Points to Ponder 2

Each thing you learn is not the end, but the beginning of the next possibility. 

Art —and life— is a verb, a constantly evolving and changing expression. The act of creation is what moves things forward and keeps them perpetually fresh and rejuvenated.  Whether learning a piece of music or considering how to plan a class, developing the habit of asking “How else can we do this?” leads to the excitement and surprise of the creative act. 

 

 The job of the teacher is to lead the children to the edge of discovery.

 Rather than simply explain an idea or show a technique, consider how to structure a class so that the kids discover the main points of the lesson. "How many different ways can you make sound on this drum?" can be a good lead-in to introducing tried and true effective drumming techniques. , "Choose two bars to take off the xylophone and create a little piece in your scale" can make a good introduction to different forms of the pentatonic scale. "Find three notes that sound the most like blues to you" might make for a more involved and more exciting way to begin to learn about the blues scale." And yes, sometimes its simpler, more effective and even necessary simply to show a technique or explain a concept, but by beginning with hands-on exploration and problem-solving, you set the foundation for the student's interest. Try it and see.