if issues have not been resolved by the time I get them, it can be incredibly frustrating for both myself and the student if I am constantly nagging them about their issues. Here are a few things that have helped me in the past
Tag: culture in the classroom
The Meritocratic Learning Environment and Perceptions of the Self
The emphasis on performance did quite a number on me, to the point that I still have insecurities about my own abilities on my instruments.
Is This You? Building Perceptual Awareness in Listening
Listen to the clip once more and this time, point out the times that sounds came into the scene. Ask students to guess what those sounds were. Stop and start the clip as often as you like so that students are refining their observations each time. They may discuss with their team and with the class (10 minutes)
Now, show them the clip with sound. Write down any sounds that they may have missed.
“I Don’t Even Recruit…” (spoken in the snootiest voice ever)
Why not reach out to your feeders? Isn’t it better to let them know that they are wanted than not? Wouldn’t it ease the transition just a bit more if the students knew for certain that the new music teacher had a place for them?
Humor – There is a Place for it During Rehearsals!
Basically, encourage your students to have fun with music and with your class. When I surveyed my students, the vast majority said that their favorite thing about my class was my crazy stories. And I actually don’t tell them all that often, but students remember them. This brings them back day after day for another taste of our favorite thing in the world: music!
Makin’ Music in Juvie
In some cases, the students even were able to re-define themselves instead of as “criminal,” into “musician.” One of the inmates even said, “Instead of getting in trouble, just sitting there and play tunes, and stuff.” One student was so effected that he went so far as to dream about “helping out in the community, yeah. Helping other people learn music. Yeah, teach them,”
Carrots & Cupcakes & Concerts, Oh My!
anyone was welcome to sit anywhere from the floor, to the monument, to the steps leading down to the monument. So there were people EVERYWHERE! Children dancing, people walking past taking photos as they headed home from work, and the best part was seeing people unplug for a minute or so as they listened to the live music on their way home from work. I LOVE this aspect of this concert & the audience did too.
Musicking for Community Resilience
I know that education is one of the best ways to change the world, and I was thinking what role I might be able to play as a music teacher. I realize that my influence can be great in spite of the role of “elective” teacher, students are emotionally invested when they are in my classroom, and I think this is key to making powerful change.
THRIVE & Make more Music Makers!
I do think that the gender inequalitites and perceptions have been slowly changing in our country in the past few years. I see more and more male students on flute (an instrument that was once viewed as feminine) and more female students on tuba (once considered more masculine). We must transform these small steps into leaps toward greater continued participation in life-long music making.
Spinning a Web of Sounds as One Culture
Consider what role we as the educator have in this web of significance… Where do the students land in our own web, and how are we interacting with them as they create their own?
MusicEdLove 