June 2018
Process teaching was alive and well within my practice this year.
5th and 6th grade students successfully learned and created some
of the most advanced material I’ve been involved in as a music teacher to date.
The piece we finally performed, “Loathsome Troll” had multiple components that were
taught separately and with a deliberate process approach so characteristic of Orff teaching.
It began with chants, melodies both sung and played, body percussion patterns that became
xylophone parts, then more focused xylophone instruction, all in unison at first, and also
in the unusual 11/4 time signature and E phrygian mode. When these parts had solid representation
among the students, we were able to layer them successfully as contrasting parts through weekly
(or near weekly) repetition and practice. This product became transition music that featured poetry
and choreography created by students based on Greek Gods and Goddesses. As far as my general
music practice is concerned, the outcome was a professional pinnacle to date.
5th and 6th grade students successfully learned and created some
of the most advanced material I’ve been involved in as a music teacher to date.
The piece we finally performed, “Loathsome Troll” had multiple components that were
taught separately and with a deliberate process approach so characteristic of Orff teaching.
It began with chants, melodies both sung and played, body percussion patterns that became
xylophone parts, then more focused xylophone instruction, all in unison at first, and also
in the unusual 11/4 time signature and E phrygian mode. When these parts had solid representation
among the students, we were able to layer them successfully as contrasting parts through weekly
(or near weekly) repetition and practice. This product became transition music that featured poetry
and choreography created by students based on Greek Gods and Goddesses. As far as my general
music practice is concerned, the outcome was a professional pinnacle to date.
There were four or five other equally engaging units that I tried to develop with our 5th and 6th
grade students. I started all of this material in September, and by February I realized that we would
run out of time to develop a performance piece by May’s concert if we were we to stick to the
current curricular agenda, so I narrowed the focus of the class. In this way, I dealt successfully
with the shortage of contact time I have with students, and I have more insight into what the program
could be were I to see students with more frequency and regularity. My professional challenge, and no
easy task, is to bring students to a high level of learning despite a dearth of contact time.
I believe the answer lies in taking more of a K-6 approach in addition to a September to June approach.
grade students. I started all of this material in September, and by February I realized that we would
run out of time to develop a performance piece by May’s concert if we were we to stick to the
current curricular agenda, so I narrowed the focus of the class. In this way, I dealt successfully
with the shortage of contact time I have with students, and I have more insight into what the program
could be were I to see students with more frequency and regularity. My professional challenge, and no
easy task, is to bring students to a high level of learning despite a dearth of contact time.
I believe the answer lies in taking more of a K-6 approach in addition to a September to June approach.
I have set some challenging goals for next year (2018-19) that involve a greater emphasis on
storytelling through creative music and movement, and my mind is set on discovering more
efficient way of building the necessary skills, K-12, that will serve as the components for these
greater learning outcomes.
storytelling through creative music and movement, and my mind is set on discovering more
efficient way of building the necessary skills, K-12, that will serve as the components for these
greater learning outcomes.
