CMP: Analysis, Selection, Assessment, Strategies, Outcomes Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance - Teaching wiht Intention... Performing with Understanding

Wisconsin Music Educators Association
Wisconsin School Music Association
Department of Public Instruction
CMP INSIGHTS> Strategies: How to accomplish your outcomes

Strategies are the teacher’s playground because they are an opportunity to be creative, motivational, and fun.  Outcomes establish what you want your students to learn and strategies become the vehicle for how you are going to teach your student so they achieve the outcomes.  It is not enough to write interesting teaching strategies.  Because students’ learning preferences vary greatly, one strategy does not fit all.  Therefore, when you design effective strategies, consider the following approaches to planning and writing strategies:

Use Verbs for Writing Teaching Strategies:

Act
Analyze
Arrange
Articulate
Bow
Choreograph
Clap
         Classify
Compose
Conduct
Describe
Design
Discuss
Draw
         Evaluate
Identify
Improvise
Interpret Journal
Listen
Move
Notate
         Orchestrate
Play Record
Reflect
Research
Sight-read
Sing

Learning Styles:

Visual – write on blackboard, use handouts, have students write in music
Auditory – play intervals, read out loud, model parts, and phrasing
Kinesthetic – clapping, bowing, moving, stepping, physically describing

Student-centered Strategies

Students interpret music, conduct sectionals, design rehearsal strategies, lead warm-ups, give opinions, listen and critique, determine shape of phrases, discuss in small groups, give feedback to partners

Warm-ups

Start with outcomes in mind and then design warm-ups that prepare students for performing with understanding during rehearsal.  You should have both short and long-term goals in mind.

Take out the Piece- How many different ways can you refer to your piece?

Rhythmic motif
Form
Historical Background
Composer
Articulation
         Key Signature
Tonality
Meter
Language
Modulation
         Texture
Genre
Compositional Device
Style Period

Introducing the Piece – You only get one chance to make a good first impression!  Start with:

Reading the text
The heart
Telling an interesting anecdote
         Talking about the composer
Playing important themes

For further information, visit Chapter 3 from Shaping Sound Musicians.