Okay, this is partly for me, and partly for you all out there in cyberspace. If you are not a teacher, or a musician, it may not make sense. But I want to write it down, and this seems as good a place as any.
Improvisation - teach it in my classroom! Allowing students to make up their own melodies and experiment with their instrument is rather scary to think about. But at the same time, it is so freeing to realize that I don't have to teach in the traditional way. I don't have to go to festival all the time, and worry about having a huge ensemble. What a freeing idea!!!
What if we ask the students what they want to learn? GASP! In music, we are free to do that - we are not getting tested like all the other subjects. (yet - cross your fingers, America, that that doesn't happen.) What if instead of preparing for festival the middle three months of the year, I ask them what they want to learn about, and then teach it to them? What if I teach a composition unit? Do I know how to compose? Not really, no. But I could research it, and figure out some strategies, and see what happens. What would the students think about that?
Is it really that important that my band is big? No, I don't think so. I think it's more important that I show them music - in as many ways as possible. I mean, I adore music - shouldn't I be helping them to do that, in whatever way it takes?
Big thoughts for a big subject. This school year should be interesting. :)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment