orchestra Continued from page 36
with our students. Then, one of the slides in the presentation popped out at me; it was the “Affective Network!” Ah Ha! Perfect… my article! I had just been look- ing at the “Brain Networks and Learning” on the Internet. There it was… the subject I had been searching for was now right in front of me as an adult learner. I wanted to raise my hand and jump up to add to the discussion, however, being the quiet, “soak it all in” personality I tend to be, I waited for the perfect moment to run up and tell my colleague, “I just researched this subject. I am so excited and inter- ested in this very subject of the affective network and the affective outcomes for students.”
What I Learned
The three brain networks for learning are Recognition Network: the “what” of learning; Strategic Network: the “how” of learning; and the Affective Network: the “why” of learning. These three networks are all inter-related and form a Venn dia- gram, overlapping like the five circles of the Olympic flag, except in our case, there are three. The affective network is the learning that engages students, motivates them to learn, challenges them in several different ways and interests them. Since last year’s first learning sessions on the three UDL principles: multiple means of representation, expression/action and engagement, I carry around a “wheel of
fortune” of strategies that reinforces dif- ferentiated learning for each and every student. It covers strategies for students from early years through high school. I believe it is crucial to provide multiple ways to engage and motivate our students. An elementary example: fiddling in a be- ginning violin class in preparation for an all-district orchestra performance, stu- dents are engaged but having trouble with the rest before the last two notes (“shave and a haircut $ two bits”); we stood in a circle and had our left foot inside the circle, turned and put the left foot out dur- ing the rest, then finished the piece. “What does that sound like?” I asked my students. They told me “The Hokey Pokey.” They were engaged with the learning, however, finding it challenging, so I asked more of them by moving to make the ending seem really interesting. (I was teaching it in a gym at one school and on carpeting at another.)
Teacher AFFECTIVENESS and the Heart In this section I would like to discuss the “HEART” in music education. Early in my teaching career, I went to a Comprehen- sive Musicianship Through Performance (CMP) summer workshop in southern Wisconsin. At that workshop, I learned about the five-point model of CMP and received a worksheet for that model. One of the questions on the form for the teacher was “What do you think is the “heart” of
this piece?” This question has been with me for every piece of literature whether I am teaching fifth grade beginning strings, sixth grade chamber orchestra, junior high groups or the high school symphony orchestra. It has been a part of my psyche throughout my teaching lifetime so far and will continue. It further extends out to what is interesting about this selection, what this piece teaches me about myself and what gives this piece distinctive quali- ties that draw me to want to share with the students. Students need to see that the teacher is inspired by the literature in order for them to make a commitment to it and explore its history, analyze the mu- sic, evaluate performances of it and learn whether they will keep it on their list of experiences to revisit someday.
Conclusion
Teaching with affect in mind can be life changing and could last a lifetime in the lives of your students and yourselves. It has been the beating “heart” of my teach- ing life thus far and I plan to attend a CMP workshop for another “booster shot” of new ideas, strategies and engagement with passionate music educators. The 2017 CMP Summer Workshop will be held July 10-14 at Concordia University, Mequon.
Cynthia Kiepert teaches orchestra in the Stevens Point Area Public School District. Email:
ckiepert@pointschools.net
Get Connected to Music Advocacy Resources!
Visit the Wisconsin Advocates for Music Education (WAME) website – your hub for resources dedicated to teachers, parents, administrators and community members. Here is just a sampling of what you’ll find:
• Featured Videos Supporting Music Education • Links to Key Sources All in One Place • Tools for Sending the Right Message and Speaking the Right Language • Legislative Interaction Guide
• Notable Quotes • Tips for Working With the Media • Research Supporting Music Education Plug in at
wame.wmea.com. Stay even more connected by “Liking” WAME on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/WAMEWI.
38 April 2017
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