ameliamaki-n1

[ameliamaki-n1]

Blog 7# How can I teach primary music with passion and confidence?

Statement to the driving question: I believe that in order to be passionate about something, you must enjoy it. When it comes to music, if you are not naturally gifted, it may take a little time to find an element of music that you are passionate about. For me, playing ukulele was not one of them however, I thoroughly enjoyed studying the history of music and the composing of music.I enjoy creatively expressing my thoughts, opinions and ideas and am able to do so via musical means. I believe that music has something to offer everyone, whether it be composing music, writing meaningful and purposeful lyrics, or creating a funky beat to enjoy through dance or just listening and appreciating. Being a confident teacher of music does not mean that you have to excel in the area of music. I certainly am not the greatest musician of all however that does not reflect my ability to be able to teach music and encourage students to find their own passion in music. Being a confident music teacher is about giving everything a go and being honest with your students about the challenges that you have faced (personally) and the challenges they too may face. Being confident in your own mistakes and ability to overcome these is what makes great teachers. I am excited to incorporate music into my teaching and am looking forward to opportunities of cross-KLA with music and dance.   

[ameliamaki-n1]

Blog 6# How has music changed overtime, what makes music endure?

Statement to the driving question: 

Music has changed much over its time. Although changes have occured, many genres have endured. The greatest change in music since it was first introduced has come about due to the increase in technology and the ability to develop more instruments. With newer instruments, more complex sounds are able to be produced. When looking at the trends in music and its development, it is evident that music with meaning applicable to the majority seems to endure. For example, in biblical times, music was used as a means of worship. In today's society, many church denominations still use hymns and compose their own musical pieces as a means of worship. Music endures based on its popularity and the connection that it has with people. If music has sentimental value, it is not easily forgotten.

Learning in music:

This week, we reflected on the history of music how how it has developed overtime. We looked at the use of instruments, song and hymns in biblical times. It was interesting to note that classical music seemed to have endured over time whereas many pop hits of today come and go, losing its popularity at a vast rate. Throughout our workshop, we looked at reasons as to why this may occur. I suppose there is much of the same music in today's society. Most music in pop culture involves similar beats or repetition that is nothing new. The lyrics in most songs today seem to theme around adolescent behaviours and exposure to sex, drugs and alcohol. All music is developed for a purpose, whether it be a soft sound to relax with, lyrics to resonate with or with the purpose of worship or idolising. In today's culture, we are exposed to music that is not necessarily of good means. As we are bombarded with new tunes from our ‘favourite’ or ‘ideal’ artists, we seem to move quickly through our choice in the songs we listen to. Interestly, songs of worship have been around since biblical times and have continued to be re-written and revamped into the worship music we hear and sing today. 

When it comes to exploring the history of music, it is important that students are able to reflect on the old and the new as this provides them with a greater understanding of how and why music is the way that it is today. 

The study of music history is relevant through the curriculum however stages 2 and 3 look specifically at Australian music history and how it compares to other cultures and social backgrounds. 

Stage 2:                                                       Stage 3: 

Making in music:

Well this week was sure to be the hardest challenge of all. During our workshop, we were encouraged to write a song. Although challenging, I was excited to put my creativity to the test. The task requirements were as follows:

- Write four lines of lyrics, with lines two and four rhyming (oh dear!)

- Make up a melody that goes with it

As I have no instruments (other than an untuned ukulele) I thought it best to use an online keyboard. I chose to write my lyrics about trusting in God. 

Here is what I can up with:

- You who gave me life

- Bring me peace this time 

- I trust and know you now

- I’ve gained faith in this climb 

Here is the recording of the song: 

(Originally I recorded this as an audio file which YouTube wouldn’t allow. I’ve played the audio file from my computer and filmed the recording from my phone to get it uploaded here). 

https://youtu.be/8_oLyvAKbpc

Reflecting and appreciating music:

This week we were asked to reflect on our journey as musicians and composers of music. The two questions we reflected on were:

At first I felt 

At first I felt that I was not going to enjoy the unit. As someone with a limb difference, I really struggle to play instruments. It is something my father (who has his own band) really wanted me to pursue however I just never had the drive or interest. I felt that I wasn’t going to be able to play an instrument and never cared much to persist in this area. Having a unit that focussed on learning an instrument was at first a daunting thought. I attended a couple of on-campus workshops and felt insecure about learning an instrument alongside the class. I didn’t want people to watch me learn, as I wasn’t even sure if I could learn it. Although now part of the distance students, I still hesitated to post videos of my learning journey with the ukulele. When it comes to composing music, I was excited to come up with some funky tunes and learn a little more about written music and how to read music. I was worried that I would find it difficult to grasp these concepts but I was willing to give it a go.  

