlimited exercises easily accessible to students. The website, www.musictheory.net , is an easily navigated site that allows teachers to assign certain lessons and exercises to their students. Teachers can also modify the exercises to fit the specific content they wish to cover in their lessons.
This site is safe and easy to use for all ages. I used it in my first year of college to practice recognizing chords and notes by ear which was a tested aspect in my music theory an aural skills classes.
This site not only offers a basic way to learn music theory, but it also allows a form of technology to be utilized in music. It teaches students how to access a certain website and find specific exercises relative to their lessons. This site also offers a great virtual keyboard for students to not only be able to hear what they are learning, but also allows them access in the classroom and at home to practice learning they keys on the piano and beginning piano skills.
A while ago I found a website that provides theory lessons and unlimited exercises easily accessible to students. The website, www.musictheory.net , is an easily navigated site that allows teachers to assign certain lessons and exercises to their students. Teachers can also modify the exercises to fit the specific content they wish to cover in their lessons.
This site is safe and easy to use for all ages. I used it in my first year of college to practice recognizing chords and notes by ear which was a tested aspect in my music theory an aural skills classes.
This site not only offers a basic way to learn music theory, but it also allows a form of technology to be utilized in music. It teaches students how to access a certain website and find specific exercises relative to their lessons. This site also offers a great virtual keyboard for students to not only be able to hear what they are learning, but also allows them access in the classroom and at home to practice learning they keys on the piano and beginning piano skills.
Math and Music
A great learning tool is being able to take what you learn in one class, and connect it with another. I've always hear that music and math are related. This is mainly said in a way that mean musicians are supposed to be good at math...this is not true because I am HORRIBLE with math. But I remembered a video I saw a while ago and thought that this could be the new meaning to math and music being related
What Pi Sound Like is a video made to represent the different digits of pi in a musical form. After watching the video, a musician will be able to recognize that though there is music being made, it doesn't really portray any recognizable melody...there is some aspect missing that could really change this music into a lasting, and memorable piece for students.
This video could be used in a lesson in which students will have to re-vamp the music in some mathematical way (again, I'm horrible at math, so don't expect a specific example) to make it so they could remember and sing back the song, therefore remember the first 30-something digits of pi. This is a great starter assignment that could be modified to any other subject. Eventually, your students will end up with a method to composing music, using musical elements, while also incorporating other subject matter that could later be used as a study method and during tests to help remember answers.
I think that this is a great example and resource for creating new and revamped lesson plans in the music classroom. It incorporates all of the important parts of learning music.
-Connecting other subject
-Composition
-Performance
-Theory
-Technology
What Pi Sound Like is a video made to represent the different digits of pi in a musical form. After watching the video, a musician will be able to recognize that though there is music being made, it doesn't really portray any recognizable melody...there is some aspect missing that could really change this music into a lasting, and memorable piece for students.
This video could be used in a lesson in which students will have to re-vamp the music in some mathematical way (again, I'm horrible at math, so don't expect a specific example) to make it so they could remember and sing back the song, therefore remember the first 30-something digits of pi. This is a great starter assignment that could be modified to any other subject. Eventually, your students will end up with a method to composing music, using musical elements, while also incorporating other subject matter that could later be used as a study method and during tests to help remember answers.
I think that this is a great example and resource for creating new and revamped lesson plans in the music classroom. It incorporates all of the important parts of learning music.
-Connecting other subject
-Composition
-Performance
-Theory
-Technology
Teaching to the Test-for music teachers
Teaching to the test is a common phrase heard throughout the education world. It basically means that teachers only use information that they know will be on the standardized tests to pound into their students brains. I can see how this is unfavorable to most uneducated, idiotic, power hungry men (you know who I'm talking about..) but at the same time, I can also see how this is a last resort and only choice for most teachers. Their jobs depend on the ability of their students to score high on standardized tests. These test are used as a critiquing method for the teachers. So when they try to make sure the kids pass the test, they are torn between teaching useful information, and actually having the kids learn something and just shoving this information at the kids so they don't lose their jobs.
