READING #1
Repositioning 'the elements': How students talk about music.
Rose, L. S., & Countryman, J. (2013). Repositioning ‘the elements’: How students talk about music. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education 12(3): 45–64.
I found this entire article to be incredibly interesting as well as eye-opening. There were several concepts talked about that I not only had never heard of, but also had never crossed my mind throughout my time growing up as a music student. The first concept I was really intrigued by was “academicking” and how its use in music teaching is partially a result of wanting to eliminate the sort of stereotype of music education being less legitimate of a course and therefore less valued/respected. I also loved the part that touched on how music is such a huge part of adolescents’ everyday lives and yet only approximately 5% are enrolling in their senior music classes at school. I thought it was interesting how they pointed out that the music we learn in school has nothing to do with the music that the majority of teens are interested in, therefore making them feel “less than” or not as musical. Not to mention the fact that the majority of the material taught in music classes is incredibly Eurocentric. I’ve never really thought of there being a “dominant culture bias” in the elements of music, but it really is true. In terms of what surprised me, I was really shocked by the fact that there are a lot of music teachers who feel afraid to branch out and teach something other than the “norm” in fear of scrutiny or even exclusion from opportunities (ie. being disqualified from festivals due to playing music from movies). I was also surprised by the fact that when talking to students, the author noticed that they analyzed the music that they listen to in a way that’s actually more complex than the analysis of the elements of music. Now as interesting as I found all of this information to be, I was slightly frustrated by the bias in the article. The author only talked about the negative aspects of teaching the elements of music with no mention of their benefits. It would have been nice to have seen points on both sides in order to create a fully informed opinion on the subject. Overall, I want to thank the author for discussing a concept that is virtually never brought up or talked about. I have never once thought to question the elements of music, nor have I ever seen any faults in having them taught. This article really helped show me a new perspective to the teachings of music and how maybe it is time to switch things up a bit in order to keep up with society and it’s changing world views – not everything should be based on Eurocentric concepts.
READING #2
Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education's Sake
Dawe, L. (2016). Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education’s Sake, Canadian Music Educator, (57) 2, pp.22-24.
I was really surprised at how incredibly relatable the first part of the author’s introduction was to my own personal experiences. From the age she started taking music lessons, to her involvement in ensembles, to the level of perfection she strived for, I believe I can speak for the majority of musicians my age that that is what most of our childhood music years looked like. I was especially interested by the mention of everything being very black and white. Although I had never thought about it before, it is very true, at least in my experiences, that music making in an educational environment has always been incredibly structured. Even at times where creativity was encouraged, there were still guidelines as to how creative you could be and in what way – sort of defeating the purpose altogether. That is, until I got to high school, which was in fact very big on creativity.
I find it really interesting how the author mentioned that they felt very vulnerable and self-conscious when presented with an opportunity to actually use creativity, and that it was a result of never being exposed to it in past schooling. This is exactly how I felt when entering high school. However, since I was exposed to a multitude of opportunities throughout my four years there where creativity and self-exploration were not only allowed, but encouraged, I left with a complete shift in confidence about situations that had a lack of structure. I think Dawe brings up an excellent point, that too much structure in music education can lead to fearing anything that’s outside our comfort zone.
I was also very interested by the fact that, just like in our previous reading, the author talked about the disconnect between the music we learn in school and the music that most adolescents are actually interested in. I would like to tell Dawe that I really appreciate how she stepped outside of her comfort zone in order to create a curriculum that better suited her students wants and needs, even though it required a great deal of vulnerability on her part. It really frustrates me how more music educators aren’t willing to go this extra mile for the sake of their students. It’s no secret that most teens don’t relate as much to classical music as they do other genres, yet there are hardly any teachers who care enough or are brave enough to push the boundaries and alter their curriculum. This doesn’t have to mean only ever teaching what the students want, but just like Dawe managed to do, I believe there’s a way of finding a happy medium in order to instill the students with the knowledge they need while still creating lessons that relate to their interests.