Now I feel

Although I still feel self-conscious playing an instrument, I have learnt a few simple cords on the ukulele and am proud in having done this. When it comes to music history, I understand more about the use of beat, rhythm and tempo (three things of which I thought I understood before however have since learnt so much more). I feel more confident in my ability to teach music theory and am still wanting to learn more and try new instruments that may be easier for me to play with one hand. I value music and its composers much more now than ever before and feel more of a connection when participating in worship music now too. 

[ameliamaki-n1]

Blog 5# How does music communicate a message and what impact will this have on my teaching?

Statement to the driving question:

Before taking on this unit, I had never the slightest thought as to just how much music can be used as a means of communication. Since studying the art, I have grown a great appreciation for the art itself and how I can manipulate it to portray my own thoughts, ideas and opinions. Music communicates the message of the composer through meaning behind the lyrics or the use of music to emphasise a story being told.  Music can play gentle sounds that provide a sense of peace and calmness. Music can also play dark and deeper sounds that may provide a sense of fear or struggle. I believe music is a great way to express emotion as it compliments the lyrics, or strongly influences the mood of our surrounding atmosphere. When it comes to teaching, music can be used to communicate many ideas that students explore within various KLA’s. I believe that there is an opportunity for music to be used to tell stories and would love to see it incorporated into the English subject area. 

Learning in music:

This week we were asked to reflect on two articles and find a perspective of music and its means of communication that we agreed with. I found these articles very useful in forming an understanding of communication through music. Through exploring the history of music, it was found that the foundation of music was based on moral understanding. The articles also brought to the attention that music ‘sets the mood’ using both sound and lyrics. I agree that music is a powerful creative tool in expressing one’s feelings, ideas and opinions. I believe that both articles portray a great perspective on music and the role that it plays in communicating with those around us. 

We also looked at dynamics and how this refers to the sounds being loud or soft. We looked at ways in which we can explore dynamics in the primary classroom through simple singing activities as well as responding to loud and soft sounds. We reviewed the different symbols associated with dynamics and how we as composers of music can identify and play different volumes of sound. These included;

Pp - very soft

P - soft

Mp - medium soft

Mf - medium loud

F- loud

After this, we reviewed Timbre, a term we were introduced to just a few weeks earlier. It was a great refresher for us and we were able to see the link between Dynamics and Timbre. It was interesting to see how tone of voice, sound and quality were integrated with dynamics. Later on, we were challenged to make music that looked at using both of these elements. Keep reading to see just how we incorporated these!

Making in music:

This week, we were required to make music to tell a story. I chose to tell the story “Noah and the Ark” found in Genesis 6:11- 8:22. I used a few different elements to create my musical piece. I decided to focus on the part of the story where Noah’s family and the animals were boarding the Ark for their journey ahead. I used my mouth to create trotting sounds and whistles. Animal sounds were available on google so I was able to use the following animals “rat, tiger and owl”. I also played a simple C chord on the ukulele. I used dynamics throughout the performance as you can see on the worksheet below. I started out with soft sounds and built my way up to a loud sound in the middle of the performance. I used my whistling sound and ensured that that was the loudest sound at this point. I then started to soften the sound of the ukelele before making gentle trotting noises to conclude.

The audio file has been uploaded to the padlet for this week. 

 Reflecting and appreciating music:

The reflection process involved a number of questions that helped us to identify where we could appropriately implement the activity into the primary classroom, as well as ways in which we could differentiate according to stage levels. 

How could you use this activity in class?

How could you adapt this for different grades/stages?

How could this activity be used in other KLA’s?