This is different for music teachers. We don't have a section on the tests, which means we don't have to worry about teaching to the test....or do we?
I've noticed that a lot of music teachers do teach to the test. Our test just isn't on paper. Our test is our concerts. Many music teachers teach to the concert by having their students learn their music and that's all. I feel that one of the reasons music teachers and music classes are on the chopping block is because after the concerts, that's it. The kids don't walk away with anything and there are way too many "music teachers" just covering the basics. If a music classroom were to be influential on students it would cover a broad range of musical elements like:
-theory
-history
-technology
Theory is a HUGE subject within music covering dynamic, chords, scales, composition, orchestration, sight reading, aural notation, written notation, etc, etc. It covers the in's and out's of music, how its written and read and its an amazing tool to have when students are learning pieces. They can see why certain chord progressions are used in certain pieces and how the music fits together.
History is the basis of music. This covers composers, musical eras from medieval to contemporary, Western and non-western music, musical cultures, and world music. Its for the students to see why certain piece were composed and provides them insight into interesting stories like why Beethoven was deaf, how mozart only wrote the first 4 measures to one of the final movements in his requiem, yet its finished today, and how the music of centuries ago influences the music they listen to today. An amazing way to get students interested in music is to connect it with their own live, cultures, and experiences.
Technology is necessary because the world is becoming engrossed with it. Technology is everywhere and showing students the new possibilities to recording, producing, and composting music opens up unlimited possibilities for their musical ideas.
I think these three main aspects should always be part of a music classroom. I feel that they open up a whole new world full of different experiences and information that can be used by our students, and in their own way advocate for music education.
This is different for music teachers. We don't have a section on the tests, which means we don't have to worry about teaching to the test....or do we?
I've noticed that a lot of music teachers do teach to the test. Our test just isn't on paper. Our test is our concerts. Many music teachers teach to the concert by having their students learn their music and that's all. I feel that one of the reasons music teachers and music classes are on the chopping block is because after the concerts, that's it. The kids don't walk away with anything and there are way too many "music teachers" just covering the basics. If a music classroom were to be influential on students it would cover a broad range of musical elements like:
-theory
-history
-technology
Theory is a HUGE subject within music covering dynamic, chords, scales, composition, orchestration, sight reading, aural notation, written notation, etc, etc. It covers the in's and out's of music, how its written and read and its an amazing tool to have when students are learning pieces. They can see why certain chord progressions are used in certain pieces and how the music fits together.
History is the basis of music. This covers composers, musical eras from medieval to contemporary, Western and non-western music, musical cultures, and world music. Its for the students to see why certain piece were composed and provides them insight into interesting stories like why Beethoven was deaf, how mozart only wrote the first 4 measures to one of the final movements in his requiem, yet its finished today, and how the music of centuries ago influences the music they listen to today. An amazing way to get students interested in music is to connect it with their own live, cultures, and experiences.
Technology is necessary because the world is becoming engrossed with it. Technology is everywhere and showing students the new possibilities to recording, producing, and composting music opens up unlimited possibilities for their musical ideas.
I think these three main aspects should always be part of a music classroom. I feel that they open up a whole new world full of different experiences and information that can be used by our students, and in their own way advocate for music education.
Dealing with "different" students
I feel that my lifestyle is much different than everyone else's. By that, I mean that my way of thinking, my way of being open minded and accepting is much different than some of my peers. I've often noticed that some of my friends just shut down around people with disorders they aren't used to. There are a few students in the school of music who do have disorders like Aspergers, ranging from very high functioning, to somewhat low functioning. And I've noticed that when a certain student with this disorder comes around my friends avert their eyes, pretend like they don't know he's there and just outright ignore him. I find it sickening.