READING #3
Unmasking the Hidden Curriculum in Canadian Music Education
Wasiak, E. (2017) Unmasking the Hidden Curriculum in Canadian Music Education Canadian Music Educator.
I was surprised right off the bat by the very first few sentences of this article. Never in my life has it ever occurred to me that the music classroom is sometimes a place where social injustices are perpetuated; whether it be knowingly or not. This immediately caught my interest and made me quite eager to continue reading on seeing as though I truly had no idea where the author was going with this. However, once I started reading, I realized that none of this information was news to me, I had simply never noticed the democracy and hegemony that was present in all the “typical” components of music education. I was, however, quite frustrated by the part that addressed exclusion.
If I could say one thing to the author, it would be that I don’t feel as though having auditions for ensembles is a bad thing at all, nor do I think it lacks inclusivity. Having high caliber choirs/bands/etc. gives students something to strive for. Knowing that there are only a certain number of slots gives them motivation and incentive to put their best foot forward. We don’t criticize sports teams for holding try-outs, or special academic programs for requiring preliminary testing, so why should we criticize music ensembles for holding auditions? The reality is, everyone has to face “no’s” in life, and I think it’s important to learn as a student that the proper response to this situation is to learn from what you could have done better, and work towards improving for future opportunities. That being said, the one aspect of exclusion mentioned in the article that I do agree with is the fact that the genre of music typically taught in schools is completely different from most students’ preferred genre of music, thus inadvertently excluding them from their schools’ music programs. I think it’s important for there to be ensembles as well as aspects of the music curriculum that incorporate genres other than classical.
One last thing that really interested me that I wanted to touch on was how the author referred to the music classroom as something that should be a democracy, in that the educators shouldn’t have complete and ultimate power over the curriculum. I agree that creating a music curriculum should be a collaborative effort in that the students should be able to tell their teachers what worked for them and what didn’t. Of course, the educator should have the final say, but I think it’s important to get feedback from the students seeing as though it is, after all, their education.
READING #4
The Invisible Student: Understanding Social Identity Construction within Performing Ensembles
Hourigan, R. M. (2009). The invisible student: Understanding social identity construction within performing ensembles. Music Educators Journal, 34-38.
I think it’s safe to say that everyone is familiar with the concept of being “invisible” in a social setting. Whether it be you who has experienced it personally, or perhaps you’ve witnessed someone else experiencing it, it’s definitely not a concept that is foreign to most of us. That being said, I’ve always associated this concept with social settings such as gym class, recess, or as I grew up, where to sit in the cafeteria. I have never once thought about “invisible” students in the context of a music classroom. I was really surprised to read that this is something that occurs seeing as though I've always thought of music as being such a social, interactive activity. However, being the social butterfly that I am, I suppose it really isn’t fair to assume that this is the case for everyone.
Music is such an incredible art that so many students are passionate about. It would be an absolute shame to know that someone’s experience in an ensemble was ruined simply because they felt as though they didn’t belong. I was quite frustrated to read that lacking a connection with the ensemble can result in the student considering themselves a bad musician. That's just so heartbreaking and no one should ever be put in a situation like that. I’d like to thank the author for providing suggestions on how to address these situations, or even eliminate them altogether, because I personally feel as though this is a really significant issue that needs to be addressed.
I was quite interested by how effective even the smallest of gestures can be. An action as simple as greeting the students as they walk into the room, or asking them about their day, can completely alter the group’s dynamic. I also loved the author’s suggestion to break down these social barriers right from the very first day, in order to promote the building of relationships amongst the students. I’ve had classroom teachers use similar ice breakers on the first day of school, but I’ve never experienced this in an ensemble. However, in grade 12, when I was in my school’s chamber choir, the senior students arranged a beginning-of-the-year pool party for everyone in the choir so that we could all get to know each other (specifically the younger students). I was amazed with the results. Myself, as well as almost everyone else in the choir, got to know so many new people that day, and it really set up a great dynamic for the rest of the year. Every rehearsal was always a positive experience because we all became friends with each other, so it was an incredibly inclusive environment – definitely much more inclusive and social than any other choir experience I’ve ever had.
