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Morality in Education
My school experience was very individualistic. I wanted to do well, and I did not really know or care how others were doing. My school music experience was competitive. I wanted to be better than everyone else so I could get into the best ensembles and make all-state. I wanted to climb to the top.…
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“What is your primary instrument?”
This is a question I have been asked a lot. It sounds harmless. But I would like to interrogate it and suggest that we be more intentional with our language. This week when a teacher asked us to introduce ourselves in part by identifying our primary instrument, I had a minor identity crisis. I was…
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How can I affect change?
Once you start identifying problems, it may feel overwhelming. Consider pursuing change from the bottom up: All of humanity All of America National education associations Your national music ed association Your state music ed association Your local community Your district Your school Your music program Your self Start by defining your own hierarchy, naming specific…
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In what ways does your music program teach white supremacy?
When I finished high school, I thought it was normal and justifiable for white forms of music and music making to dominate school music. I thought it was normal and justifiable for white students to be disproportionately sorted into advanced ensembles and to primarily interact with the students most like myself. This just scratches the…
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Magness & Marcus, 2020 – The Fine Line Between Serious and Obsessive
Recommendation – 5/5 Summary In order to do something in a healthy and sustainable way, the primary motivation should not be the end result but rather the day to day process. A growth mindset rather than outcome oriented. When identity is tied to results, inevitable failures can become debilitating. Insecurity can lead to overworking. Run…
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Lamott, 1995 – Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Recommendation – 5/5 Summary Lamott’s advice on writing and creative productivity. The first section of the book is on fundamentals. A writer must first be able to generate raw material, and practice this almost daily. A writer should try to have a growth mindset. Start with short assignments, and finish them. If stuck, make a…
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Kruse, 2016 – ‘They wasn’t makin’ my kinda music’: A hip-hop musician’s perspective on school, schooling, and school music
Summary Kruse questions whether schooling, as it is done today, is relevant to all American children. Through researching and befriending a hip-hop musician named Terrance, Kruse questions his belief that schooling is fundamentally a positive force in the lives of all students. He comes to understand that Terrance’s decision to drop out of a high…
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What am I doing here?
Yesterday I sat through my first math class in about 12 years. There were symbols and concepts I knew, some that were coming back to me, and some I’d never seen in my life. It is a good experience being an outsider again. To be a little lost. I will have music students who are…
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Obstacles to Creativity
What is holding your students back from expressing greater creativity? In order to improve student creativity, it is not enough to teach creative processes. We must also continuously work to identify and reduce our students’ creative obstacles. Possible obstacles include: Obstacles to FocusPhysical discomfort – pain, hunger, temperatureA preoccupied mind – stress, restlessDistraction – sights,…
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What is “musical expression”?
Teaching students to “express themselves through music” is an admirable goal for a music teacher. But what does that really mean? And if we can’t articulate it, how exactly are we going to teach it effectively? When we express ourselves through spoken language, we do so through the words we choose, the order we put…
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Patrick Blim-Hockberger 