I don't understand how my peers, being education majors, don't know how to deal with people who are different from them. There is a possibility that they will have students with social, mental, and physical disorders in their music classes. Its not as likely as the main-stream subject, but I have been in classes in high school with a boy who is living with Down Syndrome, a girl in a wheelchair because of a spinal disease, and now in college 2-4 of my peers have Aspergers of different functioning levels. For me, its just normal to interact with them. But, I think I was lucky enough to be brought up around these disorders. My mother is an extremely wonderful woman. She has worked her way from physical ed/health teacher while also teaching special education, and is now the head of the child study team at one of the three high schools in my town. I think she may actually be one of the heads in the district as well since she deals with students from all over the district that go to different schools. She used to bring me in for "take your daughter to work day." She also used to organize rides and outfits/dresses for prom so her students could go to them. So I was around and exposed to these kinds of disorders from a young age. And even in my childhood, I was never exposed to something like what is in this video.
I post this video as a question to my peers. How do you think you would handle something like this in your classroom? This is much different than a mental disorder, and I'm curious to see how my peers would handle something like this if they have trouble with simple conversation between themselves and someone with very high functioning Aspergers.
Kids on the Internet
There has always been a pit in my stomach, a bad taste in my mouth or a twitch in my brain when I hear or read about young kids have cell phones, iPads, iPod touch, or a social page like myspace and Facebook. It never really escalated until I saw a recent video on youtube about a girl who was "driven to plastic surgery" by bullies in school and on Facebook.
This Video portrays a young girl and her family speaking about the trouble she faces at school and on Facebook because of her nose. The family explains that the girl broke her nose when she was 2, and again when she was 8. Since then her nose changed from its original structure and has now reformed because of the breaks. Because of this, she suffered ridicule from her peers; both at school and on Facebook. The video goes on to show her family allowing the teen to undergo plastic surgery to fix her nose that she states "she hates."
My problem here isn't with her parents allowing her to have plastic surgery. I actually believe that if my child were extremely unhappy with a part of their body (that has changed because of previous injuries, like her broken nose), and I had the finances to fix it, I would consider it.
My problem here is that her parents allow her to have a Facebook page. I have believed for a long time that allowing young kids to have such advanced technology and have a social media page intended for older generations is absolutely stupid. Kids are mean, and everyone knows this. Kids poke fun at each other, they are too young to fully understand how their actions and words affect each other. Don't get it wrong, I am all for teaching our students that bullying is wrong, and just how far it can go. But, at the same time, these kids are too young to fully grasp the outcome of their actions.
I think this girl's problem could have easily been reduced by half if her parents and the other teen's parents didn't allow them to have a Facebook. What do they even need this form of media for? I truly don't understand why parents allow their kids to have these privileges, and then get upset when that very privilege causes more harm than good.
This Video portrays a young girl and her family speaking about the trouble she faces at school and on Facebook because of her nose. The family explains that the girl broke her nose when she was 2, and again when she was 8. Since then her nose changed from its original structure and has now reformed because of the breaks. Because of this, she suffered ridicule from her peers; both at school and on Facebook. The video goes on to show her family allowing the teen to undergo plastic surgery to fix her nose that she states "she hates."
My problem here isn't with her parents allowing her to have plastic surgery. I actually believe that if my child were extremely unhappy with a part of their body (that has changed because of previous injuries, like her broken nose), and I had the finances to fix it, I would consider it.
My problem here is that her parents allow her to have a Facebook page. I have believed for a long time that allowing young kids to have such advanced technology and have a social media page intended for older generations is absolutely stupid. Kids are mean, and everyone knows this. Kids poke fun at each other, they are too young to fully understand how their actions and words affect each other. Don't get it wrong, I am all for teaching our students that bullying is wrong, and just how far it can go. But, at the same time, these kids are too young to fully grasp the outcome of their actions.
I think this girl's problem could have easily been reduced by half if her parents and the other teen's parents didn't allow them to have a Facebook. What do they even need this form of media for? I truly don't understand why parents allow their kids to have these privileges, and then get upset when that very privilege causes more harm than good.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Final
The lesson plan I chose utilizes a multi-media approach to learning the specific content area. Originally, the lesson only provided one approach to learn the content, but after adaptations were made for inclusion, it was transformed into a lesson containing 2 different approaches to teaching the same content; one is dependent on the teacher, the other is dependent on an interactive website. The website allows the students to activate and use technology to review, and even further explore the lessons taught in the classroom based on music theory. This lesson is used for beginning to learn the different intervals, which is a more advanced lesson, but not so advanced that it could be over the student's head. The website offers many more lessons and exercises for the student to explore as then learn about the different elements of music theory including intervals, clefs, note names, recognizing, reading, writing, and hearing chords, piano skills, etc etc.
