Colleagues,
I have completed the notation for our presentation on next Saturday. I will try to post it a little later . I need to put it in a format that can be attached. I will upload it as soon as I convert it.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Teaching Video 1
Okay, looks like this is working. That's the right brain working, thinking outside of the box. Pink was right. I have spent several days trying to figure this out with the logical portion of the brain. Decided to tap into my creative side and it worked. Okay, let me keep posting while the posting is good.
Video Post
Had a little trouble trying to figure out how to post such a large video file. Ended up breaking it up into smaller parts. I gonna try the room pan and see if it works.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Uploading
Well folks, had a little technical difficulty posting the video. Will try another method some time today.
ArtsAPS Video
This is a 20 minute video of classroom instruction at one of my schools. I am posting this today and will follow up with a written critical reflection and the self-assessment of the APS 26 best practices. The lesson was on intonation and tuning. Students seemed to enjoy the lesson and it was nice to be able to devote an entire period to one particular issue. This is also the subject of my action research project. One thing I've already learned is that it takes time to work on a skill in order to improve it. I often feel rushed throughout the school year to get to point a, b, or c, when the kids aren't fully prepared. Next year, I will definitely do things much differently. Pacing is going to be very important.
Another thing this artsAPS course has helped me realize is that there are many different ways we can get students to synthesize the information that we are trying to teach them. The many methods listed in Gardner's book gives me several options for reaching all students, regardless of what their learning style may be. One item in particular that I have tried to incorporate is the use of rules and aphorisms. I am making an assertive effort to incorporate these on a daily basis. This will enable all students to tap into their own minds rather than always asking the teacher about a specific phrase or rule. This will allow them to synthesize the concept in their own minds.
Another thing this artsAPS course has helped me realize is that there are many different ways we can get students to synthesize the information that we are trying to teach them. The many methods listed in Gardner's book gives me several options for reaching all students, regardless of what their learning style may be. One item in particular that I have tried to incorporate is the use of rules and aphorisms. I am making an assertive effort to incorporate these on a daily basis. This will enable all students to tap into their own minds rather than always asking the teacher about a specific phrase or rule. This will allow them to synthesize the concept in their own minds.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Class Reflections
Wow, what an awesome day we had on Saturday, April 17, 2010. Well, let me begin. Class: Critical Aesthetic Response - Dr. Adriana van Rensburg, Instructor. This was a very informative session. We listened to each class members' action research abstract and exchanged ideas and professional dialogue between each other. This was very insightful and empowering at the same time. Dr. Rensburg is an awesome instructor and she skillfully directed us on what to do. As for myself, I was trying to do too much with my project. She helped me focus on one key idea. Along with my classmates, Dr. Rensburg gave me more direction concerning my action research. I have chosen for my topic: How to Improve Intonation in Middle School Orchestra Students. I have already administered one survey to my students and have given them a playing test and compiled the data. In a few weeks, I will re-test my students and compare the data from the playing test that they will take at the end of April. I have been trying new strategies for improving intonation with my students. I am very anxious to see the results. I hope to pinpoint which methods work and which ones do not work.
Did I already say we had an awesome day? Well, there's more. Teacher as Artist - Natalie Colbert, Instructor. This class was also awesome. She steered us in the direction that Pink and Gardner would have us to go. She really had us working and thinking outside of the box in an attempt to create this original composition. We tried to incorporate as many of Pink's abilities that matter the most. The ones we aimed to incorporate were story, empathy, symphony, meaning, and definitely play. We attempted to synthesize according to Gardner. We were satisfied that we put our composition together in a way that made sense to us. We hope that the audience will be able to understand it the way we intended for it to me understood. If we can communicate what our intentions were with the composition, then we have reached the level of synthesis. We didn't want to overdo it, but we did want to create a work that would get our point across. This was a great project that we were assigned to do. I am currently working on the notation for the piece as well. I'm not quite sure how I got selected to conduct the piece, but I know that it will be a lot of fun. I would love to give this assignment to my students. It would be great to see what they come up with.
Please take a short listen to our rough draft below and give me some feedback on what it is you think we are trying to convey. I look forward to reading your feedback. - Toni Butts
Friday, April 16, 2010
Kinds of Synthesis
In Howard Gardner's book, "Five Minds for the Future", Gardner gives eight examples of ways that individuals find a way to synthesize. He notes that individuals seek synthesis. When lookng at his list, I began to reflect upon my classroom instruction and attempted to note those examples that I use from time to time, as well as the ones that I would like to find a way to incorporate in my daily instruction.