This activity was really fun and engaging, with the potential of being used across many KLA’s. I believe that English writing, such as creating our own stories in stage 2 or 3, could use this activity to create a soundtrack to their written piece. In stage 2, having students in larger groups and providing them with a designated instrument may make it easier for those students who find this a daunting task. In stage 3, students may wish to work in pairs or even individually as they create a short soundtrack to a story they have either written or a story of choice. I believe simple adaptations such as the amount of instruments and the number of group members should be made according to the stage level. Although this task is great for the English KLA, it would be great to see this activity incorporated into Australian history, as students may retell dreamtime stories using some of the tools that Indigenous people used in those times. 

[ameliamaki-n1]

Blog 4# How can I plan for and assess music in my classroom?

Statement to the driving question: 

Planning and assessing in all KLA areas requires the use of both formative and summative assessment strategies. With music, several formative assessments are important in identifying the students abilities and progress as they may otherwise be left behind. Informal observations of techniques, allows the teacher to identify the misuse of instruments and can often be corrected easily. Ensuring that students have a chance to partake in a reflection activity, such as giving them an exit ticket, will allow them to demonstrate the knowledge and understanding gained during the lesson. Summative assessments are a great way to end the unit or topic section by having students perform in small groups or record themselves and reflect on their own performance. It is important that reflection is also included in the summative phase through self or peer assessments as this shows a deeper understanding of the achievement standard. 

Learning in music:

This week we delved into the curriculum, looking at ways in which we can incorporate music into other key learning areas. Using our online discussion forum, we were able to share ideas with one another about the use of music in bible, literacy and numeracy. The ideas that were shared were fantastic! Enough so, that I thought I would share them on this blog. 

Bible

Retelling bible stories through a jingle or song. 

Looking at ways in which music was used back in biblical times (e.g. David’s psalms) and compare these to modern worship today.

Literacy:

Studying lyrics, their meaning and the way in which language is used to portray an idea. 

Produce a musical or music to tell a story

Numeracy: 

Singing times tables 

Making connections between patterns and rhythmic patterns

After reflecting on these, we moved onto studying some new musical terms. These were texture and timbre. Texture can be defined as the interaction between melodies and harmonies. Timbre refers to the quality and colour of the sound produced. 

Making in music:

This week we were challenged to play an untuned percussion instrument alongside a song. I chose the song “ Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” with a focus on percussion. I had trouble sending a large file from my phone to my computer, thus only half the song could be sent and later uploaded. You’ll still catch the idea of the task by watching the following link:

https://youtu.be/Hfpa4qPTrEY

This task is appropriate for stage 2 learners as the curriculum states that in years 3 and 4 music, students will “match pitch and show the direction of a tune with gestures or drawings”. in this activity, students can use alternative untuned instruments to match pitch and follow along with the tune. I really like how this activity incorporates ICT in the music classroom. 

After creating this sound piece, we moved on to creating a plan for a school performance. I chose the year level 1 and organised for 20 students to use colour coded bells that represented the notes for the song “God is so good”. I have seen on many practicums and school awards nights, the use of bell performances in the lower year levels. They are just too cute and I am so looking forward to conducting one of these performances in my early years of teaching. 

Responding to music:

This week we responded to a video that incorporated many instruments played by several school aged students. The reflective questions were as follows:

1. How does this experience incorporate the three main areas of the music curriculum - performing, organising sound ("creating") and listening?

2. If you created a "music garden" at your school - how would you use it? How would you incorporate this resource in your planning for music?

I believe these reflecting questions are useful for teachers as they help us to understand that all three areas of the music curriculum can be achieved through a single performance. The questions also allow us to look at our own strengths and weaknesses and how we can alter the task that we saw to suit our own teaching style, as well as the needs of our students. (Answers to the questions were posted on the moodle padlet for this week). 

[ameliamaki-n1]

Blog 3# How Can I help my students develop aural skills and an understanding of pitch?