Matrix
Row 3
Row 3 is the starting row in my document. The technologies utilized in this row are electric keyboard or virtual keyboard if electric is not available, speakers, computer or internet accessible device (laptop, iPad, tablet). In this teaching strategy, the keyboard, be it virtual or not, is used to produce the different types of intervals the instructor is presenting. The instructor presents the intervals orally, while also playing them on the keyboard. The students listen, and are then required to color in the corresponding notes of those intervals on a provided print out of the keys on a keyboard. With this activity, the students are exploring an element of music (intervals) through verbal and written responses (coloring in the intervals, sharing their answers), to diverse aural prompts (playing an interval or giving the name of the interval for the students to identify.
Row 4
Row 4 technologies consist of a virtual keyboard (this time for the student), speakers, headphones, and internet access. This is the first row that establishes the two different styles of teaching the same content. The technologies are used mainly by the student to access the website www.musictheory.net . Through this website, the student is able to view (by color coordination, just like they did in the previous activity) different intervals. The student is then required to click on the correct, corresponding interval option. The only problem with this activity, is that the site does not play the interval, but there is a virtual keyboard option at the top of the exercise. This allows the student to click on the specific keys of the keyboard to play the shaded notes of the interval to further support their answers. Throughout the activity, the teacher is administrating the use of the computers, making sure all the students are on task, while also being able to assess the students, making sure they understand the different intervals. Through this activity, the students are recognizing and naming a variety of music elements using appropriate vocabulary (the correct names of the intervals) while advocating and practicing safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology (teacher guided internet use) They are also selecting and using applications effectively and productively (the virtual keyboard option on the website, and the website itself.)
Row 5
Row 5 is somewhat of a continuation of Row 4. A difference is that the students can now be prompted with a specific interval, and can then use the technologies (computer, speakers, headphones, internet access) to utilize the virtual keyboard and play, out loud, the corresponding notes to the provided interval. This is a great way to get the students working together to problem solve and come up with a certain solution while working in groups to provide a correct answer. Because there is more than one solution to these prompts (for example a P5, or perfect 5th, could be C-G, D-A, F-C, etc.) the students are also providing multiple "solutions" to the problem. Through this exercise, the students are demonstrating the basic concepts of intervals (choosing and playing correct intervals), while also understanding and using technology systems (using the virtual keyboard provided on the website to play their own intervals).
Row 6 & 7 are further continuations of the overall lesson, providing different standards for, generally, the same activities. I included a NETS-S standard on its own because I believe that the standard stands alone in the lesson, being a major part of re-teaching the information. The students must use the internet, computer and vital keyboard to establish answers, and use the we site effectively to solve problems. Problems being how to build, recognize, and play certain intervals.
Assessments
The assessments in this matrix are located in 4a, 5a, and 7a. The assessment in 4a consists of the teacher chaperoning the activities on the computer. The teacher is able to see what the students are doing. They can see that the students are correctly activating the website, considering answers, using what they learn to complete the exercises and revisiting the lessons tab to review information. In 5a, the assessment consists of having the students answer questions by using their virtual keyboard. The keyboard are presented with a little more than an octave range. The students can then play their answers to the oral prompts the teaching is giving. With this, the student can see all the different possible answers to one prompt as well as being able to here and audiate the answers. The assessment in 7a is basically just for technology. Since the NETS-S are being implemented in public schools, its important to include an assessment just for the technology portions of a lesson or activity. With this, the teacher can see that the students are safely, and correctly using the technology. If the students are struggling, they can connect with their peers and problem solve together to figure out any issues the face while using the technology (the computer, or the virtual keyboard.)