The ones that I can recall implementing to some degree in my classroom instruction are: taxonomies, rules and aphorisms, powerful metaphors, images and themes, embodiment without words and theories. The areas I need to focus on implementing to help students synthesize are narratives, complex concepts, and metatheory.
I would like to elaborate a little more on rules and aphorisms. My interpretation of this particular way of synthesizing is the use of short, catchy, applicable, and memorable phrases. The aphorisms (sayings) that I use alot , especially starting beginners off reading notes on the staff are, (FACE) fat animals can eat, for the spaces of the staff using the treble clef and (EGBDF) every good boy deserves fudge, for the lines of the staff using the treble clef.
Another applicable rule that quickly comes to mind in the language arts class is " i before e except after c". Now how long ago did we learn that one and look how long we can still use this rule, even today.
Do you have any additional rules or aphorisms that can be used in the instrumental music classroom, if so, please reply to this blog. I would love to hear your ideas.
The ones that I can recall implementing to some degree in my classroom instruction are: taxonomies, rules and aphorisms, powerful metaphors, images and themes, embodiment without words and theories. The areas I need to focus on implementing to help students synthesize are narratives, complex concepts, and metatheory.
I would like to elaborate a little more on rules and aphorisms. My interpretation of this particular way of synthesizing is the use of short, catchy, applicable, and memorable phrases. The aphorisms (sayings) that I use alot , especially starting beginners off reading notes on the staff are, (FACE) fat animals can eat, for the spaces of the staff using the treble clef and (EGBDF) every good boy deserves fudge, for the lines of the staff using the treble clef.
Another applicable rule that quickly comes to mind in the language arts class is " i before e except after c". Now how long ago did we learn that one and look how long we can still use this rule, even today.
Do you have any additional rules or aphorisms that can be used in the instrumental music classroom, if so, please reply to this blog. I would love to hear your ideas.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
5 Minds for the Future by Howard Gardner has been very insightful reading for me, as a music teacher. Chapter 3 talks about the synthesizing mind. Gardner proposes that the mind that will be most needed in the twenty first century will be the mind that can synthesize. He is not suggesting that left brain thinker (logical, sequential, linear, text, memorizes, SAT, spreadsheets) will become obselete. However, Gardner, like Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, believes that left brain skills alone will not be enough. The twenty first century mind will need to have right brain attributes ( artistic, synthesis, empathetic, analytical, contextual, the big picture) as well, in order to make it in this fast growing technological world. The ability to use the right brain skills will be the skills that matter the most.
Just at Pink indicated in his book, Gardner points out the competetiveness we will face in the future global market due to Asia, abundance and automation. It's as if all past education is becoming obsolete. There is such an abundance of information and knowledge swarming around in cyberspace that every two to three years, more and more knowledge is being discovered and communicated. Gardner and Pink seem to agree that people who continue to do routine things in routine ways will not have any place in the future workforce or in society.
From what I can see in the classroom, the synthesizing mind will allow students to put knowledge and concepts together in a way that will make sense to them. If I can put the concepts in a way students can understand it or find some meaning in it, the students will be able to retain it in a lasting and meaningful way. They will then be able to communicate the concepts to others. In a sense, they will take ownership of it.
I am currently attempting to do this with my action research project. The action research is allowing me to reflect on my teaching practices. I have decided to try to attack intonation with my students. This is an area that many of my students struggle with. I am seriously looking at the research and other strategies and practices that my students will embrace and take ownership of so that they can get to the point of synthesis. I have been correcting the same students with the same issues all year long. It's time for a new approach. I'll let you know how it goes.
Just at Pink indicated in his book, Gardner points out the competetiveness we will face in the future global market due to Asia, abundance and automation. It's as if all past education is becoming obsolete. There is such an abundance of information and knowledge swarming around in cyberspace that every two to three years, more and more knowledge is being discovered and communicated. Gardner and Pink seem to agree that people who continue to do routine things in routine ways will not have any place in the future workforce or in society.
From what I can see in the classroom, the synthesizing mind will allow students to put knowledge and concepts together in a way that will make sense to them. If I can put the concepts in a way students can understand it or find some meaning in it, the students will be able to retain it in a lasting and meaningful way. They will then be able to communicate the concepts to others. In a sense, they will take ownership of it.
I am currently attempting to do this with my action research project. The action research is allowing me to reflect on my teaching practices. I have decided to try to attack intonation with my students. This is an area that many of my students struggle with. I am seriously looking at the research and other strategies and practices that my students will embrace and take ownership of so that they can get to the point of synthesis. I have been correcting the same students with the same issues all year long. It's time for a new approach. I'll let you know how it goes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
