Critique
This is a valuable article in that it made me
think in detail about my questioning methods in the classroom. It is easy
to fall into what the author describes as “mimetic” education, otherwise
known as “chalk and talk,” where the teacher gives information and expects
the student to regurgitate that information precisely. His ideas for
using questioning techniques to create a more “transformative”
environment, where the teacher challenges the student to find
understanding on their own are very helpful because they specifically
address ways to put his methods into practice.
One element of this article that I have tried to
include more in my classroom is the idea of using small group work to not
only get responses from the children, but also as a means of checking
their understanding through peer-to-peer interactions. I find that given
the right framework, these activities tend to engage the students more
than individual activities.
Using questions to help students make
connections to other disciplines and their personal lives is something
that I want to do more. Re-reading this article reminded me that there
are a few books on the subject that I would like to read.
However, the most valuable idea I gleaned from
this article is that of assigning “official listeners” in my performance
ensembles. I have implemented this method in several different ways and
in all of my different groups. Sometimes I will select two volunteers to
be “listeners of the day” and almost everyone in the group will clamor to
be chosen. It works well because I get a sense of their understanding of
musical concepts when I hear them attempt to put into words their ideas
and reactions to the group’s performance. It is also a good way to reward
students and strengthen classroom management.
Other times I will divide the group in sections
and have one section play while the rest of the class “listens” and then
is allowed to critique. I always make sure that they don’t single out
individual players/singers, but instead direct their comments toward the
group as a whole. I also encourage them to frame their criticisms in a
positive and constructive light, rather than just saying “that stinks.”
My usual question to initiate discussion in that situation is: “How can
we make it better?”
This has worked very well in all of my groups
and at all age levels. The end result is almost always an improvement in
the group’s performance as well as a new direction for my teaching to
take. These are the times when I see where there are weaknesses in
student understanding and can therefore incorporate ways to strengthen
those weaknesses into my future lessons.
Although this article gets a bit bogged down in
connecting ideas to learning standards, I found it to be one of the most
helpful articles that I read during my sojourn at Queens College.