Matrix
Row 3
Row 3 is the starting row in my document. The technologies utilized in this row are electric keyboard or virtual keyboard if electric is not available, speakers, computer or internet accessible device (laptop, iPad, tablet). In this teaching strategy, the keyboard, be it virtual or not, is used to produce the different types of intervals the instructor is presenting. The instructor presents the intervals orally, while also playing them on the keyboard. The students listen, and are then required to color in the corresponding notes of those intervals on a provided print out of the keys on a keyboard. With this activity, the students are exploring an element of music (intervals) through verbal and written responses (coloring in the intervals, sharing their answers), to diverse aural prompts (playing an interval or giving the name of the interval for the students to identify.
Row 4
Row 4 technologies consist of a virtual keyboard (this time for the student), speakers, headphones, and internet access. This is the first row that establishes the two different styles of teaching the same content. The technologies are used mainly by the student to access the website www.musictheory.net . Through this website, the student is able to view (by color coordination, just like they did in the previous activity) different intervals. The student is then required to click on the correct, corresponding interval option. The only problem with this activity, is that the site does not play the interval, but there is a virtual keyboard option at the top of the exercise. This allows the student to click on the specific keys of the keyboard to play the shaded notes of the interval to further support their answers. Throughout the activity, the teacher is administrating the use of the computers, making sure all the students are on task, while also being able to assess the students, making sure they understand the different intervals. Through this activity, the students are recognizing and naming a variety of music elements using appropriate vocabulary (the correct names of the intervals) while advocating and practicing safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology (teacher guided internet use) They are also selecting and using applications effectively and productively (the virtual keyboard option on the website, and the website itself.)
Row 5
Row 5 is somewhat of a continuation of Row 4. A difference is that the students can now be prompted with a specific interval, and can then use the technologies (computer, speakers, headphones, internet access) to utilize the virtual keyboard and play, out loud, the corresponding notes to the provided interval. This is a great way to get the students working together to problem solve and come up with a certain solution while working in groups to provide a correct answer. Because there is more than one solution to these prompts (for example a P5, or perfect 5th, could be C-G, D-A, F-C, etc.) the students are also providing multiple "solutions" to the problem. Through this exercise, the students are demonstrating the basic concepts of intervals (choosing and playing correct intervals), while also understanding and using technology systems (using the virtual keyboard provided on the website to play their own intervals).
Row 6 & 7 are further continuations of the overall lesson, providing different standards for, generally, the same activities. I included a NETS-S standard on its own because I believe that the standard stands alone in the lesson, being a major part of re-teaching the information. The students must use the internet, computer and vital keyboard to establish answers, and use the we site effectively to solve problems. Problems being how to build, recognize, and play certain intervals.
Assessments
The assessments in this matrix are located in 4a, 5a, and 7a. The assessment in 4a consists of the teacher chaperoning the activities on the computer. The teacher is able to see what the students are doing. They can see that the students are correctly activating the website, considering answers, using what they learn to complete the exercises and revisiting the lessons tab to review information. In 5a, the assessment consists of having the students answer questions by using their virtual keyboard. The keyboard are presented with a little more than an octave range. The students can then play their answers to the oral prompts the teaching is giving. With this, the student can see all the different possible answers to one prompt as well as being able to here and audiate the answers. The assessment in 7a is basically just for technology. Since the NETS-S are being implemented in public schools, its important to include an assessment just for the technology portions of a lesson or activity. With this, the teacher can see that the students are safely, and correctly using the technology. If the students are struggling, they can connect with their peers and problem solve together to figure out any issues the face while using the technology (the computer, or the virtual keyboard.)
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Interactivity #5
The teacher I emailed is actually no longer considered a teacher. She was a teacher for many years in physical education/health and special ed in the high schools. She then became the head of the child study team at just one of the high schools in my town (Hamilton Twp, Mercer County). The high school is considered the "worst" school in our township, many kids with disabilities (mental and emotional) and low financial standing for most of the families in the area.
