research


ment, providing empathy or help in times of crises, or reminding a colleague – who might have had a challenging day with students – of the hundreds and thousands of meaningful teaching and learning interactions they have experienced over time, these are ways we can collectively sustain dignity and purpose for all of us in our chosen profession. Sustainability must individually and collectively come from us, first.


In a more proactive way, in our role as educators we can continue to work for sustainability in our programs by keeping abreast of changes in our field; through professional development in order to learn new pedagogies that support teaching and learning in the 21st


century; and, whenever


possible, by following our students’ leads, that is, their interests and what “learn- ings” in music are meaningful to them. Woodford (2005) emphasized the need for recognition from within the music education profession that music education should be for the public good. Mantano (2009-2010) argued for changes within higher education, and I suggest the same is true of secondary music education in the schools, that would meet the “challenges from accelerating social, economic and political complexities, including those intimately related to increasing racial and ethnic diversity in American society and in global interactions.” (59) Jorgensen (2003) viewed music education as a poten- tial “agent for change” and propounded, “For those who think that nothing is amiss in music education, I reply that even if this were the case, education is always in need of transformation.” (xii)


“Learning and innovation skills are what separate students who are prepared for increasingly complex life and work en- vironments in today’s world and those who are not. They include: Creativity and Innovation; Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Communication and Collaboration” (Partnership for 21st


Cen-


tury Skills [P21] 2002). During the last 20 years, music educators have experienced the reconfiguration of goals and standards to include the nurturing of children’s and youth’s creative thinking in music, for


Wisconsin School Musician


the most part, via the nurturing of skills and understandings in improvisation and composition. Many music educators are exploring new approaches to teaching and learning in general music classrooms such as small group composing and music mak- ing. Early in the 1990s, I began to experi- ence the merits of including improvisation and composition in general music classes when I followed my students’ lead – their response to opportunities to compose in groups. Based on their response to impro- vising and composing activities, and under a comprehensive curricular approach to general music, I began to consistently provide students opportunities to apply what they were learning as part of class studies and activities, via assignments in improvisation and composition. I found that in this approach, where in essence, students demonstrated their learnings via a composition assignment that was related to and reinforcing of the studies and activities they had experienced in class, not only resulted in a composition, the process of completing the assignment helped to expand students’ development of musical skills, and reinforced students’ understanding of curriculum and lesson content. It also had an effect on students’ interest and participation in class studies. Through the process, the students and I became a community of learners.


Twenty years of research and practice later, I am convinced that one of many effective ways to sustain quality middle school general music programs lies in a community of learners approach where through a comprehensive curriculum that includes teaching and learning in improvi- sation and composition – and employment of a variety of teaching and learning strate- gies – teachers and students work together to make, create, recreate, research, study, play, share and respond to music.


While it is not always in our power to sustain our programs, curriculum, schedules or positions, it is possible to impact our profession by sustaining what we can sustain: 1) our self-sustainment by maintaining our integrity in purpose and maintaining our ideals regardless of changes; 2) our willingness to celebrate


“While it is not always in our power to sustain our programs, curriculum, schedules or positions, it is possible to impact our profession by sustaining what we can sustain…”


and support colleagues in times of both success and need and thus contribute to sustaining others and their place in the profession; 3) to sustain our programs to the best of our ability by engaging in pro- fessional development; remaining abreast of and willing to try new pedagogies; 4) and by following our students’ interests and needs, whenever students stand to gain in the endeavor. In the long run, to me, these are the aspects of sustainability that are of the most value for music educators. Without them, there would be no music education in the schools. Sustainability begins with us.


References:


Jorgensen, E. (2003). Transforming Music Education. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.


Montano, D. R. (2009-2010). “Academic Citizenship and Schools of Music in Twenty-First-Century “Engaged” Universities Dedicated to the Public Good.” In G. Stanley (Ed), College Music Symposium, Journal of the College Music Society 49-50 (59-64).


P21: Partnership for 21st Century Skills.


(2002). Retrieved May 27, 2013 from http://www.p21.org/.


Woodford, P. (2005). Democracy and Music Education. Bloomington, Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.


Lois Veenhoven Guderian is music education coordinator at UW-Superior. Email: lguderia@uwsuper.edu


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