Overall, I think every music teacher should educate themselves on “invisible” students; from how to identify them, to how to go about making them feel more included. One’s love for music should never have to be hindered due to a negative environment.
READING #5
Another Perspective: The iPad Is a REAL Musical Instrument
Williams, D. A. (2014). Another Perspective The iPad Is a REAL Musical Instrument. Music Educators Journal, 101(1), 93-98.
I was instantly frustrated by the remarks that were made by music educators that were mentioned at the beginning of this reading, regarding how “iPad ensembles and rock bands are not the direction that we should be heading” (Williams, 94) and how “we need to be seeking out students and exposing them to quality art” (Williams, 94). This viewpoint frustrates me for several reasons. Not only is it perpetuating the stereotype of all non-classical musical genres being less legitimate or having no artistic merit, but it is also an incredibly narrow-minded mindset to possess in today’s day and age. The reality is, we live in a world run by technology and it is becoming a part of every single thing that we do. I don’t see why adding to the world of music is such a bad thing. If this is going to be a main part of music in future generations, why not expose kids to it now in addition to teaching them about classical music? In my opinion, expanding one’s knowledge is never a bad thing.
As I continued to read, I was quite surprised by my response to the author’s arguments defending why an iPad is in fact a musical instrument. As much as I feel as though using iPads to create music is a really cool and interesting new idea, I’m not sure I would go as far as calling it an instrument. Perhaps this is simply because technology has never been a component of any musical instrument I’ve ever been exposed to growing up. Nonetheless, as much as I would have a hard time labeling the iPad as an instrument, I really can’t argue with William’s reasoning as to why it should be. His comparisons of the iPad to an oboe really opened my eyes to quite a lot of similarities between the two that never would have crossed my mind. Like the author mentioned, it can take several decades for a new type of music to obtain widespread acceptance (ie. jazz / dance music), so I feel as though it is entirely possible that these are the very beginning stages of the emergence of a new genre of music that will, overtime, grow to become just as valued and legitimized as the genres we know and love today.
Furthermore, I was really interested to read about the process of making music in an iPad ensemble and the obstacles that come along with it. I was mostly surprised by how similar these aspects are to making music in “typical” instrumental ensembles, such as balance, timing, and musicality. The more I continued to read through this article, the more and more convinced I became that iPads really can be a form of musical instrument.
One last thing I wanted to comment on was the end of the reading that explained the ways in which using iPads in music education differs from the traditional school model. Although I was of course expecting there to be significant differences, I was quite surprised by the vast amount of benefits that come along with the iPad program, such as the huge increase in music autonomy, as well as the significant use and improvement of aural skills. Overall, though unfamiliar and definitely very untraditional, accepting the iPad as a musical instrument and incorporating it into the music education system is something that I think is definitely worth giving some real thought and consideration.
READING #6
Isolation in studio music teaching: The secret garden
Burwell, K., Carey, G., & Bennett, D. (2017) Isolation in studio music teaching: The secret garden. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 1474022217736581.
I was really quite frustrated by the overall picture that the authors painted of studio teaching. I felt as though they looked way too far into the smallest of things, such as describing the physical placement of the teacher in relation to their student as a “disciplinary strategy.” They also went on to comparing this student-teacher relationship to prisoners that are subject to intense monitoring by their oppressor. I think this comparison is completely out of line. The way I look at it, studio lessons are one-on-one because students will benefit most from their lessons if their teacher is able to direct 100% of their attention towards just them.
That being said, I can understand the concern regarding the psychosocial implications of this one-on-one setting, about how the thought of sharing the techniques that they have personally developed over many years can be quite intimidating to these teachers since they’ve never had to consult anyone else about their teaching methods. Nevertheless, I feel as though this problem could definitely be addressed, and eventually avoided, if studio teachers were to branch outside of their comfort zone and perhaps organize a conference where they can come together and share their thoughts/experiences in a safe environment. Overtime, this exposure to external feedback would likely lessen feelings of insecurity.