When I first inquired about the NETS-S, she said she was unaware of these standards. She stated that she did not know of any specific changes within the school to accommodate the standards, but she does know that the teachers in the schools are required to include technology into their lessons in some way. The teachers are to include technology into their lessons daily, and she also mentioned a test in 8th grade to assess the students knowledge of technology. She imagines that if these standards were to be fully implemented, the school would need funding for a lot more technology based devices. Because of the area, many families cannot afford to own these devices at home, so if the students are required to learn to use them, they would have to be within the school. She finally states that its somewhat impossible for a school to "finish" a transition into these standards because technology is always changing, improving, therefore the standards will never be permanent.
I actually was not surprised at the responses. I was more surprised to learn of the existence of these standards. I was still in high school in 2007 (graduated in 2009) and I never saw any change towards more technology in the classes. It was really considered a "good day" when we were allowed or required to use the computers in our science classes to complete labs/assignments.
In the future, I will plan to include technology into my lessons wherever they may fit. I feel that the problem with including technology, especially in music, is that it lowers the value of the actual act of creating and listening to live music for my students. At the same time, it offers an opportunity for them to listen to different musical cultures and music around the world that they may not have been able to experience before. So I believe that technology, while part of our evolving world, is better used in moderation, no matter the subject matter or content area. I will speak within my school about the importance of knowing how to use technology to better their students education, but I would also warn them about the possibility of technology being a crutch or an easy way out of an assignment or class.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Atb02nrpTTXpdHI0SkJYWWp3WHRHQ1J0QzI2RngzUmc
(link to original spreadsheet with NETS-S standards added)
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
"It gives me the feeling of love. I figure right now, the world needs to come into music."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKDXuCE7LeQ&feature=colike
(link to youtube video)
There are often times, I'm sure everyone goes through, that I doubt what I'm doing in life.
Why would I ever want to do this?
The odds are against me, how could I ever succeed?
Will I be able to be happy later in life?
These questions plague me more than they should, and I find that I am constantly reminded of my distaste for a lot of what teaching music contains. But then, I come across videos like the one above. Any my entire perspective is altered...
I found this video so inspirational, and emotional, and meaningful! Its a reminder that the people who try to tell us that music is a waste or "not a logical career," have NO IDEA that things like this (in the video) happen. They know nothing about the power of music in general, let alone the power a teacher/professor/advocator/lover of music embody.
When I saw this, I knew I had to post about it. I knew I had to somehow relate it to music education so I could share it with whoever reads my blog because the message is that important. This video, this act of recognizing music, being able to bring someone out of whatever room they were locked in in their own minds is something anyone who has been educated about music can do. Knowing the history of music, contemporary in this case, is a major part of this encounter. But after rummaging through what I've been taught over the last three years, I eventually found that the reason I wanted to share this post in the first place, is educational in itself.
Music in general, isn't something like math, so simply used and once its complete its not thought about until its needed next. Its not like science or english or a language...its part of someone. Its constantly inside you, constantly changing, we (educated or not) are always able to create it and shape it. This is something I will forever instill in my students. I will teach them that, like this man, music can bring out who you are, however lost, or compressed you may feel. And that, is a major part of life. Dealing with their emotions and reactions, is what we as teachers are here for, isn't it? To shape them and guide them into society without fear and with enough skills and abilities to handle all that life may throw at them, be it academic or emotional.
(Of course, I'll mention that some forms of technology are needed with teaching my students about this. Recordings of certain pieces, recording software, computer, speakers, iPod, notational software, headphones, etc. etc. )
As expected, the inspiration and motivation I feel while writing this will fade. I'll find something to be negative about, something to bring me down, because as Frank Sinatra said, "That's life!"
But, I think that's the beauty in the relationship between life and music..its there when you need it most. You just have to let it in... and sometimes back out.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Interactivity #4
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Atb02nrpTTXpdHI0SkJYWWp3WHRHQ1J0QzI2RngzUmc
(link to spreadsheet)
When approaching this activity, I wanted to choose a lesson plan that was clear and detailed. I chose this lesson plan because it was a simple theory lesson that is a staple lesson in any musical theory classroom. I also chose this because if I continue on to teach music, I will inevitably encounter, or use, this lesson with my own classes and I felt it would benefit me and my future students to further analyze this lesson.
