Chapter 1--Questions 1, 5

Chapter 1—The Nature and Rewards of Music Teaching

1. What about the teaching experience has convinced experienced school music teachers that their work is important and worthwhile?

Their work is satisfying and rewarding. It is more difficult to tell a music teacher what to do. As our book states, music teachers are "self-directed", and have to show how their work is important and effective. Music teachers also have the opportunity to experience much more than other teachers because the variety in the subject is so great. While other teachers use the same material year after year, those in music education use new or different material and literature every year for their ensembles. That alone may be the thing that keeps students interested. They enjoy experiencing music in many different ways.

Former MENC President June Hinckley offers some advice for “making music matter.” In addition to caring for and teaching students, she strongly suggests being an advocate for our art and the teaching of it and finding good mentors as young teachers, and being good mentors when we have gained sufficient experience as teachers. As I think about it myself, I can imagine how daunting a task teaching music would be without any backup. Thank goodness for veteran teachers who may serve as our mentors!

Hinckley, J. (1998). Music Matters. Music Educators Journal , 6-7.

5. What are the five components of the music teaching process?

The five components of the music teaching process include (1) the purpose for having music in the schools, (2) the material that should be taught in the music class or rehearsal, (3) the method of presentation of the material, (4) the group being taught, and (5) the results of the lesson. These five concepts may sound simple, but there is a lot more to them than their face value. First of all, they are based on preference, and, almost always, change as a teacher progresses in their career. The students and results will vary year by year, month by month, or even day by day. Teaching is such a dynamic occupation, full of exciting twists and turns, and with music, the probability of those twists and turns is even greater due to the variety we have to work with!

In the article “Developing Young Musicians Through Collaboration” by Chris Judah-Lauder, the topic of collaboration is discussed. This is simply one of the teaching methods that could be used. The example used in the article was in breaking up the class into groups for composition, improvisation, and discussion, either randomly or selectively to prove a point. In one instance, the class was split into groups of people with domineering personalities, and groups with quieter, cooperative individuals. The assignment of developing the section of a piece was completed by quiet groups, while the others quickly realized nothing would get done because they didn’t cooperate. This was a good lesson because it made use of musical material, presented it in a unique way, and promoted group cooperation as well—another valuable lesson.

Judah-Lauder, C. (2007). Developing Young Musicians Through Collaboration. General Music Today , 11-16.