Statement to the driving question: 

When introducing students to pitch, it is important that we allow them to experiment with their voice, through singing as well as identifying low or high sounds (pitch). When introducing the systematic use of a staff and how these are used to identify pitch, it is important to use ‘hands on’ activities to really set those ideas in stone. Students can use their five fingers or use lines of tape on the carpet to practice identifying pitch. I believe that using a hands on activity where students work collaboratively with peers will be the best way in developing their aural skills as well as their understanding of pitch.  In the lower primary, the teacher could provide examples of different animals and challenge the students to identify whether they make high or low pitched sounds. There are many useful online resources available to teachers that can assist with this activity. Picture card games such as the below (retrieved from Pinterest) can be printed by teachers and used as a tool in teaching pitch. 

Learning in music

This week was rather content heavy in the learning of music. We were introduced to the written component of music, a staff with five parallel lines and four spaces in between, and how this system was developed to identify pitch. We looked at the different clefs and how these are used to identify a starting point. 

Making in music - Composing a melody

This week we were challenged to create a melody using A, B, G, D and C that began and finished with a G clef. We were required to include rhythmic notes and place this on a notation scale in the appropriate pitch (chord). I found this challenging at first as it took a little time deciding on which chords sounded well together, where they needed to be placed on the staff and then determining the appropriate rhythmic symbol. Once I got the hang of it, I found enjoyment in writing up the symbols and composing my very first piece of music. Below is a picture of the notation I created:

Here is the link to the composed melody, Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/q-RAwT3a2oQ

Responding to music:

This week we were asked to watch the following YouTube clip ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=BymsIfWBwb0 ) and reflect on the following questions:

How did the teacher teach the concept of pitch?

- The teacher gets the students to reflect on the sound that he makes and asks them to identify the difference between the sounds. One student identifies that one is ‘high’ and one is ‘low’. The teacher then asked the students to practice making the two pitched sounds, moving their arms to the high or low parts on their bodies. This action reinforced the different sounds and the level of pitch. 

How did he use action to reinforce the concept?

- As mentioned above, the students moved their bodies to represent the different sounds. 

How did he keep all students focused and engaged?

- The teacher used a variety of methods to keep the students engaged and focussed. He included many activities that required students to use their arms and hands to represent pitch and tempo. In addition, the teacher used an interactive whiteboard to show how pitch can be noted. The teacher also used jingles that required students to respond. This ensured that they were on task and that they were grasping the concept. 

How did he extend the activity?

- The teacher identified that the task was easily grasped by the students. The teacher extended the activity by getting the students to place their ‘dots’ in the appropriate space on their staff. Students were then required to point to the dots as they sang their ‘highs’ and ‘lows’. 

This week, I found more enjoyment in the composing process than I have in previous workshops. I am starting to grasp the concept of notation a little better and how this can be applied to the making of music. I have also learnt some fun ways of engaging an interacting with students as these concepts are taught and am looking forward to implementing these in my future classroom. 

[ameliamaki-n1]

Blog 2# How can I teach my students about rhythm?

Statement to the driving question: 

When teaching students rhythm, it is important that students understand the difference between rhythm and beat and how these are used to compose music.  it is important that emphasis is made on pattern making and how rhythm involves sound patterns. Distinguishing between rhythm and beat and incorporating both of these in music making will allow for a greater understanding of music composition and the key elements involved. 

Learning in music:

This week we practiced a song of choice and recorded ourselves playing the ukulele at a “somewhat competent” level. I found it rather challenging to perform with the instrument as I struggle to strum without fingers. Although challenging, I am still rehearsing the same song in the hope that I will be able to play it well in the hopefully near future. 

This week we also looked at curriculum links and found outcomes that referred to rhythm as this was our topic for the week. Interestingly, I found that only one curriculum outcome had a focus on this area, that is; 

Foundation --> Year 2

“Develop aural skills by exploring and imitating sounds, pitch and rhythm patterns using voice, movement and body percussion (ACAMUM080)”.  

Although this was relevant to the foundation to year 2 level, it was found that the following stages were similar in their learning outcomes. 

We then looked at beat, tempo, duration and metre. All of which are terms that are relevant to the teaching of music in the primary classroom. 