I noticed three (3) gaps within the lesson plan in specific teaching strategies. I notated my own changes in blue font. The first change, or gap, that I filled in was in establishing and helping the students to better understand what the chords sound like, and what they should expect to hear and sound like when their chord is required. I included a teacher-centered step in which the teacher plays each chord on the piano as the students build and sing it. This provides a base for the students to help them with their intonation and general understanding of the sound of the chord. The second change I made was another teacher-centered step where the teacher went through and demonstrated how the students are to step forward and what actions they are to take when required to participate. The last change I made was a student-centered step where the teacher played a chord on the piano and, without the help of the teacher, the students built and identified the chords on their own. This is somewhat of an assessment stage for the teacher to recognize if the students are understanding the lesson and their roles in the chords.
The technology used is essential to teaching this lesson on chord progressions because it is a previously recorded, pop song that the students may have had the opportunity to encounter before. This technology is also essential because it is a common, easy to listen to recording that uses other instruments, different rhythms and other musical decorations to go along with the chords. These decorations can either guide the students to correctly identifying the chord progressions, or provide a challenge in recognizing the chords, which will occur more and more further on into their musical education and at a more challenging level.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Interactivity #3
I feel that music is one of the subjects that has fully embraced the good (and bad) of technology within education. Technology has taken over so many parts and processes of music over the years that it may even wipe out live performances all together. Yes, technology has given us recordings of live performances, cultural reach, and a world full of information we wouldn't have had such easy access to without it...but BECAUSE of these advances, the job market for live musicians is becoming smaller and smaller. The good in the relationship between technology and music, I believe, lays mainly in a classroom or academic setting.
Technology is a great tool to utilize and teach in the music classroom. We divided our chart into specific categories of technology and then added data based on those categories (composition/arranging, cross-cultural, recording/performing, etc). I feel that as the list goes on, the examples start out broad and then shrink down into detailed programs and applications. In fact, most of my own data is derived from applications for already existing and mentioned technologies. What our chart shows is that there are so many different resources for just a few specific aspects of music. Each is slightly different in their own way, but they all basically do the same thing. I believe we should teach the importance of technology in music along with the importance of keeping live music in the spotlight.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Interactivity 2
If someone were to think of technology and what it means today, you would probably get an array of answers varying from anything dealing with cell phones, smart phones, apple products, laptops, MP3s, etc, etc. Because technology has advanced so far over the years, its hard for today’s tech savvy youth and even adults to remember where we once were in the growing world of technology. I feel that one of the biggest impacts made on education, music education to be exact, is the CD and the CD player. ( I feel the two go hand-in-hand)
HISTORY
The CD rom is also known as the digital compact disk. The process of digital recording came around in 1965 and was created by James T. Russell. The CD is an extension and a grown of vinyl records and was invented with the idea to record and store data with light, rather than by touch. As stated in a passage about the inventor of the CD on thinkquest.org, Russel invented a method of recording onto a photosensitive platter in binary bits (“dots” of light and dark, each 1 micron in diameter). To read the patterns created by the lights and dots, he used a laser which when the patterns were recovered, could then be converted with a computer into an electronic signal. This signal could then be made into something audible (sound) or visual (images).
It wasn’t until the 1980s when CDs were readily available and sold. In 1980, Russell’s company first licensed his system. The large amount of unoccupied time was due to the fact that many people were weary of his invention and would not invest in the process. It wasn’t until 1985 that big name companies like Sony, and and Phillips purchased manufacturing rights and began making the CD for buyer consumption.
I feel the CD has positively and negatively influenced music education. Before the CD most people had cassette tapes, and before that were vinyl records, and before that the phonograph. All of these recording technologies led the way for the invention of the CD and are just as important, if not more. But, the CD holds a fairly large amount of data in comparison to its predecessors. The CD is also an easily shared technology. And by shared I mean exactly that. The CD is portable, small, thin, and doesn’t take up a lot of space making it perfect for overachieving, over packed music students!
