Imaginative Bridges in Music

After reading the piece by Aaron Copland, I am starting to see music in a new way. He said in a number of ways that a a musician's goal is not necessarily to create beautiful music, but to create a work of art that the listener may interpret however he or she pleases. Music is more than just lyrics and sounds, he described it as a feeling that cannot be put into words. I have never thought of music in this way, and I can see the connection to works of art and teaching. In my teaching, I have certain skills that I am trying to get across to my students. I could stand up in front of the class and explain to them when to use a comma and when to use a semicolon, but that in and of itself will not teach them how to use punctuation. It takes a work of art to get that lesson across. I don't always know how I am going to getting certain skills across, but I do know that it takes a myriad of approaches to reach a myriad of different students.

The Music Module

I just listened to the NPR skit about Somewhere of the Rainbow and I am honestly blown away. Among the many things that go over my head, music is in the top two. I couldn't tell you why I do or do not like a song; generally speaking if it makes me want to dance I'm in. Apparently, there is a lot more to it than that! I've never been a huge fan of the Wizard of Oz (except for it's ties to capitalism v communism), but now that I understand the music and how it ties into the journey, I must say I'm hooked!

In the skit about what makes a great opening, I am starting to think about some of my favorite songs (which vary depending on my mood). It is interesting to think that after the first ten seconds, you can kind of imagine what you're in for. This makes me think about experiences in the classroom.  When I introduce a new unit I have to think about how my students can be sold on the topic. For example, I could say it's February so we're going to study Civil Rights. Or, I could say "see where you are? Take sixty years away and you would be marching in the streets trying to gain entry into a place like this." (This of course makes sense because I work in a predominantly African American neighborhood).

WOA Project Blog

After completing the work of art project, I am starting to make connections between taking an ordinary experience and making it more interesting by adding just a few adjustments. For example, I chose to focus on the experience of cleaning my apartment. Although seemingly mundane, when spiced up it can be quite the experience. It's a time to let go of all the stress from the work day and transform into "Susie Homemaker" as I like to call it. Putting on an old shirt, shorts and bandana, playing some music and letting loose all make cleaning house more than a chore. In the same token, small details can be taken into consideration in the classroom as well. The other day I had a lesson in my class, and later I thought if I had just changed the seating chart around it could have created a little more opportunity for collaboration, and ultimately the lesson would have been a bit more lively. I was never able to see the importance of the small details; I thought that something so little probably doesn't matter. I'm starting to see now that the little details make all the difference.

Work of Art Module Entry

After reading Eisner's work on aesthetics, I have tried to make the connection of these modes and how they play a part in the classroom.  Initially, I wanted to focus on a review game for my work of art module. The reason I wanted to focus on this particular lesson is because I was trying to make studying for a test more compelling by turning it into a game. I soon moved away from this topic because I wanted to think about the terms outlined by Eisner in more profound ways. With this, I chose to analyze the compelling experience of cleaning my apartment. I can easily understand how different forms are utilized in literature in an effort to make an experience more compelling (as I am an English major), but I had a harder time making a connection to other experiences like art and social science. Eisner said, "what we are able to see or hear is a product of our cultivated abilities."  To me, this means that only once we have acknowledged that an aesthetic form is present, then we are able to analyze that form and use it consciously to create an experience that is more compelling and memorable. Seeing what is not there is something I have grown to appreciate a lot in this course.  As I mentioned in the beginning, a lot of detail tends to go over my head. My apartment is empty, my classroom walls are boring, but I'm starting to understand that there is more to it than merely decoration. These details help emit feeling, mood, and overall impact of the experience itself.