My Approach to Guiding the Development of Musicianship:
Improvisation:
It is natural for musical improvisation to evoke fear in children, which is why it is important to being this from an early age (Azzara). Improvisation allows students to bring out their internal source of music understanding and creativity.
Audiation:
Audiation is when we hear music, and the sound is no longer present. (glml.org). Through this technique, students are truly understanding music, as they are able to reciprocate it without the sound all by themselves (Isbell).
Constructivism Approach:
My music classroom is student-driven, where students mostly work within groups to further understand music, and I play the role of a facilitator. Although there is a time and a place to deliver facts to students and lecture on information, much of what students can learn is through themselves and their peers. In this approach, students are able to interact with the material and develop their own understanding of this.
Exploration:
Students should explore their voices, timbres of instruments, and how to play instruments. By exploring their musicality, they are able to form their own musical ideas.
Performing:
Through frequent, informal performances, students are able to create a safe, nurturing environment where they can express themselves. This is the absolute best environment for a music education to exist. It also guides students to become confident in their musical abilities.
Azzara, C. D., & Grunow, R. F. (2006). Developing musicianship through improvisation. Retrieved from: http://www.orff-schulwerk.narod.ru/azzara.pdf
Isbell, Dan. (2011). Learning Theories: Insights for Music Educators. National Association for Music Eduation. Retrieved from: http://gmt.sagepub.com
The Gordan Institute of Music Learning. (2008-2016). giml.org
How I guide students in the classroom to become independent musicians:
In Elementary School:
Students are taught immediately that being a musician is being a team player, even when one is performing alone. They are also taught that being a good audience member is equally important. One way that I am able to achieve this within the kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms is through the use of “music monsters”. Music monsters are little pom poms with googly eyes. Each student gets one at the beginning of class, and are able to keep it if they use their proper singing voice, seated and standing singing posture, are a good audience member, and a good fellow musician to their classmates. This concept is so important to show students the “unwritten” rules of being a musician.
In Middle School:
It is essential for middle school music students to understand the importance of creating their own musical ideas. Therefore, a lot of class work includes composing music around the topics of rhythm and/or pitch.