The CD is also a great device for music education because of its recording ability. It’s much clearer in sound than older resources. Recording in general is a great resource because of many reasons. It allows students, performers, composers, etc, to have the ability to play music that was recorded thousands of miles away comfortably in their own homes. Recording is also ideal because of its consistency. The recording someone listens to is the same one over and over; nothing changes so it makes analyzing, transposing, and conducting much easier.
Along with its positive attributes, the CD has some negative effects. Because of its portability and purpose (to listen to any music at any time) less people are going to see live performances of classical music. Also, CDs of musical recordings are not cheap and although they are accessible to everyone, they are not affordable to everyone. We are constantly reminded of the need for teachers in urban districts, and within these districts there are many financial problems facing the students. A future educator, or present educator may find that some of their students do not have the funds to pay for multiple CDs of recording you think would benefit them.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Interactivity #1
Three Most Influential Communication Techonologies:
1. Computer/Laptop
2. Cell Phone
3. Ipod
These three techonologies have most certainly had an inpact on my life as well as taking a huge part in shaping my life. I have vivid memories of being one of the last of my friends to set up a myspace, as well has spending hours using the computer to chat with my friends on AIM because I wasn't allowed to use the phone for such a long period of time. When I finally got my cell phone, I remember having trouble keeping my text message rates down, and then I finally got my Ipod touch, which enabled me to be on AIM at all hours of the night talking with friends, I would get in trouble for keeping the internet on all night long. But thanks to these different types of technology, I feel that I am well versed and educated when it comes to using any kind of technology as well as being able to teach using technology.
The way I learn new information is through many different ways; being told, verbal communication, books, figuring it out on my own, or from the internet (videos, blogs, vlogs,websites, etc.) The impact all of these technologies has had on my ability to learn new information has been substantial in both the speed at which I can learn or hear about the new information and in the truth of the information (the amount of correct information and facts as opposed to opinions and assumptions).
When it comes to the videos, I feel that there are many similarities in the types of uses when compared to the students in the second video as we as Erica from the first video. But, I feel that the biggest difference has to do with age and where I am in my life compared to where those students and Erica is in hers. Most of the students from the second video were from High Tech High School, and Erica was in High School as well, I believe. I feel that in High School, though technology is used as a source of learning and completeing assignments, it is not as big as a communications resource as it is in college. In college, for example, I feel there is an equal amount of verbal communication as well as technology based communication amongst peers and professors. We also have online classes in which communication is only taking place through technology. So, I feel that the uses of techology in college are more geared towards academics and the uses of technology in High School are more geared towards non-academic communication.
1. Computer/Laptop
2. Cell Phone
3. Ipod
These three techonologies have most certainly had an inpact on my life as well as taking a huge part in shaping my life. I have vivid memories of being one of the last of my friends to set up a myspace, as well has spending hours using the computer to chat with my friends on AIM because I wasn't allowed to use the phone for such a long period of time. When I finally got my cell phone, I remember having trouble keeping my text message rates down, and then I finally got my Ipod touch, which enabled me to be on AIM at all hours of the night talking with friends, I would get in trouble for keeping the internet on all night long. But thanks to these different types of technology, I feel that I am well versed and educated when it comes to using any kind of technology as well as being able to teach using technology.
The way I learn new information is through many different ways; being told, verbal communication, books, figuring it out on my own, or from the internet (videos, blogs, vlogs,websites, etc.) The impact all of these technologies has had on my ability to learn new information has been substantial in both the speed at which I can learn or hear about the new information and in the truth of the information (the amount of correct information and facts as opposed to opinions and assumptions).
When it comes to the videos, I feel that there are many similarities in the types of uses when compared to the students in the second video as we as Erica from the first video. But, I feel that the biggest difference has to do with age and where I am in my life compared to where those students and Erica is in hers. Most of the students from the second video were from High Tech High School, and Erica was in High School as well, I believe. I feel that in High School, though technology is used as a source of learning and completeing assignments, it is not as big as a communications resource as it is in college. In college, for example, I feel there is an equal amount of verbal communication as well as technology based communication amongst peers and professors. We also have online classes in which communication is only taking place through technology. So, I feel that the uses of techology in college are more geared towards academics and the uses of technology in High School are more geared towards non-academic communication.
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