Concepts in Module 4

This week's strategies discussed identifying similarities and differences, homework and practice, and generating testing and hypotheses. I can say as a music teacher that there is a strong possibility I will not use some of these concepts in my classes, there are some that warrant thoughts and possible implementation in our curriculum.

Identifying Similarities and Differences: I understand this strategy is potentially very beneficial in other courses of study, however in music the way I use this is by identifying to the student how a performance or performer sounds compared to ours. I use specific examples in class by playing a recording of a professional group performing a certain selection or type of piece we may be working on for our concert. I sometimes avoid playing the exact piece for the class as I want the students to develop their own "ear" for how their music fits into the entire ensemble. However if I demonstrate a professional group performing a similar piece, I can show how that groups sounds and discuss how we can improve to make our group sound as good as the professional group. We are always making goals to help students strive for the very best, but these goals are realistic and worked on in lessons and sectional work.

Homework and Practice: Here is where we have really changed our strategies this year. In the past, our goal was to get students to practice a certain number of minutes each week. What we found was that students were ultimately changing the truth on these "practice charts" and sometimes even forging a parents signature before turning in for credit. We then went to a system where the student had to diagnosis some simple goals for each practice session and document the goals, then play specific etudes and/or exercises to help achieve the goals of the practice time, and then work on concert specific material. All of this was written on a "practice record" that documented the students practice time by use of written concepts. This was a great step forward but not quite what we needed to accomplish good student practicing.

We are now piloting a program called Smart Music. This computer based subscription helps students become involved in practicing by showing them on the computer screen what was done correctly and identify what was done incorrectly. The students are now given instant feedback and assessed on each performance of the music, lesson, or etude. Not only do students have access to the one book they may have been learning from before, but now they have the ability to work out of older books, other concert band and/or jazz band music, they can record their own music, work on scales, exercises and etudes specific to their instrument, and all of this is right on their computer screen. The student can practice and perform the assignment however long they wish and each time the system records the student so s/he can hear exactly what they sound like. It will then help identify for the student where the focus should be. This is not in any way a replacement for teacher instruction because it doesn't "teach" the student the concepts, but rather assess if the student is performing a concept or exercise up to a specific level of achievement.

Generating Testing and Hypotheses: This strategy ties in with what was discussed above. The analysis of the student work is tested within the smart music program. The student must then hypothesize the correct outcome and work to achieve a higher level of performance. This is done with the help of the teacher to show and demonstrate how to achieve such a level. However it is on the student to be tested on the concept that was assigned and be able to perform it at a level required for each grade level.