general music Analysis
Plan for the affective. Know the piece well. Brainstorm with courage and creativ- ity. Explore the music with your students. Listen to their interpretations. The students may surprise you with something that you have not thought of. Ask questions like “What is the composer trying to say here? What elements of music does the composer employ to make you feel that way? Why do we slow down here? Would Shenandoah have the same affect if we sang it with a fast tempo or changed the melody from smooth to choppy? How does the form create an affective con- nection?” Theme and variations listening lessons are great for this!
Strategies
One of the big challenges for young stu- dents is having the vocabulary to express the affective. We have all experienced the moment when the entire class just says “happy” or “sad” when asked to describe their emotion and the conversation instantly stops there. We have to give them the tools to talk about what their experience is with the music. Use a word wall of expressive words (joyful, scared, thrilled, lonely, ex- cited, thoughtful, peaceful, etc.). Pictures of human faces or emojis are also helpful as discussion starters. Ask students to dig deeper by continually asking them questions when they give you a simple answer.
Student: It’s sad. Teacher: Why does it make you sad?
Student: I guess it’s because it is quiet music.
Teacher: Why does this quiet music make you sad?
Student: It reminds me of being alone in the quiet.
Teacher: Tell me more about that.
Student: It’s lonely. I feel lost. The music sounds like that.
Assessments Discussion and questioning is certainly a large part of being an affective teacher. Assessing affective outcomes is challeng- ing. Young students do not always have the writing skills to express their thoughts and emotions. So, we may need to explore
Wisconsin School Musician
other assessment tools to see if our affec- tive outcome has been reached. Children role play well in collaborative groups. Drawing or selecting artwork is another idea. Using toys or creating something from Play-Doh to express the affective works as well. Dancing and movement can be wonderful. Older students can create poetry that mirrors the affect of the music they are studying.
In conclusion, young children can have af- fective responses if we create an affective teaching plan that includes great music, clear affective outcomes, supported by an
analysis of the music, with strategies and assessments that are focused on affective music making.
You may recognize the influence of Com- prehensive Musicianship Through Perfor- mance (CMP) in this article. Come to the workshop on July 10 – 14 at Concordia University in Mequon to learn more!
Kathy Bartling is a general music teacher for Waunakee Community Schools and is a member of the Wisconsin CMP Committee. Email:
kbartling@waunakee.k12.wi.us
Be the Grand Champion of Summer at the Wisconsin State Fair
Be a part of the partnership between two Wisconsin traditions!
Wisconsin School Music Association and Wisconsin State Fair Present the
WSMA Music Showcase State Fair Park
• West Allis, Wisconsin August 4, 2017
For more information, please contact Shelley Hooper:
shooper@wsmamusic.org
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