Making in music:

This week we composed our very own body rhythms. Firstly, we used informal units to write our pieces. We wrote a key so that we (and the audience) could read and anticipate the actions/sounds that were going to occur. We then used formal notation to document the same composition. Here is a photograph of my composition piece: 

Here is our attempt at performing the body rhythm, enjoy!

https://youtu.be/Ui-AvstprUo

Responding and appreciating music: 

This week, we spent time reflecting on a YouTube clip and answering the following questions:

1. How does the teacher engage their students in learning?

The teacher engages the students by involving each student in the activity. The activity is fun as it requires students to remain focussed as they change the tone of their voice and move their bodies to the beat. 

2. How does her body language help to reinforce the concept?

The classroom teacher uses body language to address behaviours and give instructions to students using her arms and fingers. The teacher joins the circle when students are playing music and singing along, including herself in the activities to demonstrate appropriate behaviours and participation that is expected of the students. The teacher moves her way around the circle and around the students at times, ensuring they are completing tasks as requested. 

3. What can you take from this for your own teaching?

The teacher demonstrates the activities and task requirements to students as the instructions are provided. I believe in the importance of demonstrating and providing instructions that address each of the learning types (audio, visual etc.). I would like to take this on board in my future teaching. 

[ameliamaki-n1]

Blog 1# How is the music curriculum organised, and how do I use it?

Statement responding to the driving question:

The curriculum allows for students to explore creative ways of expressing their thoughts, ideas and opinions. It is structured in such a way that students build on their knowledge, growing in their abilities to explore the way in which art can be used in different contexts for different purposes. The curriculum also focuses on making and responding to different forms of music. When looking at the structure of the curriculum and its outcomes, it is evident that as students progress through the stages, they are exposed to more meaningful use of art and are required to develop their skills to in a more technical and expressive manner. As the years progress, students are not only required to respond to music, but they are to identify the purpose of music and explain these purposes. As the classroom teacher, I hope to use the curriculum to better my students’ understanding of music and emphasise the importance of the arts and how we can use the arts to express our ideas through unique pathways. 

Learning in music:

During this workshop, we explored the curriculum outcomes and how these differ in their requirements for students over the stages. We completed a  worksheet (below) that identified differences in the curriculum outcomes over the years. Some of the common differences that were found included;

Developing >> Developing & Recognising >> Using these skills to... 

Responding to music >> Identifying purpose & meaning >> Explaining how elements of music communicate meaning. 

The worksheet allowed us to identify common trends, similarities and differences in the curriculum outcomes. It allowed us to reflect on the importance of teaching music in Australian schools and how we can incorporate Christian Values in teaching the curriculum. 

Making in music:

We began our workshop by learning our first two chords of the ukulele. We learnt how to play the C chord and the G chord. By learning these two chords, we were able to practice playing the following songs: ‘Hot Cross Buns’ and ‘Mary had a Little Lamb’. 

The workshop allowed us to explore the use of everyday objects in conducting a musical pattern. Here are some examples of objects that can be used for this activity:

Once we had explored some of the different objects that could be useful in conducting a musical pattern, we were given the challenge to create one ourselves using objects that we had with us. My group used a stainless steel drink bottle, a pencil, a pencil case and a pair of sandals. I have attached the link to our final music piece below, Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYonvxQJPHY

Responding in music: 

This weeks workshop was helpful in providing a suitable resource for teachers to reflect on the activity ‘Music with Everyday Objects’. We explored the age group/stage that the activity was appropriate for (stage 1) along with modifications that could be made so that it’s suitability could extend beyond this stage. We were able to locate the outcomes and content descriptors that it addressed and compared the differences in the AUS Curriculum and the NSW Syllabus. My favourite part of the reflection included the differentiation that we needed to consider if diversity in student needs were present in the classroom. As a person with a limb difference, I understand the wishes some students have to withdraw from activities that they feel they’re not quite capable of achieving. I believe that this activity allowed for all learners to achieve the outcome as they had much choice in the variety of objects they could use. I used a simple object (that being the sandals I was wearing) when I completed this activity. Although I used both arms, I was able to slip my arms into the sandal and clap them together to make the sound pattern. My limb difference did not affect my ability to complete the task. I believe that the variety of objects that we could choose from would allow for participation of all students if the activity took place in a classroom setting. With this being said, it is still very important that the teacher remains mindful of the differences of their students and determines ways of modifying all tasks so that all students feel comfortable and confident in participating.