Another aspect of this article that really caught my attention was the part that addressed the root of most studio teachers’ pedagogical approaches. The authors talked about how the materials they teach, as well as the ways in which they teach them, are all based on what/how they were taught by their own previous instructors, and how their past experiences were actually more influential than any music education courses they took. I find it interesting how certain professions, specifically ones that are more hands-on, benefit more from personal experience in that field than they do from an education in that field. I coached gymnastics for 3 years, for example, which required me to take several courses of certification. However, once I actually started coaching, I realized practically all my methods of coaching were based off of my own experience as a gymnast when I was younger – I hardly ever referenced the material I learned in the certification courses. I feel as though when you’ve actually been in the shoes of the student, it’s far easier to teach them.
Now in terms of the experience of the student, I was quite surprised by the authors’ mention of the fact that the idea of imitating or copying their teachers can cause anxiety and/or embarrassment among students. I, personally, have never once felt ashamed or embarrassed by imitating my private studio teachers. The whole point of taking private lessons is to learn from a musician who knows more about the craft than you do, and thus has many things to offer in terms of what they can teach you. Teachers of all different disciplines are constantly providing demonstrations for their students. Whether it be a math teacher who demonstrates on the board how to solve an equation, or a gymnastics coach who demonstrates the proper form for a specific skill, students are always being encouraged to imitate their teachers. Demonstration is often the most effective way of delivering an instruction, especially with students who are visual (or in the case of music, aural) learners. I don’t see why this should be any different in the music studio.
READING #7
Toward Convergence: Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture
Tobias, E. S. (2013). Toward Convergence Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture. Music Educators Journal, 99(4), 29-36.
The author caught my interest right off the bat when they talked about how music education hasn’t been keeping up with society. The idea that typical music curriculums fail to incorporate aspects of music in participatory culture is nothing new – we’ve looked into it extensively throughout all of our past readings. However, this was the first time an author claimed it was due to having an issue with keeping up with the times. If you think about it, back when the very first music education programs were created, Western classical music, as well as the technical aspects that go along with it (ie. the elements of music), would have been the focus of music. There were no rock bands, or pop artists, or radios, or iTunes, and therefore no disconnect between the music curriculum and music in participatory culture. We are constantly adapting curriculums in science as technology is advancing and new discoveries are being made. For example, computer science didn’t exist 100 years ago since the computer hadn’t been invented yet, but now you can go to university specifically for computer science – science education is always keeping up with the times. I believe we should treat music curriculums the same way.
At first thought, this might seem quite difficult, however I was pleasantly surprised by how simple convergence in music programs can really be. I feel as though the main reason why most music educators are afraid to break away from the traditional curriculum is because they have no idea how to do so. Before having read this article, I wasn’t really sure either. However, I think this is because most people think that music in participatory culture is so incredibly different from the typical Western Eurocentric music curriculum, and therefore far too difficult to try and incorporate into said curriculum. But Tobias has demonstrated through this article that these two different worlds of music can not only coexist in perfect harmony, but can also converge to create a curriculum that provides students with the best of both worlds. A perfect example of this would be the author’s idea to have students create their own remix or cover of a classical piece of music. This assignment would be able to assure the student’s interest in and excitement for the project, while simultaneously educating them on the elements of the original classical piece by asking students to justify all of their remixing choices (ie. “What aspects of the original are you highlighting or changing?”).
In addition, I very much so appreciated the fact that the author provided us not only with what we can do to adapt music education to contemporary society, but also how we can go about doing so. In my opinion, the most important piece of advice given was for educators to first act as ethnographers by investigating how these students engage with music outside of school. If a music educator is completely uninformed about contemporary participatory culture, they’re not going to be the least bit successful in incorporating it into their existing curriculums. In order for this convergence to be effective, educators must take a step back and become the students for a moment as they inform themselves in every way possible about this concept. Once they accomplished that, only then will they be able to make informed decisions about projects and opportunities that will actually be effective. Learning shouldn’t be solely reserved for students!