In my last blog, Reimagining and Improving Instruction, I closed with a profound quote by Jerome Bruner in which he challenges our awareness and understanding of instruction and reminds us of our responsibility as educators: “Pedagogy is never innocent. It is a medium that carries its own message.” (Bruner,1997, p.63). This quote made me stop […]
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Leading Voices: Reimagining and Improving Instruction
As I look ahead, I know I will once again teach and enjoy the company of my students and colleagues in the future. But what it will look like, or sound like, I do not know. I do know that it will not be the same. I am not the same. My students are not […]
An International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA): Introductory Primer to American-English
It is not as inscrutable as you might imagine. Sometimes what you’re most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free. – Robert Tew There are certainly enough instructional papers, blogs, and seminars about the IPA, but they beg some significant questions: How long does it really take to become proficient […]
Leading Voices: Teaching Out Loud
How do we actively engage students in lifelong music learning and participation? 1. By becoming aware of our teaching and instructional habits in the classroom. Teaching “out loud” encourages teachers to put the ensemble right in the middle of the rehearsal process with you. To let your students hear you think, hear you question, and […]
Leading Voices: Agile Development Instructional Framework (ADIF) Sprints
I am now in my fourth week of Distance Learning and am finally getting a handle on teaching High School Music Theory and Choral Music online. It is challenging work, and at times it gets very frustrating, but also intriguing. The innovation and creativity I see at work with my colleagues, and the work of […]
Leading Voices: Distance Learning and the Experiential Learning Cycle
Below is an assignment I posted on Google Classroom for my 9-12 Concert Choir last week: “Good morning, Folks! For our next concert, each choir will learn a song on their own. The catch is, we will not rehearse the song as a choir. The first time we will sing the song together will be […]